Weekly Declutter Challenge

A focused weekly decluttering skill that assigns one targeted task per week across digital files, physical spaces, subscriptions, and inbox management. Integrates with cloud storage providers, email platforms, and task managers to measure real progress and keep your environment lean over time.

Supported Platforms & Integrations

Platform	Setup Method	Auth Type	Notes
Google Drive	OAuth2 connection	Google SSO	Scans for duplicate and unused files
Dropbox	API key in config	Bearer token	Identifies old shared links and large files
Gmail / Outlook	IMAP or OAuth2	App password / OAuth	Inbox zero tracking and unsubscribe suggestions
Todoist	API token	REST API	Creates and tracks declutter tasks
Apple Notes	Local export	None (local)	Scans for orphaned or empty notes
Notion	Integration token	OAuth2	Identifies stale pages and unused databases

When to Use This Skill

• Use this when your Downloads folder has grown past 500 files and you cannot find anything
• Use this when you realize you are paying for subscriptions you forgot about months ago
• Use this when your email inbox has surpassed 1,000 unread messages and filters are not helping
• Use this when your desktop has become a graveyard of screenshots and temporary files
• Use this when you want a low-pressure one-task-per-week system instead of an overwhelming weekend cleanout
• Use this when cloud storage is nearly full and you need to reclaim space strategically
• Consider alternatives when you need a full KonMari-style physical space overhaul — this focuses on incremental digital-first progress
• Consider alternatives when you need real-time file monitoring — use a dedicated duplicate finder tool instead

Quick Start

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# ~/.claude/skills/weekly-declutter-challenge.yaml
schedule: weekly
preferred_day: sunday
focus_areas:
  - digital_files
  - email_inbox
  - subscriptions
  - physical_spaces
difficulty: gradual
notification: true
tracking_file: ~/.declutter/progress.json

First Run Example

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claude skill weekly-declutter-challenge --init

Expected Output

Weekly Declutter Challenge — Week 1 of 52
=========================================

This week's focus: Digital Files — Downloads Folder

Task: Clear your Downloads folder
  - Files found: 847
  - Older than 90 days: 612
  - Duplicates detected: 34
  - Total recoverable space: 4.2 GB

Suggested actions:
  1. Delete 612 files older than 90 days (review list first)
  2. Remove 34 duplicate files
  3. Move 18 documents to proper folders
  4. Archive 7 installers to external storage

Progress: Week 1/52 | Streak: 1 | Total freed: 0 GB (starting fresh!)

Run `claude skill weekly-declutter-challenge --execute` to begin.

Advanced Configuration

Platform-Specific Setup

Google Drive

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google_drive:
  enabled: true
  scan_shared: true
  flag_older_than_days: 180
  ignore_folders:
    - "Work Projects"
    - "Tax Documents"
  max_file_size_flag_gb: 1

Gmail

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gmail:
  enabled: true
  unsubscribe_suggestions: true
  archive_read_older_than_days: 30
  label_for_review: "Declutter Review"
  skip_labels:
    - "Important"
    - "Starred"

Full Options Reference

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
schedule	string	weekly	Frequency: weekly or biweekly
preferred_day	string	sunday	Day of week to receive the challenge
focus_areas	list	all	Areas to cycle through
difficulty	string	gradual	How aggressive the declutter tasks are: gradual, moderate, aggressive
notification	bool	true	Send reminders via system notification
tracking_file	string	~/.declutter/progress.json	Where to store progress data
dry_run	bool	true	Preview actions before executing anything
backup_before_delete	bool	true	Create backup archive before removing files
ignore_patterns	list	[]	Glob patterns for files to always skip
max_task_time_minutes	int	30	Estimated time cap per weekly task
rollover_incomplete	bool	true	Carry unfinished tasks to next week
gamification	bool	true	Show streaks, points, and milestone badges

Core Concepts

| Concept | Purpose | How It Works | |---------|---------|--------------|| | Focus Rotation | Prevents burnout on one area | Cycles through digital, email, subscriptions, physical each month | | Gradual Difficulty | Builds the declutter habit | Week 1 is easy (Downloads), progressing to harder areas (old accounts) | | Dry Run Mode | Safety-first approach | Shows exactly what would be deleted or archived before any action is taken | | Progress Tracking | Motivation through data | Logs space freed, items removed, and weekly streaks in local JSON | | Smart Prioritization | Biggest impact first | Ranks tasks by recoverable space, subscription cost, or inbox reduction |

