This guide provides a comprehensive guide to decluttering your home, offering tips for tackling clutter hotspots and organizing your space effectively. It includes a checklist of what to declutter in every room, as well as tips for dividing your house into zones for different functions. The guide also includes tips for setting up the space, such as using gloves for trash disposal and clearing out bathrooms.
To start decluttering, divide your house into zones and use a declutter checklist to plan, sort, and organize everything. Start small and take it room by room, using an even grouping system for visual appeal. Keep pictures in groupings several inches apart and take five minutes each day to declutter your home.
Decluttering can be done with trusted movers like Muval’s removalists, lighting candles and strategically placing mirrors for a clutter-free look. Declutter by category, not location, and create subcategories for items you use.
When spring cleaning, declutter your home decor by cutting kitchen clutter, using table trays, balancing bookshelves, and trying storage ottomans. To simplify your decor, get rid of some stuff, group like items together, avoid going overboard with books, free furniture, hide tangled cords, and resist the urge to replace.
In summary, this guide offers a comprehensive guide to decluttering your home, providing tips for organizing and storing items, tackling clutter hotspots, and reducing clutter. By following these steps, you can create a clutter-free and inviting home that is both visually appealing and functional.
📹 Tiny Tricks to Declutter Your Entire Home FAST
Today I want to share a few tips for decluttering your home and moving toward minimalism faster! These have helped me, but let …
What should I remove first when decluttering?
Decluttering your spaces can be a simple process that involves removing trash, choosing a small area to organize, sorting items into piles of keep, donate, and toss, and finding a specific home for everything you intend to keep. While people often watch TV shows like The Home Edit and Marie Kondo to see organized spaces, real-life decluttering can often feel overwhelming due to the overwhelming amount of items that accumulate in our homes. To simplify the process, consider using tools like bins, hooks, or storage solutions to help you organize your space effectively.
What is the fastest way to declutter a house?
A cluttered home can be a major issue that can be easily overlooked during the new year. It can cause stress and inconvenience for homeowners, as they have to navigate through cluttered rooms and cluttered spaces. To quickly declutter your home, create a fool-proof plan, create a decluttering schedule, decide on the areas that need to be decluttered, organize the clutter into three categories, know what you want to keep, move on from old items, and get rid of the trash immediately.
By following these simple steps, you can quickly and effectively declutter your home, reducing the stress and inconvenience it brings. Remember, the quicker you act, the faster you can achieve a clutter-free home.
How to minimize house decor?
To achieve a less is best look, start by decluttering and removing unnecessary items from the room. Opt for a neutral color palette for walls, floors, and furniture pieces. This timeless approach promotes mindful curation and banishes cluttered spaces. “Less is Best” decorating is a timeless approach that fosters tranquility, enhances functionality, and celebrates the beauty of space and form. By choosing to decorate with less layers, less visual noise, and less stuff, a calm look and feel can be achieved in our homes. This timeless approach to decorating is not just a trend but a timeless approach to enhancing the beauty of space and form.
What is the 20/20/20 rule for decluttering?
The 20/20 Rule is a theory that suggests that anything we truly need can be replaced for less than $20 in less than 20 minutes from our current location. This has been proven to be true 100% of the time. We often hold onto items just in case we need them, but these just-in-case items are not necessary and often take up space and weigh us down. By removing these items, we can free up space and eliminate unnecessary clutter. The 20/20 Rule encourages us to prioritize our needs and avoid holding onto unnecessary items, ultimately leading to a more efficient and clutter-free life.
What is the 80 20 rule for clutter?
The 80/20 rule can be applied to maintaining a clean and organized home by regularly tidying 20% of your belongings. This approach keeps the surface of your home looking tidy and makes it less daunting to clean the other 80%. Small tasks like making your bed and washing up can have a significant impact. Interiors Therapy expert Suzanne Roynon believes that while a deep clean is beneficial for the heart and soul of a home, having a 20 percent tidy version is better than doing nothing. This approach helps keep your home looking clean and tidy, making it easier to maintain a clean and organized environment.
How do you know if you have too much decor?
Over-decoration can lead to difficulties in moving around, a lack of focus, and a potential fire hazard. To maintain functionality, create clear pathways and remove unnecessary clutter. If your eyes struggle to find a focal point, simplify the design and strategically place focal pieces for a visually appealing space. Constantly adding new decor without thoughtful consideration can lead to an excessive accumulation of items that may not contribute to the overall aesthetic. Practice mindful shopping and only bring in new decor that truly enhances your space.
Why is decluttering so hard?
Decluttering can be challenging due to various reasons, including the connection our belongings have to our identity, security, comfort, and sentimental value. People often feel guilty about throwing away items they don’t need, as they believe they are what makes them who they are. This attachment to our possessions can make it difficult to get rid of clutter, as it feels like giving away some of our identity and self worth. Therefore, it’s essential to find a balance between decluttering and maintaining a clutter-free home to achieve a clutter-free lifestyle.
What is the 12-12-12 rule for decluttering?
The 12:12:12 challenge, as proposed by Joshua Becker, is a straightforward task: to identify and dispose of 12 items, donate them, and return them to their appropriate location. The challenge is presented in a straightforward manner. It should be noted, however, that the challenge may be disabled or blocked by an extension or browser that does not support cookies.
How do you simplify house clutter?
The article suggests several strategies to reduce clutter in one’s life. These include a rule of one in, two out, limited storage, clear floors and flat surfaces, a designated home for everything, regular decluttering sessions, reducing desires for more, and changing habits. The author, Leo Babauta, shares his own experience of being a packrat and clinging to possessions, which led to a decade of clutter in his life. The author emphasizes the importance of being content with what you have and rejoice in the way things are, as it brings the whole world into your own.
📹 Decluttering & Simplifying Home Decor🧡(Plus, our Fall Decorations!)
