How to Declutter Without Going Minimalist
Here are 10 ways to get your home tidy and organized while keeping that personal touch
Hannah Young
3 September 2017
Professional Organiser in Yorkshire and a member of APDO (Association of Professional Declutterers and Organisers). You can find me online at www.ReviveYourSpace.co.uk or in person helping others to declutter, organise and restyle their homes. I believe it's important to make the most of what we already have and love to share the benefits of being organised and efficient, creating more physical and emotional space for the things that are most important to us.
Professional Organiser in Yorkshire and a member of APDO (Association of Professional... More
Many people like the idea of living in a calm and clutter-free home but don’t want to go down the all-white, minimalist route. Here are some great storage ideas that will help you stay tidy while retaining those all-important personal touches that make your place feel more like a home and less like a show house.
1. Go up the walls. In any home, a great rule to adopt is “declutter first, storage second.” This mantra is essential in a small room, and if you can’t find space for everything, you may need to be even more ruthless with what you choose to keep.
To maximize a small room, create vertical storage up to the ceiling. Here, the open shelves keep the room neat and provide space to display personal items, such as family photos and ornaments.
Keeping all flat surfaces, like this coffee table, clear allows a room to breathe — and provides a handy space for your cup of coffee.
To maximize a small room, create vertical storage up to the ceiling. Here, the open shelves keep the room neat and provide space to display personal items, such as family photos and ornaments.
Keeping all flat surfaces, like this coffee table, clear allows a room to breathe — and provides a handy space for your cup of coffee.
2. Make good use of your hallway. Entrance hallways attract clutter like a magnet — unless you provide suitable storage. Make the most of a narrow hallway by creating a little alcove with lots of hanging space, shoe storage, a phone charging point and even a custom umbrella nook. If you have little ones, make sure some of the hooks are within reach so they can hang up their own things.
This hallway has a cozy, lived-in feel, but every item is neatly in its place.
This hallway has a cozy, lived-in feel, but every item is neatly in its place.
3. Tame kitchen clutter. Kitchens are easily cluttered, ending up with dirty dishes, sticky recipe books and out-of-date food hiding at the back of cabinets. Invest in some beautiful storage jars into which you can decant dried goods. Not only do they look lovely, they keep food tidy, are easy to clean and let you see when items are running out. It’s also a great way to encourage your children to get involved in cooking, as they can see all the available ingredients.
Square containers are more space-efficient than round ones — and be sure to measure your shelves and drawers before buying them.
Square containers are more space-efficient than round ones — and be sure to measure your shelves and drawers before buying them.
4. Choose what you love. This kitchen is organized, but it’s certainly not minimalist. Reclaimed and repurposed materials create a unique design that’s full of personality.
When it comes to maintaining a clutter-free home, remember the old saying: “A place for everything and everything in its place.” If you have somewhere to store all your possessions, all you need to do to keep order is simply put things back in their place.
In this kitchen, a combination of offbeat shelves and wall-mounted open storage — along with vintage storage tins, a box for condiments and a weathered cutlery tray — provide a home for everything, but also lots of personality. For a space that’s even more streamlined yet still filled with character, attach more storage to the walls to free up work surfaces.
When it comes to maintaining a clutter-free home, remember the old saying: “A place for everything and everything in its place.” If you have somewhere to store all your possessions, all you need to do to keep order is simply put things back in their place.
In this kitchen, a combination of offbeat shelves and wall-mounted open storage — along with vintage storage tins, a box for condiments and a weathered cutlery tray — provide a home for everything, but also lots of personality. For a space that’s even more streamlined yet still filled with character, attach more storage to the walls to free up work surfaces.
5. Weave in secret storage. Hidden storage is one of the best tools for maintaining a clutter-free home. This ottoman brings color and coziness to the room, but it also has a hinged lid, making it perfect for stashing away games and blankets.
Ottomans also can be used as a coffee table or as extra seating, so they’re the ultimate in flexible furniture. Plus, the need to get inside the ottoman regularly is a great incentive to keep the top clear.
Ottomans also can be used as a coffee table or as extra seating, so they’re the ultimate in flexible furniture. Plus, the need to get inside the ottoman regularly is a great incentive to keep the top clear.
6. Organize your bedroom. Smart alcove shelving with drawers below ensures this bedroom is sleek and free of clutter, but it still has a cozy, welcoming feel thanks to its coordinating cushions, comfy throws and patterned rug.
When tidying up your bedroom, think about what you use there and where. If you love curling up to read at night, store your books neatly near the bed for an organized feel, rather than leaving them halfway across the room.
Make time every morning or evening to put things away, whether it’s putting clothes back in the wardrobe or in the laundry basket. Just a few minutes each day will help you keep clutter under control.
When tidying up your bedroom, think about what you use there and where. If you love curling up to read at night, store your books neatly near the bed for an organized feel, rather than leaving them halfway across the room.
Make time every morning or evening to put things away, whether it’s putting clothes back in the wardrobe or in the laundry basket. Just a few minutes each day will help you keep clutter under control.
7. Put pretty pieces on display. Storing items in cabinets is the best way to keep them free of dust, but if you love to see your things on display, glass-fronted cabinets are the way to go — and can be a feature in themselves.
Glass-fronted cabinets can be used in any room, whether you want to show off your best tableware in the kitchen, favorite clothing or shoes in a bedroom, or colorful craft items in a spare room. And having glass doors on bookshelves is a great way to reduce dusting chores.
