Do you cringe at the thought of your upcoming move? Are you freeing up space and still don’t have enough room to store your belongings?

Moving is stressful enough, but clutter makes it more difficult and stressful to find a new place. According to a “Lost and Found” poll (1,700+ respondents) done by Pixie in 2017, the average American spends 2.5 days per year looking for misplaced items.

An organized home makes everything more pleasant. If you’re moving soon, you’ll want to prioritize organizing your home. Even if you don’t plan to move soon, you’ll benefit from decluttering your home.

Are you trying to maintain a mortgage or rent and need help on how to organize your home? This guide covers several tips on how to declutter your home.

1. Scan Your Home and Take Stock of Your Belongings

Start with a room-by-room analysis and list everything that you want to keep, donate or sell any items that need to be thrown away. Break down the list into categories to help make the process more efficient. This will give you an accurate inventory of what you have in each space and will make it easier to assess what should stay and what can go.

Assess the need for decluttering and organization in each room. Visualize what the end product should look like. Keep the items that are worth saving, donate ones that are still useful to someone else, and discard items that are damaged or no longer serve a purpose.

This will make your house less cluttered and simplify the organizing process. Once you have completed this step, you are ready to begin with the next step on your decluttering journey.

2. Identify Clutter

The definition of clutter is anything that does not have a purpose, is not attractive or useful, and is taking up space. Go through all your belongings to determine what should be eliminated. This includes items that are worn out, broken, old, outdated, or no longer wanted.

Don’t forget the papers and paperwork that may be lying around, as this is one of the biggest sources of clutter. This process of sorting through things will make the next steps of organizing your home much easier.

3. Begin with Small Desks and Drawers

Decluttering your home can seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. Start small and begin with small desks and drawers. Remove anything that you no longer use or don’t need.

Sort the items into three piles: keep, donate, and toss. Clean out each desk and drawer one at a time and consider every item. Make sure to be ruthless in the sorting process and aim for functionality.

Decide what to store in the desk/drawer first, such as important documents or everyday office supplies. Try to make an effort to discard or donate anything that you haven’t used in the last year. This approach can make the process more manageable and easier to complete.

4. Utilizing Creative Storage Solutions

Research creative storage solutions that will help reduce clutter and create an organized atmosphere. Look for innovative ideas such as wall-mounted shelves, bins, baskets, and creative drawer organizers. Look for furniture that can be used for many purposes.

Buy containers such as jars, baskets, and shoe organizers to store items and use the back of doors and walls. Label storage units that you can easily see and keep items off countertops.

You may also want to find affordable self storage to help you with your things. Applying creative storage solutions to declutter your home can lead to a more refreshed living area.

5. Planning Routines for Keeping Your Home Organized

To keep your home organized and decluttered, planning routines are key. By setting aside one day each week to clean and organize, you can keep each room from becoming overwhelming. Create a weekly, monthly, and annual plan to help maintain and declutter your home.

Evaluate your home and inventory of items to ensure that you only keep items that are necessary and that you love. Utilizing planning routines is a great tool to stay on top of keeping your home decluttered and organized.

6. Use Your Space by Shifting Items Around

When it comes to decluttering your home, use it as an opportunity to use your space. Move your furniture and items around to make sure you are getting the best bang for your buck. Place frequently used items in easy-to-access areas and designate locations for everything else.

Storing seldom-used items in accessible containers may help keep the space free of debris. Try rearranging furniture, placing items in different locations, and even creating “zones” for certain items. Consider maximizing vertical storage space and utilizing the backs of closets and cabinet doors.

Improving visibility can also reduce the need to store many items. All this should create more space that can be filled with items you need and want, as well as make the space less chaotic.

7. Simplify Your Decorations

Decluttering your home can be a daunting task, especially if you’re trying to simplify your decorations. To do this, opt for fewer, more meaningful items such as plants, framed art pieces, and family photos. Taking a minimalistic approach can be a great way to simplify without sacrificing personality.

Choose a few statement pieces and place them for maximum impact. Incorporate existing furniture pieces that can also be used as decorations, such as a dresser with neatly stacked books or a trunk filled with pillows or linens. Reducing excess items is also important when decluttering your home.

Add some decorative accents to tie the room together, but don’t overcrowd it; you can always swap out items seasonally for variety. With a little bit of effort, you can create an attractive, clutter-free space!

Learn How to Declutter Your Home

The process on how to declutter your home doesn’t have to be as daunting as it might seem. If you take it one step at a time and enlist the help of family or friends, the task of decluttering your space can be fun and rewarding!

So what are you waiting for? Start by following these decluttering tips and taking pleasure in your new space!

Check out our other articles to learn about home improvement.