As an interior designer, I see organizing and decluttering a home as the foundation of good design. A beautiful space loses its magic if it doesn't function well. True design is not just about aesthetics--it's about creating a home that supports your lifestyle, reduces stress, and brings daily ease. Interior Design Advice for Organizing a Home My best advice: design your storage around real habits--not idealized ones. If you tend to drop your bag and mail by the front door, don't fight it--design for it. Add a built-in bench with concealed storage, a small drawer for mail, and a few stylish hooks. Creating designated "drop zones" in natural flow areas helps reduce visual clutter and builds intuitive organization into the home. Game-Changing Tip: The "Designer's Edit Box" One strategy I use with clients (and at home) is what I call the "Designer's Edit Box." During any reorganization or design update, fill one box per room with items you haven't used or touched in the past 6-12 months. Then ask yourself: Would I intentionally design a spot for this item in this room? If the answer is no--it's probably time to let it go. This approach not only clears clutter, but also reframes how we think about space. Instead of making room for everything, we prioritize the things that truly add value, beauty, or function.
I always remind folks that decluttering isn t necessarily getting rid of stuff but establishing a cadence that will make everyday living simpler. A good habit I have incorporated in my personal home and also in the homes we manage is to ensure the item does not occupy too much space. Example, when you have one 80 cm wide shelf that is all you have to store your glassware. When it is full, nothing new enters it without something leaving it. It is a plain line, but it prevents possessions leaking into every corner and makes you decide what is really worth retaining. The other tip that has proved to be revolutionary is the use of baskets or lidded boxes to contain smaller items in clear categories. In one project, a family kitchen contained more than 60 mismatched containers and lids in five cupboards. We put them into three pull-out deep baskets, marked them by size, and immediately released more than 40 percent of the cupboard space. It reduced irritation every day since everyone knew where to go to find what they wanted and the kitchen never looked cluttered. This technique is so beautiful in bathrooms, entrances and even holiday apartments where you want to organize intuitively.
Don't think of organizing as something you do once. Make it part of your daily routine. What's worked best for me is setting up small "drop zones" in the right spots — like a tray by the door for keys, a basket by the couch for remotes, or a hook in the kitchen for the dog's leash. These spots catch clutter before it takes over, and because they're so easy to use, you'll actually keep using them. Over time, it becomes second nature and your home stays tidier without much extra effort.
I always say that the front door gives the impression of what the rest of the house will feel like. Shoes, coats, bags and umbrellas can quickly accumulate and when that area becomes cluttered, it extends into the house. The thing that made all the difference to me was that I made the investment in a simple but structured entryway system. I purchased a shelf bench with storage space and I complemented it with some wall hooks. The bench contains six pairs of shoes in baskets, thus they are not visible and can easily be picked up. Each hook is placed far enough apart, so that jackets are not overlapping and each family member knows which hook is his/her. This did not take longer than two hours to install, was total cost of approximately 300 dollars, and immediately calmed the front of the house. It reduced the amount of time we wasted looking around to find our shoes at least 15 minutes every morning and provided an everyday reminder not to let the clutter be carried any deeper within the house.
Being a plumber, my home is full of tools, spare fittings and equipment that could easily take over if I let them. To keep it under control I use vertical space in a very deliberate way. My garage and laundry have shelving systems all the way up to the ceiling and I hang everything on hooks, racks and wall mounts, including ladders and power drills. This frees the floor so nothing accumulates, and it means that I can walk into the space and know just where everything is and not waste time. The difference this had is huge. I can fit twice as much gear without the space looking cluttered and I never lose any parts or supplies because each item is in a location that is clearly visible. Example, I have my copper pipe up off the ground mounted on brackets, with sizes that are separated and labeled, where I can quickly pick off the size I need in a matter of seconds. The same goes on within the house where I have brooms, cleaning stuff and even the ironing board which is stuck vertically. It saves me about 30 minutes a week that I would have spent searching or reorganizing, and it keeps the home looking clear even though there is a large amount of equipment to store.
Because I am someone who works with information and systems every day, my home can still get a bit messy since life and work often overlap. So what I did was shift from organizing by room to organizing by category. This means getting all the similar things across the house in one specific location before deciding what to keep. As an example, I pulled every tool from the garage shelves, the kitchen junk drawer, the hall closet and a couple of storage bins in the basement. Once they were all in one pile, I counted twelve screwdrivers. I kept the four that were in good condition and donated the rest, which immediately cleared an entire drawer in the kitchen. Categorizing will allow you to see the actual volume of what you own and prevent you from storing identical items in different locations without even noticing it. It also aids you in giving that category a place of its own so that things are always within easy reach. After doing this with cleaning supplies once, I went from three individual stashes to one cabinet and saved more than a hundred dollars in the same year since I did not need to repurchase what I already owned. It is a small change, but it simplifies the decision making process and leaves you with a more efficient home that is simpler to maintain in the long term.