Over the last few years, we’ve significantly simplified and decluttered our home decor. It has helped to make our home easier to …
I’ve had a struggle with clothes in the past. So, I came up with a method that has helped. The 1st of every month I go through my clothes and pick out what I could wear that month (checking the calendar while doing this is helpful). Every top I wear when I hang it back up I turn the hanger the opposite way. The next time I’m choosing an outfit I look at the hangers facing correctly first. On the last day of the month I take the hangers that are still facing the correct way and get brutally honest about why I have the item and why I’m not reaching for it. If it’s a definite no I donate it. If it’s still a maybe I’ll give it one more time in rotation or place it in my “time-out” drawer to see if I miss it (and this drawer isn’t that big). The surprising thing that happened after doing this method for a few months is I stopped buying clothes on impulse.
This was incredibly helpful – thank you ❤ Although my own apartment is well under control my father died recently and i am in the process of clearing his very large home. I had no idea his closets were crammed full of clothing and I have approximately 30 large sacks to donate to charity and another 10 to be recycled! I have donated all unopened food and toiletries but had to bin large amounts of rubbish also. Today my plan is to label the sacks so they are organised for uplift, then sort photos/documents/ornaments etc into large storage bins. I have arranged to take all the towels to our local pet rescue centre. Will also sort all bedding/linens/cushions. Im keeping the garden under control until house is sold. When my sibling returns from holiday she and her husband can organise the garage, shed and loft. Ive been sat here procrastinating but your article has inspired me to get moving ! Its challenging to resist the urge to tidy and clean whilst decluttering but its essential to stay focused as otherwise takes much longer. Have already decluttered other relatives belongings and it is not fair on those of us left behind ! I keep my home super clear and organised and wish everyone else would also! Minimalism should be taught in schools 😊
Not just “clean and organize” but why don’t we paint the space while we’re about it? No! I had to stop myself from doing this recently. I just wanted to reorganize my office but found myself thinking about painting it too while I was about it…… making a big enough job a massive job. Luckily I caught myself in time!
I 99% of the time have declutter or minimalist articles playing when I am decluttering as you mentioned. Motivates me to do it. I also look at a space a d picture in my mind what I want it to look like or feel. I work it in my mind first and then when I have the time I go and just do it. I was struggling with clothes decluttering and a couple of weeks back I packed most of my clothes (not underwear, pjs and socks…) and now I go get as I need it . I have pulled about 20 pieces between work and home wear. I will do this till year end therefore basically all seasons and then I plan to just donate the rest. I have eliminate a lot over the past couple years but now it will be the final stretch. Clothes out of sight,out of mind, out the door? Well we shall see. ❤
I decluttered my Living room, dining room and kitchen counter. I sweep, pickup and spot clean the floors every morning. My house is always ready if someone comes to the front door now. It’s a great feeling. I have started in our bedroom and got stalled. Thanks for all the good suggestions for getting me back in forward gear again. The decluttered rooms have never stayed this clean ever. So glad for your website. Thank you!!
I have to say your articles are so soothing no matter the content. The visuals (different clips) of the plants, sunlight etc is very pleasant and your voice is very comforting. I become more relaxed while perusal your articles! 🙂 I love to listen to a podcast or one of my favorite content creators while decluttering. Makes the time fly!
I always listen to a podcast while decluttering and doing the dishes. I agree with most of what you said but I’ll just say that while decluttering a cupboard or a drawer, I think it’s wise to clean it up. I usually focus on a particular area at a time and keep on decluttering throughout my regular life. when I start the process, I empty the drawer/cupboard. Since it’s empty anyway, I find it helpful to clean up before putting stuff back. Great tips! Keep up the good work ❤
I am adopting the progress, not perfection, way to declutter. I made a list and began working on different areas, and it feels great to make progress. Instead of doing this annually, I plan to hit different areas more frequently, so decluttering is part of my monthly activity instead of a huge annual project.
Progress, not perfection. Unless you’re moving in a few weeks, there’s no rush. Be consistent, but don’t stress, because you’ll give up. Think of pacing yourself like getting caught in a riptide. You can either struggle to get to shore as quickly as possible, or swim gently, but consistently, parallel to the shoreline. Once you’re done decluttering that room, don’t let it build up again. I have a set of rules that I live by, which have made housekeeping easier and have reduced stress from clutter. Rules of the house If you bring it into the room, take it out of the room. If you drop it, pick it up. If it’s empty, throw it out. If you make a mess, clean it up. If it’s a dirty item, put it in the sink or the hamper. When you’re done with something… If it’s a blanket, fold it up. If it’s a glass or a dish, put it in the sink. If it’s a game, put it away.
Thank you very much, I have already started decluttering, and as you mentioned, I saw that it would be great to associate it with cleaning, and indeed I did it in the bathroom, but I felt tired and imagined how difficult it would be to repeat that in all rooms.!! Which made me start procrastinating and being lazy about completing what I started, but now you inspired me and encouraged me that I can really declutter first and then do the cleaning after that and it will certainly be easier and faster.!
I find decluttering and tidying to this article and similar decluttering/minimalism articles encouraging. It helps me keep momento and keep going. I find this content both realxing and inspirational. When I clean to music I can get distracted but having this content, I feel like I have motivational speaker to keep me focused and although I’m far from being a minimalist, I have thrown out so much stuff which is a big thing for me because I’ve always been a bit of a hoarder. I love how big rooms are when there’s less junk in them. Thank you 🙂
I have found that early on when you have vastly too much stuff. Think hoarder or near hoarder level a few major cleanups are probably very needed just to get the home functional enough to finetune your decluttering. In this phase probably Maria Kondo or any similar method probably will be helpful, and maybe some will need to do it several times to get the house functional enough to develop a more finetuned method. After that I think a real plan for maintaining control over input and output of stuff in your life starts to be more important. The way I now view stuff is the lifecycle of the item through my life, and through the items life.
My tips: 🧺Donate box by the back door 🧽Declutter one drawer/cupboard at a time unless you enjoy it like me! 🧹Inventory of any supplies such as toiletries/stationary and only buy what is needed 📝Inventory of food in cupboards to meal plan and I gain only but what’s needed ❤also small things like a set amount of towels per person (we all have our own colours) and 2x bedding per bed..one in wash one in bed. Simple
I feel like we are decently decluttered as a family of four (plus dog). Can you give tips on putting things away? I am great about it but no one else in my family has any “eye” to see that things are just piled everywhere. It’s gotten to such a pattern that I’m not able to keep up, all the hours in the day could be devoted to just going through other people’s stuff that they left out and putting it in the assigned place. Madness! Please give your tips if you have them.