Architecture

Weekly Trigger (cron/manual)
        |
        v
  +------------------+
  | Challenge Planner |----> Selects focus area + task for the week
  +------------------+
        |
        v
  +-----------------+     +------------------+
  | Scanner Module  |---->| Platform APIs    |
  | (files/email/   |     | (Drive, Gmail,   |
  |  subscriptions) |     |  bank exports)   |
  +-----------------+     +------------------+
        |
        v
  +-----------------+
  | Action Executor |----> Dry run preview or confirmed execution
  +-----------------+
        |
        v
  +-----------------+
  | Progress Logger |----> ~/.declutter/progress.json
  +-----------------+

Workflow Examples

Scenario 1: Email Inbox Purge Week

Input: Gmail account with 3,400 unread emails

Processing:
  - Scans for newsletters never opened (found: 12 senders)
  - Identifies promotional emails older than 7 days (found: 890)
  - Flags mailing lists with less than 5% open rate

Output:
  Task: Unsubscribe from 12 newsletters and archive 890 promo emails
  One-click unsubscribe links generated for each sender
  Estimated inbox reduction: 26%
  Time estimate: 15 minutes

Scenario 2: Subscription Audit Week

Input: Bank statement CSV export from last 3 months

Processing:
  - Extracts recurring charges by pattern matching merchant names
  - Cross-references with known subscription service databases
  - Calculates monthly and annual totals per service

Output:
  Found 14 active subscriptions totaling $127/month ($1,524/year)
  Flagged 3 unused (no login in 60+ days): Headspace, Coursera, Adobe Stock
  Potential annual savings: $456/year
  Cancellation links provided for each flagged service

Scenario 3: Cloud Storage Deep Clean

Input: Google Drive with 14.2 GB used of 15 GB free tier

Processing:
  - Identifies 4.8 GB of old video files scattered across folders
  - Finds 1.4 GB of duplicate photos synced from multiple devices
  - Locates 23 shared documents where collaborators have left

Output:
  Priority actions ranked by space recovery:
  1. Archive 4.8 GB videos to local backup (largest win)
  2. Remove 1.4 GB duplicate photos (keeps newest copy)
  3. Revoke sharing on 23 stale collaborative docs
  Total potential recovery: 6.2 GB (back to 53% usage)

Best Practices

1. Always use dry run first — Review what will be deleted before executing. One wrong batch delete can lose important files. The dry run mode exists specifically to prevent regret and build trust in the system.

2. Start with the easiest area — Downloads folder and promotional emails are low-risk, high-reward starting points. Building momentum matters more than tackling your most cluttered area first.

3. Export data before canceling subscriptions — Many services let you export your data before cancellation. Always download your data from platforms like Evernote or Notion before closing accounts permanently.

4. Set a strict time box — The 30-minute default exists for a reason. Decluttering can become its own form of procrastination if you get lost reviewing old files. Do the assigned task and move on.

5. Review cumulative progress monthly — The progress tracker shows total impact over time. Seeing that you have freed 20 GB and cut $150 in subscriptions over three months reinforces the weekly habit.

Common Issues

1. Scanner returns too many files to review — Increase the flag_older_than_days threshold or narrow focus_areas to a single category. Starting with 365 days and gradually decreasing keeps things manageable.

2. Bank CSV format not recognized — Export statements in OFX or QFX format instead. Most banks support these standardized formats alongside CSV, and the parser handles them more reliably.

3. Google Drive API rate limits hit on large accounts — The scanner batches requests automatically, but drives with 100K+ files may need the scan_folders parameter to target specific directories rather than scanning everything.

Privacy & Data Handling

All scanning and analysis happens locally on your machine. File metadata including names, sizes, and dates is stored in ~/.declutter/progress.json and never leaves your device. Bank statement CSVs are read into memory for analysis and are not cached or copied. Email scanning uses read-only IMAP access and no emails are deleted without your explicit confirmation. Platform API tokens are stored in your local Claude configuration directory and are never transmitted to third-party services. If you enable the backup-before-delete option, archives are written to your own specified local or cloud destination only.