How-to Declutter Your Home: Room-by-Room Strategies

Overwhelmed by clutter? Discover how-to declutter your home with my room-by-room guide!

Did you know that decluttering and maintaining an organized space can have positive effects on your mental well-being?

Based on this article from Psychology Today about decluttering, having a lot of clutter around your home creates mental distraction. I literally feel mentally fatigue when I ignore an unorganized area in my home.

Do you feel the same way? If you’re feeling the weight of clutter, it might be time for a decluttering adventure!

Decluttering creates a more serene and peaceful environment, reduces stress, and enhances overall happiness and contentment.

Learn the keys to decluttering:

• Decluttering your home is an impactful lifestyle change that can enhance mental well-being, and incorporating strategies like the ‘spark joy’ method and using wall space can help maintain an organized living space.
• Proper preparation for decluttering is crucial and should include setting realistic goals, creating a timeline, and assembling a decluttering kit to streamline the process and ensure efficiency.
• Regular maintenance routines and strategies like the ‘One In, One Out’ rule are essential to keep your home clutter-free, and seeking professional help when overwhelmed can provide valuable guidance.

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Decluttering Demystified: Understanding the Basics

Decluttering goes beyond just tidying up – it’s a lifestyle choice that can have positive effects on your mental, emotional, and physical well-being.

Having a clutter-free environment can help reduce stress, embarrassment, and feelings of depression. This is because the state of our surroundings greatly impacts our mental health.

By keeping an organized living space, we are taking steps towards improving our overall mindset.

Pro Tips for a Clutter-Free home:

1. Flat Surfaces Rule: Keep those surfaces clear! Group similar items together, follow the 80/20 rule (only keep what you need), and don’t forget that wall space is another place for storage.
   
2. Marie Kondo Magic: Channel your inner Marie Kondo and ask yourself, “Does it spark joy?” If not, it’s time to part ways. Visualize your dream lifestyle and declutter room by room.

Setting the Stage for Success: Decluttering Steps

The key to achieving a clutter-free home is by setting attainable decluttering goals.

The key is breaking down the project into smaller manageable parts.

Your goals should be straightforward and more importantly with a DATE you will start and finish 🙂

Step 1: Define Your Decluttering Goals

Just thinking about cleaning up the mess isn’t going to make it happen. Write down your decluttering goals and list what exactly needs to be tackled.

Here are some ideas:

• Tired of a mail piling up? Create an efficient mail management system.
• Can’t find what you need in your closet? Every season pull out what you haven’t worn and donate.
• Garage clutter out of control? Make a plan to clean out what you don’t need and organize the rest on plastic shelves.

Step 2: Create a Decluttering Timeline

Break down the process, estimate time for each room, and create a checklist and assign dates.

Step 3: Assemble a Decluttering Kit

Having the right tools makes decluttering a much easier! This is where a decluttering kit can be helpful.

I’ll help you get started with some items to have handy before you start your projects.

Declutter Kit

• Trash bags
• Sandwich bags
• Notepads
• Sticky notes
• Clear storage bins
• Markers
• Labeler (my favorite)
• Drawer organizers
• Clear trays
• Under bed organizer
• Woven baskets

Sorting Systems Simplified: How to Categorize Things

As you start the the decluttering and organization process, it will help to categorize your stuff.

Confused about how to determine what should be kept and what can be discarded?

Utilizing techniques such as 3 piles sorting system and seasonal sorting methods will assist in simplify what you need to keep, toss, donate and organize.

The Three Piles Principle

The process of decluttering can be made easier by using the “Three Piles Principle”.

This simple yet effective method involves creating three piles for your belongings: keep, donate, and toss.

Set up three bins as you move through a space and decide which category it fits into.

Remember that the ultimate goal is to only keep things that have a purpose or bring you joy. Let go of everything else in the process.

Seasonal Sorting

Organizing your belongings based on the different seasons is a great way to decide how and where to organize your home decor and clothing.

This system allows for easy rotation and accessibility as you need things by season.

It is important to properly store off-season items so they are protected by using things such as vacuum-sealable storage bags for bulky clothes or clean plastic containers with secure lids.

This will help keep your possessions organized and in good condition until they are needed again.

Room-by-Room Decluttering Breakdown

If you’re unsure where to begin, breaking it down by room can help make the process less overwhelming.

The living room, kitchen, and bedroom will be your main areas of focus as you tackle specific items in each space.

Tackling the Living Room

As the name implies we live in the living room or at my house we call it the “family room”. Because we spend SO much time in this space, it can get messy quickly!

First, make sure to identify and remove any items that don’t belong in your living room, such as toys, mail or magazines, and dishes or glasses.

If you like having books and magazines in your family room, organize them in a cabinet or magazine baskets to contain them neatly and where you can find them.

I like to keep my throws for snuggling in this large woven basket and remotes in a decorative box on my coffee table.

We relocated our games and books to baskets with lids in the foyer. Think about other places outside of your living room to store things you don’t use all of the time.

Clear Kitchen Clutter

The kitchen, often considered the heart of a home, can easily become cluttered and disorganized. I’ve made it my MISSION to always stay on top of organizing kitchen drawers and cabinets.

To combat this problem, it is important to declutter key areas such as the utensil drawer, countertops, pantry, refrigerator and spice cabinet.