Thank you for the tips. I feel you really understand the declutterers mindset and tge transition to a simpler & more minimal mindset. Also your voice is calm, sympathetic, easy to listen to and soothing. Your narration voice isn’t hyper, way too fast nor is it shouting at us. I really appreciate that. Thank you! 💞
I’ve naturally been doing some of what you mention in the beginning of the article so it’s nice to know I intuitively landed in an area you’ve realized is helpful. I appreciate your points on something like doing a Marie Kondo thing with one category and time issues. For me, I have very limited space. It’s so tiny in here that if I took out all my clothes and put them on the bed (which is the only place I even could put them) I’d likely not be able to finish the task in one sweep and then my bed would still be covered with whatever is left. I have no where else I could do it and so I’m a little stuck with not being able to do anything in a full Marie Kondo manner. I sometimes use the strategy, though, with modifications. Great article! Thank you! 🥰🥰
Nice content! New subscriber. I have slowly been decluttering but I like the concept you mentioned of putting the item aside for a specific time frame and if I go to get that item it’s available. I have a small bag that I have been dropping in from my closet and as a few pieces I have come in. I will remove the other and out and or set in a basket once the basket is full this is when I take it and put it in a bag and donate. I notice that I never feel like I have regrets and the pieces in my closet are things I love to wear and feel good in.
I absolutely adore your whole vibe in this article. It totally takes the stress out of decluttering for me and actually makes me look forward to doing it for myself! Your high level of intelligence really shows and for some reason makes me want to laugh out loud because I’m so delighted to discover you! Looking forward to seeing more of your articles and I hope my enthusiasm doesn’t scare you! Lol!
Sorting out stuff is not such a big deal for me (deep inside we all know exactly what our “keepers” are). The problem is getting rid of all that stuff afterwards: I have no car, the recycling center and even the containers are far away and some furniture are too big and heavy to get them down the stairs alone. I can’t store stuff in the staircase or entryway – so all the mess is still standing around in my apartment, causing a lot of extra work 🤦🏻♀️ Thank you for the article 🙏
I put on some cheesy music that I grew up with in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s and groove to them. Sometimes if someone like my niece, granddaughter are around, I ask them if there is anything they would like before donating. If I can’t get to a good will place, I will leave a box of stuff at the curb. You’ll be surprised how fast that box empties. Mission accomplished. 😂😂😂
Just wanted to share: speaking of setting your mind frame, I listen to this while spackling my laundry room wall during a major home renovation because this is part of my dream life and how things are going to be on the other side of this home renovation. I’ve been working toward a more minimalist and essentialist home, schedule and routine for a few years now but this home renovation, which started as a water-damaged insurance claim, has really opened up the floodgates of possibility! Thank you for your calm tone and inspiring perspective!
When it’s time to declutter I put 3 bags in the foyer. One is donate, the second is worn out can’t donate, third see if anyone wants it. If no then it goes into the first bag This goes fast when it’s a change of season, and your changing over things in your home. It’s slower but after a few seasons you can see the difference. It’s especially helpful for people who find it hard to part with things
I’ve been really into minimalism and the concept of less is more and decluttering lately. I’ve been following a lot of YouTube websites who promote this ideology. One thing that I always laugh at every single time when every single one of you guys say it is “set a timer for a 5 minute declutter” that is never happening in my world. It takes me 5 minutes just to find what podcast I’m listening to and then contemplate where to start. Then after that it just takes forever. A 5 minute declutter to me how my mind works is 30minutes to an hour. If I don’t have 30 minutes to an hour I just can’t even do it because my house is such a pigstye just to get the stuff in order to start to declutter is a whole process. And I can’t start and stop it just won’t happen
For me its been 2 years or so I tried my best to minimize stuff around.. I have learned that wasting my time categorizing stuff to do is another time consuming.. I even pay on someone selling their categorised plan.. yet.. I dont follow it.. realistically just go to that area you think that space needs to be tackled.. yet yeah.. until now still its a mess😂 overwhelming..
I watched your article for self help, i am 60 yrs old, a hoarder struggling to declutter one bedroom condo. I feel depressed, overwhelmed, sad, my mind is not there. I fill a bag every day with items full of mold, I ride the bus and then get somewhere nobody is perusal, I examen each item carefully before I olace them in a store dumpster or bus stop trash canister. I don’t comb my hair. That’s what it caught my eye on your article, you look pretty, have a nice place, you talk nice and all your decluttering thing id putting a few jeans inside a nice bag?
Speaking of “extra scissors” or extra ANYTHING, think of places you could USE an extra pair of scissors! I have hooks or nails in every closet, or on backs of doors, inside cupboards…I have scissors, flyswatters, pens, long handled grabbers, etc in RVERY room of my house! I jave a pair of scissors in my TRUNK! You van also give duplicates to family. Things break, you need it in a different room (bedside table) We have small plastic tool boxes upstairs, downstairs, you never know when you might need a hammer or to do an emergency fix…I have an old pitcher under every sink. When you don’t need ot you can store somethingvin it. I’m not trying to enable you, but do think before you hery rid of some things! I have a brush hanging by the trash can in the garage to use when I empty my vacuum canister. I have an old bottle opener hanging next to the recycle can that I use to open cardboard boxes to recycle.
I think it’s important to make getting rid of the stuff as easy as you need to. For example, if there isn’t a donation center nearby or you don’t have a car, just toss the stuff in the garbage. I know it feels wasteful, and that it is always better to donate or sell, but for someone who has a chronic illness and can’t move outside of the home a lot, this has kept me stuck. I don’t feel great tossing stuff because I want to donate, but it’s just the reality I live in. I can either accept tossing stuff in the bin or live in a stressful, cluttered environment. The choice seems clear.
