My Top 10 Tips for a Clutter-Free Home

We're all different, and we're all comfortable with more or less clutter.  Some of us lean more minimalist, and some of us don't.  But for most of us, when we improve our surroundings, we improve our state of mind.  When we make order in one area, we see more clearly in another.  When we clear out something that's messy and bothersome, we may be able to clear up a situation that's been giving us trouble.

There's no one right way to be, of course.  We've achieved the right level of order when we can find what we need, function well in our space, and feel comfortable in our surroundings.  For some people, that requires zero (or near-zero) clutter.  For others, their tolerance is a little higher.

Here are my top tips for getting control of the stuff in my life so that I can feel more in control of my life.

Try these quick and easy actions

1.  Make your bed.

It's the center of your bedroom, and it sets the tone not just for that space, but for your whole day.  If this task takes longer than a couple of minutes, simplify.  Use a duvet or other trouble-free coverlet, use fewer decorative pillows – whatever it takes to make it quick and easy to achieve a tidy, presentable bed.

2.  Don't just put it down – put it away.

My mom said this all the time.  Translation:  When you're finished using something, put it back where it belongs.  (Hint:  This implies that items have a particular home, and that all family members know where that is.)

3.  Clean as you go.  

Hang up your bath towel and wipe the bathroom sink, counter, and mirror when you're finished getting ready; clean your work space and implements as you cook; pick up any trash and rinse your plate after you've had a snack.  When you deal with small messes, you don't create big ones that take a lot of time and energy to cope with later.

4.  If it only takes a minute, do it now.

This one-minute rule was a my dad's.  It annoyed me, but now I live by it.  Put your shoes away, file the document, put dirty clothes in the laundry basket, refold the blanket you were just cuddling with on the couch.  Because the tasks are quick, once you master this habit you hardly notice them.  It's amazing how much you can get done in tiny snippets of time.

"Later" is the best friend of clutter.

Peter Walsh

5.  Don't stockpile.

It's tempting to buy extras "just in case" or because they're on sale, but don't amass more than you will realistically use or more than you can comfortably store.  How can you tell you've got too much?  Drawers won't shut, closet doors won't close, passageways are clogged, items reside in peculiar places (a case of Campbell's on top of the dryer, a box of diapers in your wardrobe).

6.  However... don't run on empty.

This tip comes from Gretchen Rubin, author of Outer Order, Inner Calm and other books.  You'll save yourself a lot of frustration and worry if you keep some gas in your tank, some cash in the house, and your phone charged.  A few rolls of toilet paper and some soap, pens, and postage stamps might be handy too.

7.  Watch out for freebies.

Promotional tee shirts, mugs, water bottles, tote bags, planners, pens, and more....  If you don't have a clear plan for using these things, they're clutter.  The same goes for cheap toys, crayons, and stickers for your kids.  Even hand-me-down clothes can become clutter if you only accept them out of guilt and never actually use them.  It's amazing how free things can end up costing a lot of space, time, and energy.

8.  Curate your curios.

I have some photos, letters, and a few handcrafted keepsakes that mean a lot to me.  But if I kept everything, almost all of it would be in boxes in storage somewhere.  Paradoxically, keeping fewer mementos lets us hold on to more memories, because each item is special and can be displayed and appreciated.  So choose a few exceptional items and clear out the rest.  They'll inspire happy memories without becoming overwhelming.

9.  Declutter weekly.

We're alive, so we consume.  That means that even a fully-decluttered house will accumulate some extras.  When habits lapse, piles accumulate, or too many packages enter your house, don't just tell yourself you need to organize.  Always declutter first!  Even 15 minutes can help keep you lean.  Put on some happy music, grab your donation box, and make this light and fun.  When the box is full, deliver it to your chosen beneficiary ASAP.

10.  Fast forward.

Imagine it's far in the future and your relatives have arrived to clean out your house.  Which items will they decide to keep, and which ones will they donate, recycle, or trash?  You can make their job easier and happier by dealing with the excess yourself.  (Of course, you have clothes, shoes, linens, and kitchen implements you use every day, so you'll keep those for now even though they probably won't.)

A virtuous circle

Getting control of our possessions makes us feel more in control of our lives.  Change in one area can lead to change in others.  This is a circle you want to be part of, and these tips will help.

Old rubbish!  Old letters, old clothes, old objects that one does not want to throw away.  How well nature has understood that, every year, she must change her leaves, her flowers, her fruit and her vegetables, and make manure out of the mementos of her year!

Jules Renard

My Minimalist Basics series is much more than a guide to tidying up.  It explores life with less clutter, busyness, debt, and stress, and arms you with practical strategies to help you identify the people, activities, and belongings that really matter to you, while minimizing everything else.

Minimalist Basics: The Omnibus Edition gathers four volumes in one.  Decluttering: The Simple Guide from A to Z is the cheat sheet you've needed to keep your clutter-free journey on track.  Minimalism 1-2-3: Simple Steps to a Better Life focuses on the balance between too much and too little – not the "more is always better" mindset of our culture, but not "monk in a cave" austerity either.  It's about finding the just-right situation that satisfies your needs.  Simple Beginnings: 15 Tiny Steps Toward Minimalism describes quick and easy ways to streamline daily life.  And finally, The Minimalist Experiment details 36 activities that let you try out the possibilities of simplifying your life in six areas: physical clutter, digital clutter, mindset, schedule, finances, and personal well-being.

I know you'll turn to this useful and inspirational resource again and again.*

* This blog is supported by readers, not ads.  If you buy through my links, I make a small commission in addition to my author royalties.  Thank you.