Feeling overwhelmed by the sheer amount of stuff in your home? You're not alone. Clutter is a common struggle, but the good news is there are proven methods to get your space back in order. What this really means is you can reclaim your home and enjoy a more peaceful, organized living environment.
Decluttering Your Home: Where to Start
The key, according to professional organizers, is to tackle decluttering room-by-room using a strategic, step-by-step approach. As The Spruce recently highlighted, this allows you to make steady progress without feeling completely overwhelmed.
The first step is to have the right containers ready - one each for items to put away, fix, recycle, trash, and donate. This ensures you can sort efficiently as you go. Then, focus on one room or space at a time, working your way through cabinets, drawers, and surfaces.
6 Room-by-Room Decluttering Hacks
- Bedroom: Start with nightstands and dressers, removing anything that doesn't belong and tossing or donating what you no longer need. As Good Housekeeping advises, nightstands should only hold items that support your evening routine and restful sleep.
- Bathroom: Purge your cabinets and drawers, getting rid of expired medications, old makeup, and unused toiletries. The Spruce notes that minimalists are vigilant about tossing receipts, junk mail, and other paper clutter each week to prevent buildup.
- Kitchen: Declutter your pantry, fridge, and cabinets, tossing expired foods and donating unused appliances or gadgets. The Spruce recommends the "one touch" rule - if an item doesn't have a designated home, it shouldn't come into your house.
- Living Room: Go through shelves, side tables, and entertainment units, letting go of books, decor, and knick-knacks you no longer use or love. Use organizers and storage solutions to neatly display the items you're keeping.
- Home Office: Tackle the dreaded paper piles, shredding old documents and digitizing what you need to keep. Streamline your workspace by only keeping the essentials within reach.
- Closets: Purge your wardrobe using the 90/90 rule - if you haven't worn an item in 90 days and don't plan to in the next 90, it's time to let it go. Organize what remains by category and frequency of use.
The bigger picture here is that decluttering is an ongoing process, not a one-time event. By making it a habit to regularly go through your spaces and remove what you don't need, you can maintain a clutter-free, serene home environment. It takes some effort upfront, but the payoff in peace of mind is well worth it.