Hi there, I'm Marcus Achimon, Owner at Copperstate Moving. We've helped many families declutter through our moving company. And so far, I've learned that small, daily habits often work better than big, stressful cleaning sessions. One tip I love is the "Reverse Advent Calendar" method. Instead of opening a door to get a gift, you take away one or two items from your home each day. Doing this little by little keeps decluttering simple and prevents overwhelm. It works great for closets, kitchen counters, and even kids' toys, and it helps keep your home organized all year long. Of course, this works best if you're not in a rush. If you are on a tight deadline, I think the 90-30 rule would work best. Keep items that you've used for the last 30 days and toss those that haven't seen light in the past 90 days. Let me know if you need more tips. Best regards, Marcus Achimon
When I'm overwhelmed and don't know where to start, I use a technique called Mount Vernonizing. This came from a lesser-known but early decluttering author named Sandra Felton. She had a series called the Messies Manual. So, Mount Vernonizing is a technique they use at... George Washington's Mount Vernon home/museum. They will walk in through a door, turn left or right, and simply work along that wall. Everything they come to that needs dusting or picking up, or polishing, etc., gets taken care of right there. Then you move on to the next thing. The vast majority of things in a room are near a wall. So it's a way of just moving through the room, saying 'been there, done that' and moving on. It's such a stress reliever, I can't tell you. So give it a try.
One of the best ways to tackle home organization and decluttering is to separate items into three categories: keep, donate, and store. For many people, the real breakthrough comes when they realize they don't have to get rid of everything right away. Self storage can act as a buffer, giving you time to decide without cluttering your living space. A tip that has been a game-changer for me is grouping seasonal or rarely used items into clearly labeled bins and moving them into a storage unit. Things like holiday decorations, camping gear, or family keepsakes don't need to take up valuable space at home. By moving them to a secure, easily accessible storage facility, you free up your home for what you use daily, while still keeping those special or practical items safe and organized. It's a simple shift that makes your living space feel lighter and more functional almost immediately.
What's worked for me is labeling the inside of drawers and cabinets with a simple list of what belongs there. It's nothing fancy — just a sticky note that says "spices + baking" or "chargers + cables," with a little space to add more as I go. Even if I shuffle things around, I always know where each category is meant to stay. It's like giving flowers a tag before they go into storage. There's another one that I feel is useful. At home, I use the same habit I rely on when arranging flowers: trim away what doesn't serve the design. Leaves and stems that add clutter never make it into the bouquet. It's the same with organizing. Before putting things back, I decide what to cut. If it's broken, expired, unused, or simply something I don't plan on using, it doesn't go in the drawer. Once the excess is trimmed, organizing becomes quicker and far more effective. Organizing a home and organizing flowers both work better when you rotate with the seasons. In my shop, I never use every flower year-round — I bring in what's fresh and in season. At home, I do the same by storing away things I don't need that season. Scarves and heavy coats go into a bin in spring, just like tulips give way to peonies. It keeps the space clear and makes it easier to enjoy what's actually useful right now.
Hi there, Hope you're well. I'd be happy to answer your enquiry about organizing and decluttering a home. But others might focus on organising and decluttering a home as a one off weekend task. But for us, we could look at it as a " everyday ritual" :) So we call it "end of play ritual", just before bed and set 10 mins to play on some light hearted and relaxed music, invest and spray some room spray. what we're doing is to set a Mood. and now, try to put every item back where it belongs, remote controls, mugs, jackets, books, even the post. It's a small daily habit that stops clutter from snowballing and means you would wake up to a calm, ordered space. it makes us more mindful about what I actually bring into my home in the first place! It might be a short answer but I hope it helps. if possible, please feel free to link us on your article too :) https://detoorp.com Many thanks, Danny Founder of Detoorp, natural and aesthetic cleaning & laundry advocate, Interior Designer https://detoorp.com/ Sustainable marketplace of modernity
Absolutely - here is my best advice gained from design and actually helping clients streamline their spaces in real life. Design your storage in a way that fits your actual lifestyle, not how you want to live. That sounds simple, but it can be life changing. Instead of trying to create minimalism that could be featured on Pinterest, analyze how you actually live and create your systems based on that. If you regularly open the mail and leave it in a pile by the door, you might as well embrace it. Just get yourself a tray or wall pocket and designate that location for it. If your Kitchen Island is a hot spot of family clutter, just make sure everything has a "home" within arms reach for anyone taller than 4 feet. One insight that I have found truly invaluable for both myself and clients: Zones. No matter if it's a drawer, cabinet, or open shelf, group items by function - not category. Create a "morning zone" in your kitchen with mugs, coffee, and vitamins, and create a "wind-down zone" in your living room with your favorite book, blankets, and all tv remotes. It keeps things within reach while significantly reducing visual overwhelm. In our work at Paintit.ai, we've even helped clients visualize their home organization using AI - so they can see what a clutter-free space looks like before making any changes. That mental shift alone can be incredibly motivating.
