Even high-end, well-designed homes can easily fall into disorder—start one room at a time and curate small objects and keepsakes into groups
Accumulating stuff over time is normal, however, there comes a time when some things have outlived their purpose and just aren’t needed anymore.
“Home Fix Boutique. “High-end, well-designed homes are cheapened by clutter taking over, while a home that is lacking in the design department is elevated by everything being in its place and nothing extra floating around.”
One of the most overwhelming aspects of decluttering is knowing where to start or feeling like you have to tackle everything at once. Instead, start off with small, attainable goals that will help make steady progress over time.
“The best place to start is in the rooms where you spend the most time. Does your family room have junk all over? That’s a great place to start. Do you have bookshelves that you walk by every day that have become a holding station for extra junk? Start there,” Flynn suggested.
Follow along for more tips on decluttering for the new year from interior design pros.
Start off Slow
“Decluttering is best handled in sections. Start with one room, or even just one area of a room, and remove everything so that you can envision the space clearly without the clutter in the way. Lay out your items elsewhere and separate them into love, like and discard/donate categories, then redecorate or reorganise with only the items you love. Once you are organised with only the items you love, you probably won’t feel the need to add back much else.
“Purging is not always necessary, but it helps. We tend to accumulate so much stuff that decluttering generally will require a purge, especially in the new year for a fresh start. Who wants to go into a brand-new chapter with items that don’t add any value to your life? Everything in your home should serve one of two purposes: either it is functional and necessary, or it is something that inspires you. If there’s an item that doesn’t meet those criteria, let it go.
“To keep decluttering stress-free, focus on how you’ll feel afterward. It’s likely not the actual decluttering that is stressful, rather the living with the clutter that’s the real problem.”