declutter
Americanverb (used with or without object)
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to remove mess or clutter from (a place).
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to organize and prioritize (one’s commitments, material possessions, etc.).
Declutter your calendar and spend more time with your family.
verb
Usage
What does declutter mean? Whether tossing out tchotchkes from your living room or clearing your mind of pointless thoughts, to declutter is to remove messes—or clutter—from a space. Physically, decluttering involves getting rid of unnecessary things, such as unused clothes crowding a closet, to tidy up a room or area. Figuratively, decluttering involves organizing and making priorities to streamline one’s life.
Etymology
Origin of declutter
Explanation
To declutter is to tidy up a mess, especially by getting rid of objects. You might declutter your bedroom by donating your old clothes and recycling those magazines you never read. Clutter was originally a verb, used in the 1500s to mean "collect in heaps" or "form clots." Declutter is a much younger word, dating from the mid-20th century. When you clean and organize a space, removing extra stuff that you really don't need, you declutter. This can mean pulling out all your sweaters and giving the ones you never wear to your younger sibling, or disassembling your collection of cat memorabilia and only keeping your three favorite objects.
Vocabulary lists containing declutter
Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Prefixes: de-
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“Not that many people want coffee table art books,” said Margit Novack, founding president of the National Association of Senior and Specialty Move Managers, a professional group helping older adults organize, declutter, downsize and relocate.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026
But at this stage, he’s seeking ways to simplify and declutter.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2026
Here’s how to declutter personal data, shrink file sizes and ditch the cloud entirely.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 22, 2026
Owners should declutter their space, ensure that photos of the property are up to par, eliminate any unsavory smells, and consider if their home would benefit from professional staging, agents say.
From Barron's ● Oct. 26, 2025
Sort Your Life Out hosted by Stacey Solomon helps people declutter and shows the transformational impact that getting rid of things you don't need can have on your family and home.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2025
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
