Decluttering Tips From a Professional Organizer

The season of spring cleaning is among us. As a professional organizer, my clients are always looking for tips on how to declutter their homes for a more beautiful, functional dwelling. Not only can cleaning and decluttering your rooms elevate the overall look of your home, but it can also do wonders for clearing the mind. Here are my recommendations for the best way to declutter a home.

Deciding what to keep when decluttering can be overwhelming, which is why I suggest going room by room and following these four steps: Itemize, Categorize, Prioritize, Finalize. 

Itemize: Take inventory of what you have, and donate or toss what you don’t use. 

Categorize: Put similar products together so they can be stored side-by-side. Storing objects or clothes in bins, boxes, or baskets creates a streamlined look that’s equally practical.

Prioritize: Designate where your belongings will go based on frequency of use. Put the most used items towards the front, or within arm’s reach. Items used less often can go in the back or on a higher shelf.

Finalize: Clarify your categories by adding labels. Avoid labels that are too specific or contain brand names.

Following this process will make it easier to get organized and declutter your home. For my tips on how to declutter each room, read on. 

How to Declutter the Kitchen

If finding a spatula feels like a treasure hunt, you’re not alone. Potato mashers, ice cream spoons, handheld blenders – things of all shapes and sizes – end up in bulky piles of forgotten gadgets. Declutter your kitchen by Implementing dividers to section off your cookware and utensils will create a coordinated flow. For a custom look, try matching the dividers to the color or material of the inside of your drawers.

How to Declutter the Office

As more people have transitioned into a work-from-home setup, it can be a huge leap to go from a built-in desk arrangement to a sofa or dining table. One of the greatest challenges when it comes to decluttering your workspace is deciding what to do with the overflow of loose paper. 

If sticky notes are your jam, try pinning them to a basic cork board so all your ideas are in one place. If you move from bedroom to living room, or anywhere in between, you can take your board with you. For large documents, use a portable file folder to stay organized. 

How to Declutter the Closet

Is your bedroom closet a black hole of half worn sweatshirts and one-off socks? It’s okay! The best way to declutter the coset is to take everything out and only put back what you actually wear. Besides special occasion apparel, if you haven’t worn a piece in over a year, it might be time to toss or donate. 

Hang as much as you can with matching hangers. You’ll be shocked at how much more organized your closet looks with that simple change. If you stack your clothes, a portable folding board will give you clean lines and make each garment the same size. 

How to Declutter the Living room

Whether you have pets, kids, or live alone, the living room is usually a high traffic area that you can’t hide behind closed doors. This is a great place to get creative when it comes to decluttering and organizing. Try implementing multifunctional pieces that express your personal style while providing a home for floating objectsDecorative trays work great or remotes, books, and other knick knacks, while baskets are a good option to store throws, excess pillows, toys, and shoes.

How to Declutter the Bathroom

Under the bathroom sink can be a scary place, but it doesn’t have to be. If this is where the bulk of your storage is, then make sure to utilize as much vertical space as you can. Try stacking shoe containers with pull out drawers. Each drawer can be for different products – dental, hair care, skincare, makeup, and so on. For cabinets, try grouping products into trays that are easy to shift around. 

How to Declutter the Laundry Room

If you’re lucky enough to have an entire room dedicated to laundry, then why not take it up a notch with some pretty props? To keep this space organized, try using translucent canisters to store detergent, pods, dryer balls, and dryer sheets. Varied colors and packaging can be confusing to the eye, thus translating as clutter. Matching containers will instantly feel cleaner.

How to Declutter the Playroom

This is where all the fun happens. Playrooms are unique in that they evolve as children age and become interested in different activities, but they can also be a difficult room to keep organized. To declutter the playroom, try categorizing toys by color. I like to follow the colors of the rainbow so it’s easy to put things back where they belong. 

How to Declutter the Garage / Outdoor Areas

When the mess doesn’t fit in the house, it seems to overflow into the garage, onto the patio, or other outdoor areas. The best way to get organized and declutter these spaces is to hang things on the wall where possible. Shelves can do wonders for storing sporting goods, boxes of memorabilia, tools, and gardening supplies. Bicycles and water equipment, like boards and floats, can also go on a wall rack. A garden shed or other outdoor storage unit can also help keep items tucked away but easily accessible so you can enjoy a clutter-free patio.