
Project Overview
Clutterbomb is a mobile app designed to simplify the decluttering process by connecting community members who want to give away or sell unwanted items to those who need them. Inspired by my own experience with decluttering challenges, I aimed to create an intuitive and efficient solution that encourages sustainability and reduces waste.
My Role: UX Designer and Researcher
Deliverables: Mobile App
Responsibilities:
- Conducted user research to understand pain points in the decluttering process
- Designed wireframes and prototypes to test and refine user flows
- Focused on usability and accessibility to ensure a seamless experience
- Developed an interactive mobile app prototype for user testing
The Problem
One of the biggest challenges with decluttering is that people often hesitate to simply throw away belongings if someone else could make better use of them. Additionally, municipal bulk removal policies can make the process even more difficult, as many towns limit the number of items residents can discard per week.
By prioritizing usability, accessibility, and convenience, this solution empowers users to declutter efficiently while promoting sustainability and social good.
User Pain Points
- Waste Aversion: Users hesitate to discard items that could be reused or benefit someone else.
- Emotional Attachment: Many struggle to let go of belongings due to sentimental value, even if they haven’t used them in years.
- Overwhelming Process: Sorting through excessive clutter feels time-consuming and discouraging, making it difficult to start or stay motivated.
To address these pain points, Clutterbomb incorporates a community-driven exchange system, allowing users to easily pass along unwanted items to those who need them. To further streamline the process, I also designed an integrated pick-up feature in collaboration with organizations like the Salvation Army, providing users with an effortless way to donate larger items.
The Goal
Design a mobile app and website that streamline the process of giving away unwanted items to others in a quick, easy, and user-friendly way. The platform includes an integrated messaging system, allowing users to coordinate safe and convenient meetups for item exchanges.
Competitive Audit
One of the first things I did was look for the closest direct/indirect competitors that resonate closely to the purpose of the app. Most of them require a payment of some kind as they are meant to primarily sell items instead of just giving them away. Craigslist and Facebook Groups were the closest direct competitors, as they had the option to give things away for free.
Ideation (Crazy Eights)
To generate innovative solutions, I utilized the Crazy Eights ideation method—rapidly sketching eight different design ideas in one-minute intervals. This exercise encouraged creative thinking and helped explore multiple user-friendly approaches to simplify the decluttering and item exchange process.

Designing the App
Given the project’s time constraints, I opted to start with low0-fidelity digital wireframes to accelerate the design process. This approach allowed me to quickly establish the app’s structure, refine user flows, and iterate on key interactions for Clutterbomb.

Sign In Screen

Home Screen

Post Listing Screen
Unmoderated Usability Study
I conducted an unmoderated usability study with five participants using the low-fidelity prototype. Participants were assigned specific tasks without additional guidance to assess the app’s intuitiveness.
Key Insights:
- Smooth Listing Process: Users found the flow for listing items simple and straightforward.
- Search Field Confusion: While users could easily search for items, some were confused by prefilled text in the prototype.
- Messaging System: Accessing and sending messages was intuitive, though prefilled content in the prototype caused slight confusion.
Overall, the study confirmed that the core user flows were effective, with minor adjustments needed for better clarity in interactive elements.
High Fidelity Mockups/Prototypes
After completing the digital wireframes and conducting an initial usability study, I refined the design into high-fidelity mockups for the next round of testing. This iteration significantly improved the user experience, as the visual hierarchy and interactive elements were clearer.
Key Improvements:
- Users found it easier to identify actionable buttons, reducing hesitation in navigation.
- Clearer communication about prefilled fields helped prevent confusion when interacting with the prototype.
- While the low-fidelity prototype demonstrated a simple user flow, the high-fidelity version led to even more positive feedback, reinforcing the design’s intuitiveness.
Accessibility Considerations
To improve usability and accessibility, I made several key refinements based on user feedback:
- Integrated Donation Pickup: Adding an option for Salvation Army pickup removes the burden of moving large items and numerous, making the process more seamless.
- Improved Give Away/Donate UI: When adding a listing, I made an extra step to select which route the user would take, asking them if they are “Selling/Giving Away” or Donating. The Donation page lets users schedule a pickup within 5 days at their address. It also lists the phone number to schedule a pickup instead of using the app.
- Enhanced Button Accessibility: Increased button sizes to accommodate users with larger fingers, ensuring a more touch-friendly experience.
These adjustments focused on reducing friction in the user journey, making interactions smoother and more accessible for all users.
Takeaways
“This app has made my decluttering goal for the year so much easier! I can give my things to people who need them more through the messaging system, or I can have boxes of stuff picked up by the Salvation Army. It’s so simple!”
The feedback reinforces the app’s success in simplifying the decluttering process and providing users with convenient, actionable options for donation or exchange.
What I Learned
This project taught me that even seemingly simple user flows can be complex for certain users, especially when similar-looking screens serve different purposes. I gained valuable insights into how users interpret interface elements, which will inform future designs to ensure better clarity and usability.