Great tips! Thank you for this content.:) I’m in the middle of starting to de clutter my home and garage. It will definitely be bite sized projects, but I feel like I can’t enjoy relaxing knowing there’s a mountain of junk behind doors and drawers! It feels so much better every time I tackle even the smallest thing! ☺️On a side note- what is your wall color? It’s so pretty! Once things are organized they’re definitely getting refreshed! 😂👍
My biggest problem is that I am a creative person. So I’ll see something and have ideas for something else I could use it for for example fabric. So I’ll shuffle it to my fabric stash and that’s not getting it decluttered. I’m so scared of getting rid of something useful that some things I just get stuck on and I don’t know what to do 🙄.
This is just what I needed! I have been “planning” to de letter a large room downstairs, and turn into a exercise/relaxation quiet room. This morning was the day, but with rainy weather, I was not at all in the mood, until I found this article. I took few early hours to rest and visualize what the room should look like and watch few articles on decluttering, and this one just did it. I got up, turn all the lights on, played some energizing music, and started following your tips! Thank you very much!
What worked for me was to pick a room, pick a closet, pick a shelf, and start decluttering. I pulled out everything. Trash went to the trash, obvious donate went in a donate box, things that did not belong were moved to their real homes, and then ponder the harder items a bit. The key for me was, once everything had been sorted, I cleaned the shelf, organised it in a way that was easy, functional and pleasing to look at. I would also write down if there was something I needed to upgrade or replace, or some organisation to make the space function better. Once finished, I would move on to the shelf below it. This way, every time I looked at that space, it made me highly motivated to declutter more – because the space was suddenly more functional and light. Sometimes I would only have time for one shelf, other days I could finish the entire closet in a day. But moving around the room clock-wise helped keep track of where I was at, and gave a feeling of the order ‘spreading’ around the room, pushing back the chaos. I used sort of konmari based ‘does it spark joy’ mindset to declutter most things. In cases where I couldn’t get the answer with that question, I would use more logical questions – but 90% of the time, that was the best question to ask.
Amazing article! I do often listen to music as well when cleaning/decluttering, it really takes the boredom away. Any tips for how to convince my partner to help me declutter his things? He has lots of little items around the house which to him have sometimes sentimental value. Unfortunately, most of these are decorative items which serve no purpose. Not only do they add visual clutter but they’re really difficult to clean.
My house is in desperate need of some good decluttering. At almost 31, I am still storing (unsorted) things from my teens, my mom’s youth, old keepsakes, boxes and boxes of papers. Add to that all the things a 2.5-year-old, a baby and a dog add to the household, plus all the things from both pregnancies I haven’t gone through yet. I just don’t know how to do it! My toddler is all over the place every day and running after him is a full time job. And whenever he eats or sleeps (which are the only times he sits still) I try to get a moment in with my little girl. We have no family around to help. I think I will have to live vicariously through all of you 😅 Thanks for the article!
The two categories I struggle with are items that are still functional but I don’t want it. Throwing it in the trash seems wasteful and finding it a new home via donation or garage sale seems so tedious! The other is paper clutter…what if I need it? If I make it electronic…into an external hard drive, it could die and I’d lose all my stuff. Storing it in the cloud is not safe because it can get hacked. So….I waste a ton of time flipping through page by page, then putting it all back. Now I feel dejected every time I look at the eyesore pile of boxes of papers 🙁
I love the new graphics. Many good tips here – for me, especially declutter, don’t clean & organize at once (so that’s what’s messing me up!), and priming your brain before you start with remembering the life you want to create. Also, I liked hearing you have a “sticky brain” as I have one too! Makes decluttering harder.🙄😅
I’ve been a “student” of decluttering and organizing for more years that most of the experts on YouTube have been alive, (definitely longer than YouTube) and my house and garage and shop are still chaos. I’ve tried and failed nearly every “system” out there. So I’ve simplified my personal system; I’m just always on the lookout for anything I can throw away or donate. Plus, I’m always envisioning what I want a space to look like and identifying the things in that space that “don’t fit” that vision for consideration for trash or donation. Sometimes it takes me months to make a decision, but sometimes it doesn’t. My decision fatigue tolerance is very low. If it’s not a “Hell yes!” Or a “Hell No!”, I just let it roll around in my brain for awhile. I was recently able to throw out a couple of trash dumpsters full of items that have been rolling around for months. In the meantime, I’m constantly hunting obvious trash and donate everytime I open a drawer, closet, or cabinet – or just walk into a room. Progress is slow, but it’s in the positive direction.
THANK YOU for perusal!!! We appreciate it 🙂 Here are the other articles that I mentioned in this article!! 👕 Rounding out my Fall Wardrobe (Shop with Me): youtu.be/vX7bs6ZIRu8 🤦♀️ I feel EMBARRASSED by all of my Clutter!: youtu.be/cunAzK4e74Q 🎄 Christmas Decorations Home Tour: youtu.be/8P27w2WoOpA
I’m your Mom’s age and I’ll tell you this: I’m much more likely to just walk up to a stranger now and tell her I like her shirt! So it’s probably not that the shirt appeals more to us old ladies but that we’re just more willing to say, “Cute shirt!” ‘Cuz it’s totally cute on you. Not my style at all but super for you 🙂 I’m in the process of downsizing my holiday decor. I’m tempted to get rid of it all, then shop at the thrift store when I want to decorate. After the season, I can then donate it back. So then it’s like a library for “borrowing” decor. No storage, no guilt, no problem!
I believe I saw this article when it first came out, but I had to add a comment “yes” that answer would be “yes” as I’m decluttering once again going through and just trying to make sure that we are or I am just owning only the things that we truly need or that I truly need I am also letting go of decor that I know I will probably not use again this has helped tremendously….Thanks for the article!🙂
I love Fall colors and theme so they get to stay out year round with only a few that come out for a short time. I purged my Christmas decorations a few years back when I moved them from the attic (when I almost fell off the ladder) and put into a built in cabinet that we have in our garage. Each year I try to donate items I find I have not put out in the past 2 years because I always receive some sort of decor as gifts. When my kids were young it would take me 2-3 days to decorate then to put the items away was awful. So glad I am now purging thru the rest of the house! Thanks for all your help with your articles Dawn!
