Organizing your home, or decluttering (is that how you say it?), is no small feat, but the benefits go far beyond the simple visual satisfaction of clean, well-organized spaces. A tidy space that contains only what we need has a major impact on how we feel. Removing clutter reduces the visual impact and the feeling of being surrounded by "unfinished" tasks. Plus, by clearing extraneous objects from the space, it's easier to see, use, and even clean what's left. In short, decluttering leads to a happier home, and knowing how to best declutter is very important.
Clutter is easy to accumulate and happens without us realizing it, but it’s probably taken years for your home to get to that point. It’s important to be realistic about how long a whole-house decluttering project will take, both to avoid becoming discouraged and to stay motivated along the way.
Where to Start Decluttering
Organizing your home requires a great deal of mental and emotional energy. To be successful, you need to not only have the right tools on hand, but also approach the project with a clear plan. Considering the pitfalls and obstacles before diving into the project ensures that you don’t get bogged down when, say, you encounter a gift from a former colleague or when you find yourself in a huge mess without the energy to move on to the next step. It’s also crucial that you put yourself in the right frame of mind before you begin, to maintain the momentum needed to get the job done.
“The first step before you jump in is to visualize what you want your home to look like,” recommends Kim Jones, founder and CEO of the organizing company Lock and Key Home . “Imagine waving a magic wand and your dreams coming true. What would it look like? How would you feel? Do you smile at the thought? Write it all down so you can refer back to it.”
Jones also suggests using the power of the proverbial spoonful of sugar: "It's also really important to know what motivates you," she says. "For me, I'm most productive with a cup of coffee and some '90s rap on full blast. For others, it can be the exact opposite. It's important to know what gets you going and what gives you the energy to be ready to conquer."
Sarit Weiss, founder and chief organizer of Neat and Orderly Home Organizing , offers some practical tips for preparing for a decluttering marathon: Create a schedule and give yourself a deadline. “Whether you plan to declutter in one day or over the course of a week, having a schedule ensures you’re dedicating time to each room or area. This approach makes the process more systematic and less overwhelming,” Weiss says, adding that a schedule can help break the project down into bite-sized chunks.
"You don't have to dedicate an entire day to decluttering. Setting aside an hour or two each day, or even each week, can help you reach your decluttering goals."
A deadline keeps the project from dragging on forever. “For those who work well with deadlines, set a realistic deadline to complete the decluttering process,” Weiss suggests. “This adds a sense of urgency and helps maintain focus.” The deadline is flexible and can be set to what works best for you.
Where to suffer, room by room.
Decluttering in the kitchen
Decluttering the kitchen has a huge impact on how a home functions. It’s the “hub of a home,” Jones says, adding that it’s where you spend the most time (and not just for eating and cooking!) and where guests gather. That’s why it should be the first place to start, Jones says, not only because it’s used every day, but also because it’s often the easiest to clean. Here’s how.
To declutter your home, especially your kitchen, start with a small section. “You don’t have to clean out every cabinet or pantry at once,” Weiss says. “Pick a micro-area, like a drawer, cabinet, or pantry shelf, to begin the decluttering process.”
Get rid of items that don't belong to you. Grab a laundry basket or box and quickly gather items that need to go somewhere else. Set this aside for later and focus on the kitchen.
Start with the refrigerator. Jones recommends starting with the refrigerator as your first micro-area. “This will build momentum, because throwing out old food and empty mustard bottles requires no thought. The ‘throw away’ mentality will take hold.”
Use the “empty, categorize, and put” strategy. For every space in your kitchen, including the refrigerator, use this decluttering method. For example, once you’ve emptied the refrigerator, put everything into categories on the counter. Then, sort by category: decide on each item, check expiration dates or whether it’s still good to use, and then keep, donate, or throw out what needs to be eliminated. Before you put things back in the refrigerator, give it a thorough cleaning. When you put things back, consider how you’ll arrange them, whether by frequency of use or what you need most.
Bonus: Evaluate your purchases. Jones says this is a good time to evaluate your purchases to see what you use and what you don’t use and make better decisions about future purchases.
Continue the strategy of clearing, sorting, and organizing for the rest of the kitchen. Here are some areas to declutter: cabinets, drawers, pantry, and/or under-sink area.
Let's move on to the bathroom
Jones stresses the importance of personalized organization, especially in the bathroom. “You want your bathroom to be organized in a way that supports your process. If you’re one of the many people who get out of bed on autopilot in the morning, you want your space to be as intuitive as possible,” Jones says.
Clear out cabinets and drawers. Jones and Weiss agree with this first step, but they add that you should also clear things off countertops.
Decide what to keep and what to throw away. It's time to throw out all the items that are expired, unsafe, or no longer needed. Check the expiration dates printed on personal hygiene items and the symbol that indicates how long the product remains fresh once opened.
Create categories. Group items into categories and narrow down what you need and what you don’t. These categories could be: makeup, skin care, hair tools, medical supplies, etc. “Make sure all the items you are categorizing and want to put in the bathroom are items you use in the bathroom. Items that don’t belong in the bathroom should be moved,” Weiss adds.
Create a system. This will save you time, reduce stress levels, and make it easier to grab and take away items,” Jones explains. “Visualize your routine and what you use on a daily basis, and use the top drawers for those items. For example, toothbrushes, toothpaste, hairbrush, facial cleanser, cotton balls, and swabs.”
