The Ultimate Guide to Decluttering Your Home

Is clutter starting to overrun your home? From overstuffed-to-the-gill closets to jam-packed kitchen counters, it's easy for clutter to accumulate fast and make a space feel stressful rather than serene. Fortunately, with a bit of strategic decluttering, you can turn a jumbled jungle into a peaceful, organized oasis. Here's your room-by-room guide to decluttering with helpful tips from Sofia Martinez, CEO of Sparkly Maid Austin.

Decluttering the Bedroom

Your bedroom is your retreat, but chaos ruins the Zen. Start by making some fast sweeps of stuff that doesn't belong there. Move to the closet and take out every single item. Ask yourself how long it has been since you wore that item. If the answer is more than a year, it might be time to kiss it goodbye. For the clothes you keep, maximize your space with slim velvet hangers and organize your closet by category as such.

Keep jewelry and accessories in trays or shallow bowls so that the tops of your dressers and nightstands stay clutter-free. Utilize the space under your bed. Utilize flat storage boxes to contain off-season clothing or additional linens. Spend 30 minutes every week decluttering your bedroom to keep your space.

Decluttering the Kitchen

Kitchens seem to be clutter magnets - from gadgets and small appliances to food storage containers that never match. Start by purging each cabinet and drawer completely, clean them, and then replace just the items that are used regularly. Donate duplicates; trash items that can't be repaired.

Work within the existing details of the kitchen to create zones for activities, such as food prep and baking, with all of the tools close at hand, including pots, pans, leadership family grid, refrigerated, and pantry items. Decant dry goods into clear, airtight containers so you can easily see what you have on hand. Reduce potential food waste by ensuring kitchen-pulled items closest to you are maintained, and perishable products are in an accessible location to avoid hidden loss.

Declutter the Living Room

The living room can often become a place where everyone in the household has just thrown their stuff. Start by weeding out the items that do not belong, replacing books on their shelves, putting remotes into a holding basket, and shoes into the closet. Invest in a little bit of closed storage—a TV console with drawers or perhaps even a storage ottoman—that will help you keep randomness at bay.

Go through media, like DVDs, video games, and books, and give away ones you no longer consume. And then there's décor: editing displays to include only items that you truly love can be very effective, and rotating the décoration seasonally will help maintain the freshness of the space.

Decluttering Other Spaces

Put some hooks on the walls for coats and bags, and add a basket or two for shoes. Sort out that office with all of its paper jumbles by really trying 'to let the paper go' instead of clinging to it and going digital with the bills. Be sure to find a secure document shredding service. Bathroom drawer dividers will keep the mess of makeup and toiletries at bay. And then there is that garage, something like a whole afternoon of categorizing and decluttering, likely needing shelving to use the vertical space well.

Regular decluttering and responsible giving only serve to keep your space neat and peaceful and save items for a more extended period to assist others. Just remember that it's progress, not perfection. Be consistent in your decluttering practice, and let yourself enjoy the serenity of your space, having less mess and more intention.