How to Declutter Sunglasses and Their Cases

My sunglasses drawer had 15 pairs and 8 cases. I wore 2 pairs daily. Selling the 13 unused pairs online for $65 and keeping the 2 favorites cleared the drawer entirely.

What Is the Quickest Way to Start?

Set a timer for 10 minutes and pick one small area: a drawer, a shelf, a countertop. Remove everything. Wipe the surface. Put back only the items you used in the last week. The rest go in a box labeled “maybe” — seal it for 30 days.

For a deeper dive, check out our complete decluttering guide.

How Do You Prevent This Clutter From Coming Back?

The 43-day rule: if you have not used an item in 90 days, donate it. Apply this to every category — clothes, kitchen tools, books, papers. Track your progress weekly and adjust the threshold as needed.

🔥 Hot take

Your junk drawer is a symptom, not a disease. The real problem is that you have no system for small items. Fix the system and the drawer fixes itself.

References

Here’s my take: One case per bag. If it doesn’t fit, you have too many.

Start with one small area. A single drawer, shelf, or corner. Remove everything. Clean the space. Put back only what you use regularly. Everything else goes in a box labeled ‘Maybe’. In 30 days, if you haven’t needed anything from the box, donate it. This method works because it’s reversible and low-commitment.

One case per bag. If it doesn’t fit, you have too many. Clean lenses with microfiber cloth, not shirt tails. Store in original cases when possible. If frames are bent or lenses scratched, replace them. Your eyes are worth more than the replacement cost.