I love the shirt, I’d wear it myself and I think we’re a year apart in age 😉. Between you, the Clutterbug, and Hoarders Heart, whom I ❤️❤️ and adore the 3 of you, I’ve been able to downsize quite a bit in clothes, furniture, decor and etc. Lots of items have left my house through sale or donations in the past couple years!! My goal for Christmas is to decorate using what I have and the excess gets sold or donated. My MIL has so many decorations she’s gifted me that I don’t want! Time for the excess to go! I not only try to keep myself out of trigger stores like Hobby Lobby and such (don’t get me wrong, they’re a lovely Christian chain and I’m glad they exist and people continue to support a brick and mortar like them!) but when I do go there, I also keep in mind ‘where would it go and what would I then get rid of’. I’ve become more conscious of that. Thanks for the article!
Home decor is my weakness. I have been trying to simplify in an effort to reduce stress and I’m finding decorating to be more and more exhausting. Im known among my friends as the decorator so it like letting go of my identity. I just need to stay out of the stores, but like you said, shopping can be fun. Im getting there, little by little. Thanks for all you do!!
Thank you for your article! I have decluttered some of my decor items, but kept some. So every season, I have something. Most of our decor is hand made, my son and I like to do ceramic and other things. I try to find good place for itmes so that our house is not full of stuff. When my son was smaller, we decor our living room table for every season. It was fun! My son liked it a lot. 😃
Decor was one of the hardest parts of decluttering for me 😢 now I don’t regret getting rid of virtually everything; holiday decor use to be my escape from everything that was causing me stress etc it was an excuse and I would buy buy buy 🙈 we had tubs upon tubs 🙈 I now realise that all of that buying and storing and searching for the next thing was actually causing so much stress I now have only one ☝️ Christmas tub it’s a small tub and that’s it! My focus now is enjoying the holidays with my husband and kids and not focusing on the materialistic/consumerism side to it all 🙌 Thankyou for this article 💕💕
🤣 the shirt… it’s adorable on you! I remember thinking that before I saw your wardrobe article.😉 I just turned 40 so I’m not quite your mom’s age. One of my favorite “decluttering” methods is to not replace things. My son especially is attached to EVERYTHING. Super sentimental. So if he sees me tossing something it turns into an issue and he’s always home now so I can’t declutter when he’s not looking. When something breaks or wears out I just wait as long as possible before replacing it. Sometimes he forgets (not usually), and sometimes if I really lucky I can at least get a quality replacement or combine things so it still works out better in the end.
I love your pretty blouse and it suits you well and it is not too old for you. Love your Fall decor and very simple and not too much for your house. Trading spaces was an awesome and I really liked Peter Walsh in Clean Sweep and Extreme Clutter. Great article Dawn and I can’t wait for the next one! 🍁🎃😀👍♥️
I love decorating for the seasons and before simplifying that meant garlands and 10 totes of items. Similar to others here, now we decorate with natural materials and the kids artwork which can easily be composted or recycled after the holiday. I have found that if I go in home/craft stores now the shelves look so cluttered and overwhelm me to the point that I just want to leave!
After I KonMari’d my whole home in July/August I can actually appreciate the few ornaments I have kept. I don’t really decorate for the seasons but have recently started buying a bunch of fresh flowers every few weeks. I cut the stems quite short and put them in mason jars. Last week it was lovely burnt orange coloured gerberas and chrysanthemums. Cheap and cheerful 🙂
Super cute shirt on you- not my style either and I am your mom’s age. I think it is more a younger woman’s style. Your articles are spot on. Decor was a seemingly insurmountable at times due to the many reasons you give. I have replaced lots of decor that came into our home because magazines promised I would be happier. I have even eliminated well enjoyed items that were meaningful but also caused dust accumulating clutter, especially historical items due to an insatiable love of history. Gazing upon useful items I knew the history about gave me satisfaction but I have learned my memory can store those things as well and I don’t have to dust it. Lots of decor has been replaced with living plants but not wanting plant clutter I am careful there as well. Even though I have always considered myself non materialistic, I think clutter helped substantiate that I had accomplished something, that I had worked hard enough to purchase nice things, a mindset that seems to have existed throughout history with Victorian times grounding that belief and spawning the worldwide marketing and consumerism culture we now have. Older age has brought home the realization that I won’t live forever and in researching hopes for the next twenty plus years, I have concluded I just want to be me and not have to prove anything to others through what I look like or possess. “Me” really loves plants and loves having less stuff to clean. “Me” loves having more time to devote to friendships, adventures and helping others while easily maintaining a clean home and yard, which I really love as well for the peacefulness of such due to lack of clutter.
I was thinking right at the beginning of the article that I really like your shirt. (I’m 34). I love that it has the ruffle off the shoulder. I have always liked the look of those off the shoulder tops but they never look or feel any good on me. I feel like a top like yours would be the ultimate in that off the shoulder look without the discomfort. Anyway, love your articles. You are inspiring me to get started with simplifying my home to simplify my life. Thank you
I’m 29 and LOVE the shirt! I think it’s trendy and so feminine. So there, I can even out some of the older ladies 😜 I am in a middle place with my decor. I want our home to be beautiful (I am a SAHM and look at these walls all day!) and reflect our personality, the church calendar, and the season. I also want my kids to be exposed to beauty and art. But yes, knicknacks and tchotchkes drive me crazy! I like them on pictures but not in my house. So I’ve been trying to keep or buy only a small amount of high-quality, “real” (not plastic) items that reflect classic taste and I hopefully 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻 will enjoy for years. I can still reflect the seasons but am not starting from scratch every year. I also like the idea that the kids will remember “oh, those beautiful pysanky eggs we always had out at Easter!” or the same beloved Christmas decorations. Plus the “stuff” looks better when there is not a lot of other deco competing with it 😉
Love this! I decluttered my fall decor this year too! I allowed myself only one tote for Halloween and Fall decor COMBINED! Family: “Oh, why would you get rid of this? Oh, this is so cute! Oh, you can use this on your front porch!” Sigh. Stuck to my guns and donated anything that didn’t fit in the tote. Felt SO GOOD! I’m finding such freedom in limitations! Crazy. Btw, love that shirt on you too!
