Last updated on May 11th, 2021 at 12:01 pm
You worked so hard to shrink those piles of clutter, don’t re-clutter! Use this list of 100 things to do instead of shopping as a way to end clutter accumulation in your home. Every time you get tempted to fill spare time with shopping, look at this list and do something on it instead.
End Clutter Accumulation: 100 Things To Do Instead Of Shopping
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Me and my redhead runner! I love running way more than shopping!
Get Some Exercise
1. Take a hike
2. Go on a bike ride
3. Take a class
4. Go for a walk
5. Borrow some equipment and try something new
Every month my husband and I plan a date day! Spending money doing things together is so much more fun than spending money on things that become clutter.
Plan Something
6. Plan a trip
7. Write out a plan for a new stream of income
At a loss for ideas? Check out this list of 19 Ways To Make Money Using Your Smartphone
8. Write a bucket list for the next season, year, five years
9. Plan a home renovation
Here are the ways my husband and I save money on home renovations
10. Create several menu plans and corresponding grocery lists
This eBook has excellent menu planning advice
11. Create a personalized cleaning routine you can stick to
I LOVED the cleaning routine advice found in this book
12. Create more printable plans that can save you time and prevent decision fatigue by automating as much of daily life as possible.
This past Christmas we hosted a cookie decorating party for the two-year-olds in our Sunday School class and their families. We had so much fun!
Spend Time With Someone
13. Skype, Facetime or Zoom with a long distance friend
14. Meet Someone for coffee
I use gift cards earned from InstaGC to fund my Starbucks habit
15. Exercise with someone
16. Complete a project with a friend or your spouse
17. Open up your house to others. Have people over for dinner, dessert, a movie, coffee–the ideas are endless.
One project on my to-finish list is this sweater I started months ago!
Complete A Project
18. Make a list of all the projects you already have all the supplies for and then finish them
I love reading magazines and I get all mine for free (more on how below). However, I give myself strict rules–no keeping back issues and when I get behind more than one issue, I have to toss all but the current one in the recycling bin. Of course, since I get them for free, I don’t feel guilty doing this.
Read Something
19.Read a book
If you like Christian fiction or non-fiction, you are going to want to sign up for MyReadersRewards where you can earn a free paperback book each month just by doing a few simple tasks.
20. Read a magazine
I get all my magazines for no money out of pocket through RecycleBank. It doesn’t take long to earn enough points for a year-long subscription to magazines like Real Simple, Better Homes & Gardens, and Country Living.
These apps are my favorite ways to listen to books, podcasts, and music–mostly for free.
Listen To Something
21. Listen to an audiobook
Did you know that audible offers a free two month trial?
22. Listen to your favorite music
23. Listen to a podcast
Currently I am BIG into minivan camper build videos on YouTube
Watch Something
24. Watch a movie
25. Watch a series
26. Watch another person’s life unfold on YouTube
Learn Something
27. Learn a new skill
Sign up for a free 7-day trial of Craftsy Unlimited and learn a new craft for free.
28. Improve skills you already have
29. Study the classics
A clean kitchen always makes me feel better about my house.
Clean Something
30. A room in the house
31. Detail clean your car
32. Tidy up the yard
I finally took some time a while ago to update most of my social media profile pictures
Organize Something
33. Create a capsule wardrobe for the current season
34. Organize your kitchen cupboards into zones. Coffee stuff in one area, spices in another, etc.
35. Clean out your computer
36. Get rid of junk photos off your phone and your computer
37. Update your social media profiles
38. Empty your email box
These books are research for the new digital project I am working on
Create Something
39. Bake
Not a great baker, but love eating the goodies? Try my 5 no-bake recipes that require minimal cooking skills.
40. Cook
41. Art
42. Crafts
43. Write A Book
I wrote a book on Thrifty Living.
44. Create A Digital Product
Facebook Market Place is an excellent way to make money from your clutter.
Sell Something
45. Furniture
46. Hobby items
47. Clothing
48. Art and crafts
49. Throw A Yard Sale
Here are all my tips for throwing your best yard sale yet!
One of my favorite games is battleship. Click here for a list of board games our family loves
Play Something
50. Board games
51. Cards
52. Sports
53. Download a few game apps to your phone
This recipe for Lavender Coconut Body Cream is so simple to make and really soothes dry skin.