I just cleaned up my utensil drawer and LOVE these crisp white organizers!

Donating unused appliances to get rid of takeout-related items taking up valuable storage space in your kitchen can make a significant impact on its tidiness and functionality.

You can create a counter pantry in lidded glass jars quickly and easily! It will organize the clutter and look pretty too.

By targeting these specific areas and ensuring everything is stored neatly, you will greatly improve the overall appearance and function of your kitchen.

Bedroom Retreat

The bedroom should be a peaceful retreat, a space dedicated to rejuvenation. Don’t let laundry pile up in your bedroom and quickly put it away in your closet.

Make your bed EVERY day! Yes, it’s important as the first step to decluttering your bedroom. I make mine 🙂

Under your bed is an excellent place to store extra items like shoes or out of season clothing or bedding.

These rolling under bed containers are PERFECT for storage and so affordable!

I plan to use these under my bed for seasonal pillow covers and throws. Don’t forget vacuum bags too!

They’re perfect to shrink and store comforters and blankets.

Specialized Spaces: Addressing Unique Areas

Here are other area of your home that are often overlooked during regular decluttering efforts. These areas include the laundry room, bathroom, and home office.

Revamping the Laundry Room

It’s common for clutter to accumulate in the laundry room as it often serves as a dumping ground for random things. ESPECIALLY when it’s the first room you enter.

You can drop things like keys, mail, shoes or purses. Make sure to always have a location for each.

I even went so far as to use one of my cabinets in the laundry room for purse storage. WOW, what a difference it makes to have a home for each purse.

Bathroom Cupboards and Counters

The bathroom is a common area that can quickly become disorganized due to unused items and toiletries.

Begin by decluttering the space and arranging products on counters, shelves, and in drawers. I personally love using decorative trays to organize my toiletries.

I’ve also added pull out drawers inside my cabinets to make reaching items in the back easier. Plus added tiered stands underneath the sink.

Keep in mind that your bathroom should serve as a peaceful retreat rather than causing additional stress.

The Home Office Overhaul

Creating a clutter-free home office is crucial for productivity, whether you work remotely or just need an area to handle bills.

Start by decluttering your work desk and only keeping necessary supplies visible.

I love to store presentations or paint color fan decks in boxes with lids and labels to keep them neat and organized.

Hide any excess items and use separate inboxes and outboxes to manage paperwork.

My FAVORITE update to my office was adding a storage bench. It is great when my son wants to sit and catch plus it stores my printer paper and ink cartridges.

Maintaining a Decluttered Home: Strategies to Stay Organized

Keeping a clutter-free home requires ongoing effort rather than being a one-time task.

Maintaining this decluttered state is not as overwhelming as it may seem.

By incorporating daily habits and following the “One In, One Out” rule, you can maintain all of your hard work to get organized!

Daily Decluttering Habits

It is important to develop a daily habit of decluttering in order to maintain an orderly living space, especially for items that are prone to collecting dust.

This can be achieved by establishing routines that involve regularly tidying up, such as making the bed each morning, cleaning up after meals and returning everything back in its designated place at night.

By incorporating decluttering into your everyday tasks, you can prevent clutter from accumulating and ensure your home stays organized.

The “One In, One Out” Rule

One effective method for keeping a clutter-free home is the “One In, One Out” rule.

This approach involves removing one item for every new item brought into your living space. Not only does this help prevent excess clutter from accumulating, but it also encourages mindfulness when making purchases.

I do this when I buy a new piece of clothing or home decor and make a habit of donating what I no longer use.

Next time you feel tempted to buy something new, consider what you can remove in order to make room for it.

By continuously assessing and getting rid of unnecessary belongings, you can maintain your organized home.

When to Seek Professional Help

Decluttering can be challenging, even with our best intentions and efforts. When it becomes overwhelming, seek outside help.

I did this when I was organizing my home decor closet and hired someone because it was such a huge project. It was important to get a 2nd opinion.

Feeling Stuck?

Consider hiring a professional organizer who can provide structure and keep you focused on your goals. Their expert advice tailored to your specific needs can also help generate new ideas.

Professional organizers not only offer support during the decluttering process, but also teach useful techniques and systems for maintaining a clutter-free home in the future.

So if you find yourself feeling overwhelmed with clutter, don’t hesitate to reach out for professional help from an experienced organizer.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the 20/20 rule for decluttering?

The concept of the 20/20 rule when decluttering suggests that you should consider getting rid of an item if it can be easily replaced for less than $20 and within a short span of 20 minutes.

What is the 80/20 rule for decluttering a house?

In the process of decluttering your home, it’s important to keep in mind the 80/20 rule.

This principle states that about 20% of our possessions are used for roughly 80% of the time. With this in mind, it might be beneficial to consider donating, getting rid of or storing away items from that remaining 80%.

What are the benefits of decluttering?

The process of decluttering has a variety of advantages, such as promoting better arrangement, decreasing anxiety levels, and improving mental health.

It can also lead to a better living environment and prevent negative feelings like shame due to cluttered spaces.

How do I start decluttering?

To successfully declutter your home, it is important to establish specific goals and a timeline. Assemble all the necessary tools in a kit before starting the process.

Take on one room at a time, including spaces like the living area, kitchen, and bedroom for an easier approach.

Sending you energy and inspiration for your decluttering journey!