6 Things to Declutter Using the Fly Lady Method
Decluttering starts with removing paper clutter, broken items, expired cosmetics and medications, unworn clothes, excess kitchen gadgets, and old books. Regular 15-minute sessions focused on one category at a time create lasting change without overwhelm.
Old Papers and Documents
Start with what has accumulated over the years and creates visual noise. Five-year-old receipts, manuals for appliances you threw out long ago, old checks, and advertising flyers—all of this can safely go to recycling.
Go through your desk drawers, shelves, and even bags. Keep only truly important documents that are required by law or have practical value. You'll be surprised how much easier it is to breathe when the paper chaos disappears.
Broken and Non-Working Items
That coffee maker you were going to fix three years ago. The charger with exposed wires. The clock without a battery. The Fly Lady method teaches us to be honest with ourselves: if something hasn't worked for more than six months, you don't need it.
Broken items drain your energy and take up space. They remind you of unkept promises to yourself and create feelings of guilt. Free up the space—and feel the tension lift.
Expired Cosmetics and Medications
Take a look in your makeup bag and medicine cabinet. Mascara opened two years ago, cream past its expiration date, pills that have long lost their potency—all of this is not just useless, but dangerous.
- Check expiration dates on all products
- Throw out anything that has changed color, smell, or texture
- Get rid of samples you don't use
- Make room for what actually works
This is a quick task that gives you an instant sense of order and self-care.
Clothes You Don't Wear
Items "for later," "when I lose weight," or "just in case" take up precious closet space. Fly Lady suggests asking yourself honestly: have you worn this in the past year?
If not—it's time to let it go. Clothes with stains, stretched out, out of style, or simply not bringing you joy—all of this can be donated to those in need or sent for recycling. When your closet contains only items you love, choosing an outfit in the morning becomes a pleasure.
Extra Dishes and Kitchen Gadgets
How many mugs do you have? And frying pans? Kitchens often accumulate duplicates, gift sets no one uses, and trendy gadgets bought in a moment of enthusiasm.
- Cracked plates and chipped cups
- Containers without lids
- Gadgets you've never used once
- Extra utensils
Keep only what you use regularly. A functional kitchen saves time and stress every day.
Old Magazines and Books
Stacks of magazines you planned to reread, books given out of politeness, textbooks from college—all of this creates an illusion of intellectual wealth, but in reality just gathers dust.
Keep books you actually reread or plan to read in the coming months. The rest can be donated to a library, a neighborhood book exchange, or given to friends. Knowledge doesn't disappear when a book leaves your home.
How Not to Forget About Decluttering
Decluttering is not a one-time event, but a regular practice. In the LadyFly app, you can add decluttering tasks to your lists so they become part of your routine.
Dedicate 15 minutes a week to one category—and in a couple of months your home will be transformed. Small steps without perfectionism lead to big changes. You deserve to live in a space that supports you, not drains you.
