When it comes to decluttering your home, it can be hard to know where to begin. That pesky linen closet? Those overlooked kitchen cabinets? That crowded basement?
With nearly 25 years of experience in editing, organizing, and staging homes, we understand the importance of having a game plan, along with a clear system for every type of space. In this post, we’re sharing Decluttering Made Easy™, our complete guide to addressing all the clutter in your home, from books to jewelry.
To begin the decluttering process, you’ll first want to decide which room to tackle first. Next, follow our handy, step-by-step method for each specific area (linked in our guide). Here, we highlight some rooms where most of us quickly accumulate clutter.
The Kitchen
As one of the busiest rooms in the home, the kitchen attracts more than its fair share of “stuff.” (Consider cluttered countertops and the infamous junk drawer, both of which you can easily organize in one sitting using our detailed how-to.) For kitchen items such as glasses, plates, and serving platters, we recommend removing everything from your cabinets as a first step. Next, edit out any duplicates, broken, or unwanted pieces — including those to recycle or donate — before thoroughly cleaning your counters and cabinets and organizing the remaining items.
Clothing & Closets
Making room in your closet for warm-weather clothes is a great way to usher in spring. Our foolproof method for editing and organizing clothing helps you decide which items to keep, donate, or recycle. The guide also walks you through how to reorganize your newly edited wardrobe — by color and clothing type, for example. As a supplemental resource, we love this New York Times article on how to responsibly donate and repurpose all types of clothing; it’s the perfect way to streamline your closet while keeping sustainability top of mind.
Before
After
The Basement
For many people, the basement can easily become a catch-all storage area. To create a more efficient and user-friendly basement, we suggest you start by considering how you want to use the space. Next, create a functional storage system to keep everything in its proper place. In general, we find that the basement is the perfect spot to store seasonal items, sports equipment, unused furniture, and other larger items. Consult our detailed guide to editing and organizing your basement and attic for more helpful tips.
We hope we’ve provided you with some inspiration to declutter your home to create an organized, refreshed space — just in time for spring!
As always, the CMFTO team would be happy to help you with any and all decluttering needs you may have, from sorting through decades’ worth of mementos to clearing out your attic in preparation for a move. For clients interested in leaving a minimal footprint, we offer environmentally friendly solutions — including responsible cleaning — as a specialty.