I love your articles! They are so inspiring and fun. So thank you for sharing all your tips, tricks and experiences. I find it hard to simplify on decor. I love putting things on display that remind me of people or things. But there are so much little things to put on display! And I love plants. So I have a lot of those in my living room. They take up a lot of space. But give so much joy and life to my house. But all the toys, drawings from the kids and just papers… that annoys me the most. Your thoughts help me. So thank you 😊
Love the shirt, but all that matters is that you like it! And no it doesn’t look like a grandma shirt 💜. Thanks for this article, the timing was great. We painted our living room about 3 years ago and I still have things from Home Interiors that had hung up for about 20 years and I don’t want to put them back up so it’s time to let them go. 👍
I know no one who decorates for fall/ autumn. It seems exhausting all this decorating. Its not a thing here in Australia. Most people decorate for Christmas and that’s it. I like it that way. As much as I love a Christmassy home I am so eager come December 26 to pack it away and have that calm uncluttered peace return. I’m glad I only do it once a year.:–)
I really liked Trading Spaces too! 👊 I have no idea what a 4H Project is. I’m from CA and never went a county/state fair. 🤷 I have simplified my decor but it can definitely be gone through again. I think your small touches look cozy and not too much. 🎃 Your shirt is cute! And I’m pretty sure I’m your age. My oldest is 9 too. 😉😁
Dawn, I’m your age and I love that shirt ☺️ As far as the decorating and simplifying, I still struggle. The target dollar spot is my weakness for any type of spending although it is only once a year that we get there whenever we’re there I feel I have to buy all the things because I don’t have the option to head back later and get them ( we vacation in the states annually but live in Canada where sadly we do not have a target). I stopped going into winners though because it is definitely my weakness.
Ok, I have a slightly unusual solution . I Give myself $5 each quarter of the year to shop for seasonal decor. I shop at thrift stores and Dollar Tree. After that season, I put only the items I REALLY like into one small box. Everything else gets donated to someone or back to thrift stores. The one small box has a permanent home so I’m never looking for storage places or having to buy more containers. And my total budget never exceeds $20 per year. And no, it’s not an older woman shirt. Lol.
Love the top on you! I don’t think it would work on the more mature generation. The extent of my fall decor at this point is a pumpkin on my dining table waiting to be carved, lol. Oh and I switch up my table linens seasonally, but they aren’t specifically “fall” just more fallish colors if that makes sense.
This is such a struggle for me! I feel like because I host parties here that people are expecting certain things when they walk in the door and I just can’t let go but I want to. I have no problem with decluttering and organizing. In fact I love it! However, holiday stuff is hard to part with. Working on it though. Just don’t know where to start .
I think the shirt looks good on you, I’m 44 years old sorry I’m not your age lol. That color looks good with your hair also. I love going to Hobby Lobby it’s a huge home decor store and I get so overwhelmed in there, I want everything but can’t buy it and don’t need it . My sweet teen daughter holds my arm and tells me no that I don’t need it and helps me out of the store. She felt sorry for me the first time we went in there, i found the Christmas decor ❤️ and I bought one decoration, she felt sorry for me so I got it lol. I have to downsize my Christmas decor again, I still have 4 containers after getting rid of a lot of it. 😂
I am in my 40’s and like the top. I was thinking that the whole time you were talking haha and then you mentioned it. I don’t think I am in your mom’s generation 😉 As for decor, it is a stress for me…I am much like you that I love decor but I find it can be burdensome to maintain and especially to store for another year! Target dollar spot is so fun but a place I tend to go overboard precisely because its inexpensive. I also work near a shopping district that has a Marshalls, Home Goods, Ross, etc so its easy to go browse on my lunch break and that can get me in trouble. I am getting better though at leaving empty handed and really need to find another way to de-stress!
The strangest thing happened last week. I have been (VERY) slowly decluttering. My daughter invited me to go to Hobby Lobby with her. (My favorite place!) They have such unique and beautiful things. Know what I ended up buying? Paper napkins for Thanksgiving dinner. That was it! I didn’t have the desire for anything else. Oh, how I hope this is a trend!!!
Your house is so cute. I really love it! How did it look when you bought it? Did you do a lot of renovation? I’ll have to see if you have a article on it but if not I’d love to see one. Just old pics or something and talking about what you did, things you changed, and how reno went, assuming you did some 😊
preach girl! I finally donated all my seasonal décor this summer. I decided I only want to use natural things I can use (like a pumpkin) or dollar store/thrift store stuff I can immediately donate after I take down. I’ve challenged myself to $20 a holiday or season. $20 is totally worth not having to store things…
I have barely started de-cluttering. My hubby passed away 3 years ago, and although I have tossed or donated things of his (clothes mostly) I am struggling with keeping or tossing things like his high school diploma and most of our pictures (I’ve kept probably 80 – 90 of my faves). I sent some sentimental items to nieces and nephews. What about a small coin collection? Yikes, I’m really stuck with his dresser, which is where I’ve put most of his things. Help??
I’m so glad you did this article. I have been struggling with what to keep for my holiday decor this season. I love the idea of my house looking like Pottery Barn, and so I went out to PB and got all the flowers and pillows a few years ago. Now I’m thinking that’s was a bad idea. Do I really want to have to change 10 different pillow cases and 5 different cases of flowers for fall, winter, spring and summer?! They look gorgeous but it is kinda a lot of work. Lol
One thing that I have taken to heart when decorating is where things come from (i.e. sweat shops? was the earth negatively impacted by their making?) and where they will go once I’m gone (are they biodegradable? how will they affect the environment over the long run ?). So now when I seasonally decorate, I try to incorporate a lot of natural elements ….baked pinecones, branches, flowers, real pumpkins/gourds. Then when that season or holiday is over, I can compost a lot of the decor!! I also find that staying with a ‘minimal’ color scheme helps me declutter older decorations..even if I love them, if they don’t fit with the color scheme I can more easily let them go. 🙂 I love your website and your tips!!!
Great article, as a Clutterbug Butterfly I am not a minimalist, BUT your declutter reward idea will be applied as I put advent/Christmas away and get my January-February snow men out. I did restrict my decor to a single tub for most seasons, more for Christmas but still way less than I used to have and all organized as a Clutterbug Butterfly with a strong Bee sense.
