10 Decluttering Tips That Won't Make You a Minimalist
Cleaning up and clearing out clutter doesn't have to leave you with minimalist decor. Here's how to organise your space with personality
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 property feel more like a home and less like a show house.
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 bespoke 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 cosy, lived-in feel, but every item is neatly in its place.
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 bespoke 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 cosy, lived-in feel, but every item is neatly in its place.
3. Decant kitchen clutter
Kitchens are easily cluttered, ending up with dirty dishes, sticky recipe books and out-of-date food hiding at the back of cupboards. 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.
Kitchens are easily cluttered, ending up with dirty dishes, sticky recipe books and out-of-date food hiding at the back of cupboards. 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.
4. Choose what you love
This kitchen is organised, 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 to put things back in their place.
In this kitchen, a combination of quirky cupboards 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 an even more streamlined yet still characterful space, fix more storage to the walls to free up work surfaces.
Love eclectic-style kitchens? Feast your eyes on these
This kitchen is organised, 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 to put things back in their place.
In this kitchen, a combination of quirky cupboards 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 an even more streamlined yet still characterful space, fix more storage to the walls to free up work surfaces.
Love eclectic-style kitchens? Feast your eyes on these
5. Weave in secret storage
Hidden storage is one of the best tools for maintaining a clutter-free home. This ottoman brings colour and cosiness to the room, but it also has a hinged lid, making it perfect for stashing away games and blankets.
Ottomans can also 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.
Hidden storage is one of the best tools for maintaining a clutter-free home. This ottoman brings colour and cosiness to the room, but it also has a hinged lid, making it perfect for stashing away games and blankets.
Ottomans can also 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. Organise your bedroom
Smart alcove shelving with drawers below ensures this bedroom is sleek and free of clutter, but it still has a cosy, 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 organised feel, rather than leaving them halfway across the room.
Make time every morning or evening to tidy 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.
See some great storage and wardrobe ideas
Smart alcove shelving with drawers below ensures this bedroom is sleek and free of clutter, but it still has a cosy, 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 organised feel, rather than leaving them halfway across the room.
Make time every morning or evening to tidy 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.
See some great storage and wardrobe ideas
7. Put pretty pieces on display
Storing items in cupboards 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.
Glazed cabinets can be used in any room, whether to show off your best tableware in the kitchen, favourite clothing or shoes in a bedroom, or colourful craft items in a spare room. And having glass doors on bookshelves is a great way to reduce dusting chores.
Storing items in cupboards 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.
Glazed cabinets can be used in any room, whether to show off your best tableware in the kitchen, favourite clothing or shoes in a bedroom, or colourful craft items in a spare room. And having glass doors on bookshelves is a great way to reduce dusting chores.
8. Get your kids on side
Always treading on toys or clearing up after your children? Provide storage they can reach easily 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 colourful 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 to get them out for maximum chance of success!
Always treading on toys or clearing up after your children? Provide storage they can reach easily 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 colourful 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 to get them out for maximum 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 tidily 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.
Hacks for a clutter-free home office
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 tidily 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.
Hacks for a clutter-free home office
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 pics and buy the same style frames but 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 Reasons Why You Should Clear Out the Clutter
Organisation Habits to Establish This Year
Things We Can Learn From Minimalists
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 pics and buy the same style frames but 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 Reasons Why You Should Clear Out the Clutter
Organisation Habits to Establish This Year
Things We Can Learn From Minimalists
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 maximise a small room, create vertical storage right up to the ceiling. Here, the open shelves keep the room tidy, but also 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 tea!