Treat Yourself To At Home Spa Treatments
54. Bubble bath
55. Manicure and/or Pedicure
56. DIY facemask
57. Foot soak, scrub and moisturize
58. Watch makeup tutorials on YouTube and try a new look using cosmetics you own
59. Watch hair tutorials on YouTube and try a new look using hair supplies you own
This winter my husband and I had a “tourist in your own town” date day and tried out a locally owned restaurant.
Be A Tourist In Your Own Town
60. Attend a local festival
61. Sign up for a local 5k and train for it using the couch to 5K app
62. Visit a local park and enjoy its services
63. Visit your local library and borrow a book, audiobook, DVD, etc.
64. Go to local museums
65. Go to local art galleries
Here are 7 ideas for swap item parties that you can throw with your friends.
Remember to take only items you need and donate the leftovers to charity. That makes these parties clutter free for everyone.
Do Something Green
66. Upcycle an item
67. Host a swap party
68. Look up DIY green cleaner recipes and try one that uses ingredients you have on hand
It really doesn’t take much to lift the spirits of the people you encounter in your daily life–here are 7 simple ways.
Touch A Heart
69. Write an old-fashioned snail mail letter of thanks and send it
70. Send someone an encouraging text
71. Volunteer for a local cause
72. Bake up a double batch of cookies and give half of them to a neighbor
73. Send an email to your favorite blogger full of reasons why you love their blog
74. Spend a few minutes leaving comments on social media posts of those you follow that don’t seem to be getting much love.
Enjoy The Simple Things
75. Take a nap
76. Get up and dance to your favorite music
77. Grab a cup of coffee, find a place to curl up and just do nothing
78. Sing along to your favorite song as loud as your lungs allow
79. Build a fort, even if you don’t have little ones to play in it with you
80. Turn off the lights, light some candles and contemplate life
81. Get out the photos and have fun remembering when
82. People watch
83. Write a gratitude list
Fix It
84. Change the light bulbs
85. Mend the clothing
86. Grease the squeak
87. Tighten that screw
88. Touch up that paint
Almost every budget can be improved upon–here is how to audit yours.
Improve Your Financial Future
89. Make a budget or revise the one you have
90. Set a savings goal
91. Think of ways to generate more income
Here is a list of ways you can use your laptop to make income from home.
92. Sign up for point reward programs where you can earn points for doing things you already do online and cash them in for gift cards
Here is a list of 15 different websites and apps that you can use to earn gift cards.
93. Download and start using these money saving apps when you buy groceries
Here are 6 apps that will save you money on your groceries.
94. Perform an expense audit
Here are tips on how to tune up your budget.
Binge
95. Watch an entire season of a TV series in a weekend using Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Hulu
Did you know you can get a free 30 day trial of Amazon Prime, which includes Amazon Prime Video?
96. Go to the library and get out an entire book series and read for hours each day until it is done
97. Pick a podcast and download the whole series to your phone (or as much as possible at one time) and see how many walks, runs, etc. it takes you to finish it all
98. Pick one recipe book out of your collection and make a new recipe from it every week until you reach the last one
99. Watch the entire archives of your favorite YouTuber over the course of a few days, weeks, or months
Just the other month I went through my wardrobe and found an entire box of stuff to giveaway.
Because This List Wouldn’t Be Complete Without Adding This
100. Declutter deeper
Since this is a post about how to stay clutter free, it wouldn’t be complete without adding to it the free pursuit of tossing more stuff. Life changes, and therefore your needs for specific items change too. Always be actively re-evaluating everything you own.
For more decluttering tips and support, join the Snail Pace Decluttering Facebook group.
Need decluttering help? Check out these posts
- 52 Weeks To A Simplified Home: A Realistic Decluttering Plan For Busy Families
- How To Start Decluttering When You Feel Overwhelmed
- How To Declutter Even When You Don’t Feel Like It
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awesome list! thanks for putting it together!
These were so great! We live in a small bungalow so it’s HUGE that I don’t accumulate clutter. It doesn’t take much.
Yes small houses sure do get cluttered fast don’t they.