7 Tips to Declutter & Organize Your Home

Decccluuuttterring and getting organized….where to begin?!?!

First off, while it can feel like a lot to take on, there are some things we can do to make it feel more easeful and dare I say, even relaxing and enjoyable!!

Over this past year (2025), I got into a real decluttering and organizing mode in my house. And holy shit....it felt GOOD. Personally, I'm not super into forcing myself to do things if I can at all help it. Instead, I allow the moment of inspiration to really move me. So, in the case of decluttering, if I've been wanting to declutter or organize a space, I have it on my mental radar for a while and casually and occasionally envision what I want a space to look and feel like, until....the moment of inspiration kicks in to put it into action and I go for it!

So, if you're interested in feeling more cohesion, flow, peace and joy in your home but unsure where to start, let's start here:

When you walk into a room or space in your home, notice how you feel in that space. Does it bring you peace? Feel overwhelming or chaotic? Just take note. Observe. Maybe you can just think about a space in your home and already know how you typically feel in there.

Fortunately, there are some fairly simple things we can do to make a space feel more inviting and peaceful (in the context of clearing out and organizing--maybe we'll talk design in another post). I'm going to share some of those with you below.

7 Tips to Declutter & Organize:

1. FOCUS ON ONE SPACE OR EVEN ONE DRAWER AT A TIME

   
   

Pick an area that's really been bugging you. Maybe it's that bathroom drawer that's in total disarray, or the spare bedroom closet (that was a big one for me!), or maybe you want to focus on your whole bedroom. Ideally, pick ONE area of your home to start.

2. BREAK THAT ONE AREA DOWN INTO SMALLER AREAS AS IT APPLIES

   
   

Let's just say you picked the whole kitchen…now narrow it down to sections of the kitchen. Personally, I like to focus on areas I'm most wanting to "get to" first. For instance, the pantry or the Tupperware cabinet. Pick one section of the area you want to work and start there first. Maybe you have it in you to finish the whole kitchen in a day or maybe you complete one small section at a time and keep coming back to it. Starting somewhere is better than just never starting at all, am I right?

3. FIGURE OUT THE MATERIALS YOU'LL NEED TO START CLEANING & ORGANIZING

   
   

You'll likely need bags or boxes for donation, recycling and trash items. Round up new (or repurposed) containers, baskets, drawer organizers, boxes and the like to organize with so that when you start putting items back everything has a tidy little place. Think about what you'll need and do your best to get set up beforehand or you can always get things along the way, as you become more clear of what you need or want in that area. By starting small--by focusing on one small area at a time--you don't need to spend a fortune getting materials. You can find organizational tools at thrift stores, dollar stores, Facebook marketplace or repurposing items you already have to organize and declutter on a budget.

4. PULL EVERYTHING OUT FIRST, START FRESH!

   
   

This makes a huge difference! Pull every single thing out of the junk drawer, closet shelves, desk, etc. Clean the area--vacuum those dust bunnies, wipe the shelves, give a wipe down to every item (that you plan to put back). See the space totally fresh first. Look at how great that feels already!

5. SORT ALL THE ITEMS INTO CATEGORIES: KEEP, GIVE AWAY/DONATE, OR TRASH THAT SUCKER

   
   

Technically, this part can happen while doing step 4. It kinda just happens naturally that way--at least I think so. Lol If you're not already in the mindset of letting go and creating space…this is the moment for it (I'm looking at you old computer boxes that we don't actually need to hang onto, ya know....juuusstt in case). Decide that you want to create a space that feels uncluttered, organized and easeful. Then, go about your sorting. One important thing to note, is that the more space you create (by keeping what you truly care about and letting go of things that are unnecessary or just taking up space), the more clarity and peace you'll create in that zone.

6. SLOWLY PUT THINGS AWAY IN A WAY THAT LOOKS VISUALLY APPEALING

   
   

Take your time putting items away. Start by categorizing items (i.e. in a craft space: put office supplies together, paint supplies, sewing materials, etc). Place items in their new place in containers, baskets, drawer organizers or boxes and place them in ways that you can easily access--and make the items you use the most, the most accessible. For instance, if you use pens and markers the most, make them the most accessible in your space. Ensure that ultimately everything is readily accessible and not near impossible to get to. If you can't access it, you'll be much less likely to use it. Only items that are duplicates or back ups should be in the "hard to get to" spots. And of course, put things away in a way that you think looks good. It should be fun to see the beautiful, organized space you've created.

7. LABEL ITEMS & FINISHING TOUCHES

   
   

Use a label maker, basket label clips, or something similar so that you can readily see what you have in your space. This is not only visually beautiful and creates mental harmony, it also is super functional when you need to access items in your space.

All that's left to do when you're done decluttering and organizing an area in your home is to enjoy it! And then, when and only when you feel inspired to do another area…go for it. While I won't dive into the research here on the benefits of having a clean, organized and decluttered space, you can simply feel the difference it makes on our mental and emotional well-being to have a clean & beautiful space, and when we start with feeling emotional and mental well-being at home, we can carry that good energy with us out into the world. So, I guess we can say that's a pretty big deal. :)

Happy decluttering and organizing!

~Stephanie

(written by me--not Ai) :)