Glass-fronted cabinets can be used in any room, whether you want to show off your best tableware in the kitchen, favorite clothing or shoes in a bedroom, or colorful craft items in a spare room. And having glass doors on bookshelves is a great way to reduce dusting chores.
8. Get your kids in the game. Always stumbling over toys or picking up after your children? Provide storage they can easily reach and define a play area with a vibrant rug, then get everyone to participate in a five-minute “tidy-up time” before meals.
Toys don’t have to be hidden away completely — cubbyholes containing colorful boxes are great for storing things, and adding photo labels will make it easy for children to find what they’re looking for.
Try to make it as easy to put things away as it is to get them out for the best chance of success.
Toys don’t have to be hidden away completely — cubbyholes containing colorful boxes are great for storing things, and adding photo labels will make it easy for children to find what they’re looking for.
Try to make it as easy to put things away as it is to get them out for the best chance of success.
9. Love your workspace. Improve your home office and it could help your productivity. If you like to have your projects around you, make space for your books and tools. The book display shelves in this office are a great way of keeping research close at hand but neatly out of the way.
Love the space you work in by providing a home for everything but keeping your most-used items within arm’s reach so as not to disrupt your workflow.
Love the space you work in by providing a home for everything but keeping your most-used items within arm’s reach so as not to disrupt your workflow.
10. Cherish your memories. Do you have a lot of old photos and prints lying around? Hang as many as you can on your walls. Sort through piles of old family photos, print out the new ones, grab your children’s artwork and get hanging.
For a more cohesive look, choose your pictures and buy the same style frames in different sizes to hold them. Command strips are a quick way to hang photos, and they make it easy to reposition pictures if you change your mind or you rent your home.
Tell us: Do you have any tips for creating order without throwing everything away? Share your tips in the Comments below.
More
10 Strategies for Keeping Surfaces Clutter-Free
‘Tidying Up’ Author Marie Kondo Tells How to ‘Spark Joy’ at Home
For a more cohesive look, choose your pictures and buy the same style frames in different sizes to hold them. Command strips are a quick way to hang photos, and they make it easy to reposition pictures if you change your mind or you rent your home.
Tell us: Do you have any tips for creating order without throwing everything away? Share your tips in the Comments below.
More
10 Strategies for Keeping Surfaces Clutter-Free
‘Tidying Up’ Author Marie Kondo Tells How to ‘Spark Joy’ at Home
What are you working on?
Related Stories
Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: A Midcentury Home With a Strong Indoor-outdoor Link
By Becky Harris
A nature-inspired renovation has given this ranch house a relaxed mood and a connection to the outdoors from most rooms
Full Story
Kitchens
10 Smart Storage Tips for Your Kitchen Bins
Keep kitchen rubbish stylishly tucked away with these clever solutions
Full Story
More Rooms
The 5 Most Popular Laundry Rooms on Houzz Right Now
Get decorating ideas for your laundry or utility room from these most-saved photos on Houzz
Full Story
Gardens
How Do I Create a Drought-tolerant Garden?
By Kate Burt
As summers heat up, plants that need less water are increasingly desirable. Luckily, there are lots of beautiful options
Full Story
Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Warm Tones and Luxurious Surfaces in a City Townhouse
An earthy colour palette, hidden storage and well-placed texture add character and practicality to this London home
Full Story
Gardens
5 Inspiring Before and After Garden Transformations
Check out what a difference designers have made to these once dull plots, visually expanding spaces and creating privacy
Full Story
Houzz Tours
Kitchen Tour: A Gorgeous Extension With a Leafy Glasshouse Feel
By Kate Burt
When the owners of this terraced house extended, they were keen to retain its period feel and highlight the garden
Full Story
Gardens
How to Disguise Rubbish and Recycling Bins Outside Your Home
Need to hide unsightly bins in your garden or driveway? Take a look at these clever ideas for inspiration
Full Story
Renovating
21 Ways Designers Are Incorporating Arches Into Homes
By Kate Burt
Everywhere we look on Houzz right now, a cheeky arch pops up. How would you add this timeless architectural feature?
Full Story
Lifestyle
How to Improve the Air Quality in Your Home
Want to ensure your home environment is clean and healthy? Start by assessing the quality of your air
Full Story
The pictures shown here of so-called "de-cluttered" spaces would make me crazy if I had to live with all that open shelving showing every item I possessed. Open shelving is o.k. to show some non-essential decorative pieces but for all the items used everyday, why in the world would anyone want all that showing? If the idea is to de-clutter, the look should be clean and peaceful with no view of all the rest of the stuff left behind.
I cannot imagine wanting my shoes to be visible in a glass fronted cabinet. That looks awful. I have a Victorian armoire with pretty carved roses and everything is behind closed doors. This includes a 6 shelf shoe rack. I live in a very cluttered house. I have no claim to virtue where this issue is concerned. But all of these spaces look like what I am trying to reform in my life.
I tend to decorate minimally because I don’t care for clutter. I like your suggestions, especially the idea of having the shelving on the wall directly behind my work station in the study. It’s hard to work from home with limited space and I tend to pull up side tables to help contain my necessities. I imagine my shelves would look in-use like the picture during my work hours. I also enjoyed your suggestion about displaying shoes in a glass fronted cabinet. Kind of makes me wish I had more space and prettier shoes.