Love the article! I’ve been actually feeling the same way. I’m surprised that I really look at home decor so differently now. I haven’t bought anything for fall this year and I genuinely don’t want anything. I see cute stuff in target and other places and admire it but that’s enough for me now. I don’t feel like I need to take it home. That’s a huge victory! You’ve been such a great motivation for me. Thank you! (Also I would wear that shirt! And I’m 34 if that counts for anything 😊)
I’m 38 and was thinking the whole time I love the shirt 🙂 this was a timely article bc I’m 1.5 years into simplifying (still a long way to go) but struggling w decor. My husband says he doesnt want our house to become sterile 😉 I do have a article suggestion (a series?) Would you be willing to go into other people’s houses to get some new ideas? We have a large home but still want it to feel minimal and struggle w having “empty space.” (although we are grateful for our home and the school district, if we had to move again it would be a smaller home but I digress!) Anyway just a suggestion to show us different ideas. <3
I had a real hard time letting go of home decor items, so this article struck home for me. My “ah-hah” moment was when I realized I could purchase seasonal items for under a dollar from the thrift store I volunteer at (!) and exchange/donate back for the next upcoming season! No storage needed and I get to shop for fresh stuff anytime the mood strikes. Win-win!
Love this article Dawn this is exactly why and how I found you on YouTube! We recently had some renovation work done in our house and I wanted a more minimal interior. While I will never be truly minimalist the decluttering I have done has resulted in more minimal decor if that makes sense and I love it. Can I also say the money I have saved is amazing and it is allowing me to mindfully purchase quality items that I actually need. My mindset has completely changed…. 😬
I’ve always struggled with home decor. I don’t feel like I’m good at decorating and then when I do put things out I feel like they just become another toy for the kids. For example I recently got a small candelabra for our kitchen table. I thought it would be nice to have candlelight for dinners. But it doesn’t have a home to stay at on the table, it just sort of slides around all day and the kids play with it. So for me minimalism has been great, to have permission not to strive for cute decor and to appreciate the beauty of a clear space. I do have some pictures on the walls, and some homemade fall decor, and I also do the natural decor like real pumpkins, and hay bales on the front porch. Another thing I do seasonally is rotate wall art. For example for fall I put up a painting of fall trees, a thankful banner, and a harvest sign. When I put those up I take down the wall art that was in those spaces. That way I notice and appreciate my wall art more and I don’t feel I’m adding to clutter by bringing in holiday decor. thanks Dawn for showing your home! I love how it looks! And I like the tray on the table – maybe that would help my candelabra have a home!
I really like the green top it looks comfortable while still having style flair due to the ruffle. I like your decorations, too. I do not have an abundance of things but would like to declutter to the final level you have achieved. I really like the minimal look. However, due to health issues I no longer am mobile enough to take that final step. When I watch your articles I am able to dream of how my home would look if I could. Thank you for giving me that enjoyment of home dreams.
Hi, Dawn ! HA ! I was thinking how I really that shirt, too ! ( thought this before you brought it up). Since I have a son your age, I’m probably about your Mom’s age ( I’m 60… & STILL learning !!). But this shirt is just great for YOU !! It’s ageless ! Great for Fall ! Ahhhh … been perusal your vids these last few days ( have been perusal you for several months tho … since a bit B4 covid started), & was thinking how PAPER is my housekeeping downfall. Always has been . Happily, I have worked on improving this sitch over the years and have succeeded ! Still more to do tho, & today & yesterday – thx to you – I purged some papers, & took care of this eyesore of a cluttered corner in my bedroom. Last week, I took care of another eye sore of a cluttered corner in my dining room! Yay ! Admittedly, SOME of it was “reshuffled” until I dedicate more time to it in the immediate future. But a decent amount of it was purged . Yaaay ! And happily, I don’t have a lot of seasonal decor. BUT, I too have had incorporating more plants on my mind ( i just have 1 fake 1). Have been admiring all the plants on Vera’s website / in her home (another FAV y’tube minimalist of mine : a.k.a., Simple Happy Zen), as well as my daughter’s lovely penchant for plants in HER cozy & lovely Home. So after seriously improving my house this past week ( oh ! Tackled a third cluttered corner, tooo ! ), I rewarded myself today with flowers for the dining room table, & a small plant ( $4.99 !) for the coffee table in l’rm!
My first thought perusal this article was “I LOVE THAT SHIRT” (and I’m not your mom’s age 😉) We’ve been slowly but steadily making progress to more simple living… after so much decluttering, then having my mantle covered with fall decor this year, I found that once I cleared it off to decorate for Christmas, I actually liked how the mantle looked without anything on it and just the stockings hanging below it. I love the clean simplicity, yet it’s also still festive!
This year I bought plain orange T shirts that we can pair with jeans all year round (including me🧡) and put out fresh pumpkins we can bake whole and use for soups and curries afterwards 🎃 …i am 57 by the way 🤗 still treating my shoulder length hair with the Henna i used at 24 x and feel 35 …..you will be surprised how fast the time goes 😉 that little lad of yours nearly 5 …it seems he only just stopped being a baby right ? but only 3 times the time you have had him needs to pass and your youngest will be 20 ! (My youngest baby daughter turned 20 last week) It goes Quickly 😯 and you will be young inside x In London many of us work until 35 then have our babies x You may be really uplifted and refreshed in your view of being older if you look to beautiful Jane Fonda 💕💕 she is a leader at decluttering ways of thinking that hold us back at 🎉 81🎉 and rocking just about any blouse she likes 😍🤗 x We took our daughter for a birthday meal at the top of an Alp in Austria and met a 93 year old guy up there with hiking sticks wearing jeans like us – he was bursting with new thinking and had a dang good sense of humour 🤣🤣 told me to do more Yoga – on to it 😎 x
Your hair and that sweater look very pretty on you Dawn, I’m a few years older than you! As soon as I saw the sweater, I thought wait I thought she didn’t buy it! LOL! Oh this article speaks so much to me! I’m terrified to decorate because I feel like I will regret it or it will look cluttered! But I have two big blank walls that NEED SOMETHING….they’ve been bare since I’ve lived in my home for 8 years now! Come to my house and help me Dawn!! LOL!!
