When you think about decluttering your home, it can become a bit overwhelming. The best way to start the process is with a room-by-room plan, breaking the job down into smaller, more manageable tasks. I believe that taking it one room at a time is a great way to see real progress and keep you motivated to move on to the next one. My suggestion is for you to choose the room that you want to start with, but for this post I’ll start with the kitchen.
Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at no cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.
Table of Contents
The Kitchen
The kitchen is usually the hub for everything in your home so that makes it the place where clutter piles up quickly. There always seem to be things unrelated to the kitchen in there. The countertops become cluttered with stacks of mail and all sorts of decor items that have no real function in the kitchen. So, here we go………
- Start by clearing everything off of the countertops. Now is a good time to wipe them down and start with a fresh slate.
- Next, only put back the things that you use on a daily basis like your toaster and coffee maker.
- Here’s where I use a system that you will see often throughout this post. Put everything else into a box or bin and set it in a closet for a couple of weeks. If you need something out of the box, take it out and use it, and then decide if you can find a home for it that’s not on the counter. After 2 weeks, take a look at what’s left in the box and decide if you need it or if you can get rid of it.
- Now it’s time to start with the drawers. Use the same “box system” with them. The junk drawer is always a good place to start.
- Next, it’s time to tackle the cabinets. I know it’s not feasible to have 10 boxes in the closet at the same time so sometimes the kitchen project has to be spaced out over time.
- Another tip with the “box system” is after the 2 weeks divide the contents that are left into a trash box and a donate box. Everything left in the box will probably not be trash and knowing that someone else can use it will make it easier to let go of.
Once you’ve decluttered you may want to use organizers to keep everything in its place so that it’s less likely to fall back into bad habits. I’ve added a few of my favorite organizers below.
The Bedroom
Your bedroom should be your sanctuary. It’s hard to relax and de-stress in a cluttered bedroom. The obvious issue is usually your closet and that can be a big undertaking so let’s start a little smaller with your bedside tables and dresser.
- Your bedside table should be pretty simple. Only items that you use daily or weekly and are part of your nighttime routine should be kept on the bedside tables.
- For the dresser drawers, we go back to the “box system”. obviously, some things don’t need to sit in the box for 2 weeks but here we need to think about what we really need and why we are hanging on to things that we haven’t worn or used in ages.
- It’s always important to have a dirty clothes basket or hamper in your bedroom or bathroom so that dirty clothes aren’t in a pile, in the corner.
- If you’re looking for ideas and storage solutions for your bedroom closet, take a look at this post.
The Bathroom
Your bathroom may be the smallest room in your house but it can surely be most cluttered. A whole lot goes on there and that means a lot of products!
- This is where the ole “box system” really works.
- Empty your cabinets and drawers completely.
- Organizers will be invaluable here.
- Put back ONLY the things that you use daily or frequently. Take things out of the box if necessary but usually, the box will be filled with half-empty bottles that can be thrown away.
Here are a few bathroom storage solutions
The Den Or Living Room Or Family Room
Whatever you call this area, It’s the gathering place for your family and friends. Relaxing and watching a movie one night. having family game night the next, Your family room needs to have storage solutions to stay uncluttered and organized.
- The best way to start decluttering here is to gather all of your old magazines if you have them lying around. If you need to keep them , find a basket or drawer to keep them all in one place.
- Clear off all tables and other surfaces and then decide what important items like Photos you want to be displayed.
- Have a designated decorative box or basket like the ones below for TV and game controls so they will always be in the same place.
- If you need extra storage look for storage ottomans or coffee tables with storage.
- Use a large basket for blankets or throws
Here are several organization and storage solutions for your family room
Decluttering and Organizing your home doesn’t happen overnight, but if you stick with it you’ll create a comfortable, stress-free, and easy-to-maintain home. Remember the “Box System” works. When you put things out of sight for a while it gives you a chance to realize that you don’t really need them and it’s easier to let them go.