Designate zones and replace items. Once you’ve thought about your system, designate zones for each category of items. “Dedicate one area of your vanity to each category of items,” Weiss says. “The vanity may seem small, but you can always maximize space by adding stackable bins. This will help you store more of your essentials in the vanity.” Baskets are helpful for maintaining zones, and backsplashes can maximize countertop and cabinet space.
Let's move on to the wardrobe
Your closet can be one of the most daunting areas to declutter. The thought of dealing with so many items—many of which are tied to feelings, desires, or guilt—can seem overwhelming before you even begin. However, a few strategies can make the entire process go more smoothly and help you finish what you started.
Break the project down into categories. While many other areas of the home start with a clean-out of an entire space, when it comes to clearing out closets, it’s best to break them down into categories. “Since this is a big task, break it down into sections: clothes, shoes, and accessories,” Jones advises. Even if you decide to clear out your entire closet at once, break the items down into categories. Seeing everything you have in one category makes it easier to get rid of extra items.
Deciding what to keep to organize your home is key. Go through each clothing category and decide what to keep, what to throw away, what to sell, and what to donate. Set aside designated spaces or, better yet, bins for each of these categories. You may need to try on items, and decisions may not always be easy. Keep in mind ideas such as what makes you feel good, what makes you smile or frown, whether you have repeat items, and whether they fit into your current lifestyle.
Put away everything you keep. Creating designated spaces for different types of items is key to an organized closet, according to Weiss. “Designate specific areas for each clothing category, keeping the space organized and visually pleasing,” she says. She also recommends organizing closet rods to ensure that hanging rods stay categorized.
The bedroom
A tidy and organized bedroom has a big impact on the quality of your relaxation and sleep. But the bedroom can quickly become cluttered with items like clothes, plates of drinks and midnight snacks, unpacked suitcases, and linens in various stages of completion. Plus, it’s easy to shut the door on bedroom clutter, and because it’s such a private room, it’s often the last priority when it comes to tidying up.
Eliminate items that don't belong. Often a messy bedroom is filled with items that don't belong to you. This can be the quickest type of clutter to deal with. Take a laundry basket or box and gather everything that belongs in another room, then put it outside the bedroom and deal with it later.
Clear the surfaces. Next, clear the surfaces of the bedroom of anything that is left in the room and quickly put it back in its place. This way, when you move on to the next step, you will not have to deal with random objects. Then put the cream in the drawer, hang the bathrobe on the hook of the door and take care of the clean clothes that you need to fold and put away.
To declutter your home, work in small areas. "Don't feel pressured to declutter your bedroom all at once. Start small, tackling one drawer, dresser, or nightstand at a time," Weiss says.
Empty. Once you have decided on the area to tackle, empty the entire space. Taking one item at a time, decide what to keep, what to donate, and what to throw away.
Categorize. After you’ve cleared out your items, categorize everything by type. You might have a pile of books you want to read, personal care items you like to keep in your bedroom, and clothes you keep in your dresser.
And finally the living area !
The living room often houses a lot of different items, which can make decluttering a challenge. But sticking to categories and doing decluttering in small doses can make the job manageable. This is one of the key areas of the "declutter your home" project!
Choose a micro-area. Weiss is a proponent of choosing smaller spaces to declutter one at a time, and the living room is no exception. “Start with a micro-area like a bookshelf, an entire bookcase, or a piece of furniture in the living room. Starting small will help you avoid burnout,” she says.
Create a blank canvas. Once you've chosen an area to tackle, empty it. For example, Weiss says, "Start the living room decluttering process by clearing away bookshelves and entertainment centers, creating a blank canvas for your newly decluttered space."
Decide what to keep. Now it’s time to address what you’ve emptied. “Think through your decorative items, books, and electronics, sorting them into piles to keep, donate, or discard,” Weiss says. Be sure to prepare the space or bins for each category before you begin. Work item by item, deciding what stays and what goes.
Classify and organize. After assessing your living room items, Weiss recommends, “Categorise the remaining items and assign them to specific areas. Try to place items strategically. For example, keep TV remotes near the couch so they’re easy to find and put away when you’re watching TV.” This type of strategic placement of items not only makes living room activities flow more smoothly, but it also helps keep the newly decluttered space clutter-free.
What do we do with what we have left?!
Decluttering your space feels amazing. Each area you’ve tackled feels more functional and contains only the things you need and love, and just looking at it makes you feel at peace. But don’t stop there! Make sure you address the clutter you’ve removed so it doesn’t become clutter elsewhere in your home. After you’ve decluttered your space (ASAP!), decide what to do with the clutter you’ve eliminated.
Sell. You can make some money by selling items you no longer need or want. Just be careful that the items you plan to sell don’t become another source of clutter and stress. List your items as early as possible and set a deadline for donating if the items haven’t sold. Apps and sites like Poshmark, Mercari, eBay, and ThreadUp make the process easy. Local options like Facebook Marketplace are great for larger items or if you want to avoid shipping.
Decluttering also means giving. “Donating is a great way to give your items a new life and allow someone else to enjoy them as much as you did,” Jones says. “It’s always helpful to have a list of charities you’re passionate about, especially if they accept clothing and household goods donations, like Goodwill, the Salvation Army, or Habitat for Humanity ReStore.”
Recycle. Before you throw your discarded items in the trash, check to see if there’s anything that can be recycled. For example, “old clothes can be recycled through clothing and textile recycling companies,” Weiss says.