Trading Spaces! It came on tv just after our 2nd and last child was born. We remember perusal it with our kids when they were little bc it was “family friendly TV.” It seems that is when the rush of shows came on that were about “home makeovers!” Needless to say, it (still) did not instill a love of remodeling any type of area/surface in our home for my husband! He really dislikes painting and he is soo good at it. I love it (the idea of remodeling/creating newness) so much because I am always thinking about how to make things more efficient, make them better, look nicer, be more hygge…yet in a frugal way, you know? And this was great, Dawn. Gosh! I was you…with the browsing Kirklands, Hobby Lobby, scanning those clearance aisles. I had to stop, unfollow, unsubscribe from those magazines…it worked though:) And, right there with you on the dusting; I just love not having all of those accent tables/side tables/bookcases! No more flat surfaces to dust and for what I do dust, I use a feather duster and it’s like the work is fun & done in like 2 seconds. P.S. I love your top and I am 48!
Dawn so glad you went back to get that shirt. I watched the article of your shopping for new tops, and I loved it on you.. So guess what was built 2 min from my home, Hobby Lobby, TJ Max, Home Goods, Burlington, 5 Below, $1 Stores all lined up next to each other. Thank goodness I shop intentionally now, or I would be in trouble. The other day I went to Hobby Lobby, and found myself in the Fall Decor, and even the. Christmas decor section, I had a vision of me last year Marie Kondo- ing my home, and bringing to the thrift shop, most of my fall decor, except for a two pieces I loved… then I thought how nice it is not to have to store any if it, I quickly came back to reality, but I’ll be honest, I’m loving that $1 store tray you bought…. hmmmmm? I wonder if the $1 store here has them. 😉
I immediately was adoring your top when the article started, and I am a few months shy of 30, so you have one wholehearted “young” vote saying it is great! The color, the material, the design…they’re all fabulous AND suite you well! 😆 Love it! Thanks for another great article! your website has been my most frequented source on my journey to minimizing and reorganizing our family home 🥰
LOVE your shirt!! It’s perfect for you❣️ Ty for the decor tour. I gave myself a November challenge… No stores to poke in sand No spending other than grocery shopping for food and consumables like paper goods etc. so far so great! We are also in a Debt Free Journey (Dave Ramsey) For the major clutter bug/semi-hoarder that I am, surprisingly enough, my seasonal home decor has always been as limited as yours is today! I am glad for that habit. Also most all my seasonal Devore was either hand made by me or family or yard sale/second hand shops. This is recycling at its best. Not lending to the over production or consumer rat race! Ty Have a good day ❤️
I have 4 items out for fall. That works for me. I just bought the cutest tiny pumpkin yesterday (to include in the 4 things) and I like that best- along with my fall NYC childrens book I have displayed on my bookshelf. I’m from NYC now living in Ohio so that’s a joy for me. Anyway my mind has shifted a lot in this journey and I don’t want to handle, clean or look at things that I don’t love or can fit and then store in a small area. I’m loving it 🙂 Something I have a bit extra of is the football items for fall, big NFL games, Superbowl, draft, Thanksgiving… I’m planning on using a lot of it and will evaluate what I have after February. I like the style of shirt and especially the color- I just turned 40.
Actually, I was going to say your shirt is SO cute! I forgot it was one from the dressing room article you did but i”m glad you went back and got it. (And I”m not THAT much older than you!). Regarding simplifying seasonal decor: I feel I’m fully through the simplifying process but I DO love changing up my toss pillows seasonally because I love the colors of different seasons and I truly get BORED without some changes in my decor throughout the year. For me it’s also a creative outlet. But having said that, I keep my surfaces and counters fairly cleared off, and yes, it makes cleaning super easy and quick. I rarely need to dust!
I’m rewatching this, as I am already anticipating fall decorating this year in 2021!. I love to decorate. Buttttt I am simplifying this year. I have one bin for “spring/summer/patriotic” decorating and I have one bin for fall! Christmas on the other hand….I’m outta control. So, for now I’m redoing a wreath (instead of buying a new one for fall, or storing 12 different wreaths..I thought “I like changing things up and crafting new wreaths so why not pull off the old pics and just do that every year) That is a game changer for me. I hate storing 12 different wreaths. This feeds my inner crafter and my mimilizing too!
Another great article! I’d love to hear your thoughts on “playdates”. We struggle with this with our 6 year old. Do you do playdates? How often? I don’t particularly like it, but find myself feeling like I should because my daughter’s friends might be doing it and I don’t want her to be left out. How can a minimalist approach playdates? Thanks!!
Hi! Im jelus of ur kitchen and the counter space and the spotless feel to ur house, but i think ur living room looks like no one lives there!! I luv to decorate and esp the door!! But, trying to be debt free also means u gotta keep it in check!! I like ur cute top, esp w fun earrings. Yet, the ruffle is a tad awkward, so id glam it up to keep it from looking a bit ?amish! Ha ha ! 💌💖🏡⛄☕😇👛🎄 Luv from denver!!
I love lots of season decor – but not the kind I have to store from year to year. I love decore that is either edible (gingerbread house, bun caces, easter eggs, chocolates, strawberry cake, holiday coockies…), “burnable” (candles – red, yellow, orange, dark blue depending om holiday, fireworks, marshals, sparklers…) or can be composted (apples, halloween pumpkins, flowers, and things from the nature…) The last year we used our (washed!) knitted socks with small gifts in for decore at christmas. And why not home made paper decore that is not meant to keep, but to enyoj for the holidays and then recycle.
Your shirt looks great for your age! I’m 13 years older & I think it’s too youthful for me Lol – just my opinion, I haven’t read any other comments yet. “Fun (random) fact” – my husband & I dropped off several kitchen garbage bags today at a nice thrift store to donate a bunch of jackets & lined flannel shirts! You are inspiring! You are blessing so many folks! God bless as you continue to serve!
I’m in my mid thirties and I like the way you dress stylish without being revealing or attracting unwanted attention. When I was perusal your fall wardrobe article I felt like screaming “Girl, those look sooo good on you!” … but if you don’t love them I guess that’s up to you. Whomp whomp. Sad face. ” Idk why my opinion matters but you went back to get them both. <3