My biggest tip for decluttering is to implement a "one in, one out" system! Any time I bring something new into my home, I get rid of something that I don't use. This prevents me from acquiring too much useless stuff and makes me question if I really need or want what I'm buying! I introduced this concept when I had a closet bomb. For every new pair of shoes, I donated back an old pair. Before I knew it, my closet had become more curated and I had much less clutter. Minimalism is not about owning less, it's about owning only what adds value to you.
My best advice for decluttering and organizing is to respect your space boundaries. Once a space is full you should make the decision to not add more or let something go so new things can fit. This prevents overcrowding, over consumption, and keeps clutter confined.
The hardest part of decluttering is often the emotional work of letting go of something you love, even though you don't have a need for it. One of the best hacks I've found to short-circuit this is to establish a bin or closet somewhere in your home that is exclusively for decluttering. Anything you declutter gets a label with today's date, then it goes in the bin or closet. If it's still there one year later, it's time to let it go. If you find yourself using it sometime in that year, it can stay.
At work I have observed how clutter slowly creeps into an area and what people become accustomed to without noticing that it is having such a great impact on them. It is not all about mess. It is concerned with noise, distraction, and stress that accumulate in the long run. One mindset shift I always recommend: treat your home like something you'd walk a buyer through. If something feels out of place or in the way, it probably is. You don't need to aim for perfect, just honest. A home that feels clear and lived in, not overloaded, makes everything easier, including how you feel in it. Decluttering is not something that can be done in a weekend. It is a habit. And when you have a clear space, your thoughts are usually clear too. That is what makes an impression
The best thing that's worked best for me for keeping my home consistently organized and clutter-free has been taking just a few minutes per day to put things away back in their places, throw away trash, and generally do a pick up and clean sweep. I think this works great in a busy household especially, because it's easy to start getting overwhelmed by clutter build up and do nothing. Just taking 15 minutes or so to put things away has really helped me stay on top of clutter better.
After 30+ years designing homes in High Point, NC, I've finded that the most effective decluttering starts with understanding your actual lifestyle patterns, not following generic organizing rules. When I work with families doing my "Use What You Have" staging service, I always start with the 5-step process: depersonalize, declutter, organize, rearrange, then relocate. My game-changing tip is what I call "lifestyle zoning"--grouping items by how often you actually use them, not by category. I had one client who kept all their dishes in upper cabinets because that's "where dishes go," but they're in their 70s and struggle reaching overhead. We moved everyday dishes to lower drawers and kept fancy china up high. Simple change, huge daily impact. The biggest mistake I see is people buying organizers before decluttering. During my downsizing services, I help seniors donate or sell items first, then create space plans using what they actually need and love. One recent client went from a 3,000 sq ft home to 1,200 sq ft and kept everything that mattered by being ruthless about duplicates and "just in case" items. Your home should function for your real life, not some imaginary perfect version of yourself. I always tell clients to track what they actually use for two weeks before making any organizing decisions.
After 30 years designing homes and managing countless residential projects, I've learned that clutter isn't just about too much stuff--it's about spaces that don't match how people actually live. The biggest issue I see is homeowners trying to organize around their existing layout instead of questioning whether the space itself works. My game-changer is what I call "function mapping" before any organizing happens. Walk through your daily routine and mark every spot where items naturally pile up--kitchen counters, entryway tables, bedroom chairs. These aren't character flaws; they're your home telling you where storage actually needs to be. I redesigned a client's mudroom after watching their family for just one week. Instead of fighting their habit of dropping backpacks by the garage door, we built cubbies exactly where the bags were landing. Same with mail that kept stacking on their kitchen island--we added a mail sorting station right there instead of trying to train them to use a desk across the room. The key is designing storage around your natural patterns, not against them. When I see families struggling with organization, 90% of the time it's because their home's bones don't support their actual lifestyle.
As someone who's spent years helping patients optimize their physical spaces for better health outcomes, I've seen how cluttered environments directly impact both physical and mental wellbeing. Poor organization leads to increased stress, which manifests as tension headaches and back pain - conditions I treat daily at my Oklahoma City clinic. My game-changer is the "pain prevention audit" - I walk through spaces asking "could this hurt someone?" Items stored above shoulder height cause neck strain, clutter on floors creates tripping hazards, and heavy objects in awkward spots lead to lifting injuries. I've treated countless patients whose back problems started from reaching over piles of stuff or lifting boxes stored in terrible locations. One of my prenatal patients couldn't sleep properly because her bedroom was so chaotic it triggered anxiety. We reorganized everything at waist level or lower, eliminated floor obstacles, and created clear pathways. Her sleep quality improved dramatically within days, and her pregnancy-related back pain decreased significantly. The key is thinking like a physical therapist while organizing - keep frequently used items between knee and shoulder height, ensure clear walking paths, and store heavy items close to where you'll use them. Your spine will thank you, and you'll naturally maintain the organization because it feels physically better.