corner table with art and cloche and collectibles

Organization Hacks: Our Tips to Decluttering Your Home

There’s no better time than Spring — the season of fresh starts and endless potential — to thoroughly declutter and organize your home. Messy, unorganized spaces are known to increase stress levels, impact productivity, and generally make everyday tasks that bit more difficult. In contrast, calm well-arranged homes create a warm, welcoming atmosphere and improve both physical and mental wellbeing. If you’re struggling to part with your treasured possessions, the good news is that decluttering involves so much more than just throwing things away.  

maritime bathroom decor

Get your bathroom shipshape with easy rope decorations including a rope-edged mirror, and rope-handled caddy. (via Martha Stewart)

In this article, we share 7 of our best home hacks to manage your storage — keeping your home organized, decluttered, and super stylish.

First things first, clear some space

Whilst not technically a hack, this is a crucial first step to decluttering and organizing your house. Starting with a blank slate will help you: Review the items you already own Assess your storage needs Create a plan for the future Start room by room and move everything out of the space. Observing your possessions out of context will help those difficult decisions on what to keep, what adds value to your life, and which objects you could do without. Feeling ready? Let’s get started…  

1. Group your items

To successfully declutter and organize your home, begin by sorting your items into groups. If you’re working on your kitchen — collate all your spices, pantry items, plates, or cutlery separately. Identify the groups of objects (starting with those you use most often) that need attention. What items could help you store each category in a clear, easily accessible way?  This can be a real opportunity to express your personal style For instance, could your silver cutlery look fabulous displayed in a few unusual silver mercury glass vases or might a natural wooden trunk bowl serve as an unusual and easily accessible spice rack?

cake stand as perfume display

Display pretty fragrances on top of a cake stand. – Elle Decor

2. Keep things open

There’s nothing to say that your storage solutions have to hide everything from sight. In fact, you’re more likely to put things back where they belong if you use unstacked containers and transparent materials. This has the added benefit of making objects much easier to find, with less labeling too!  

bhg dresser with gold decor accents

A shallow tray is the perfect place to display perfume and lotion bottles for easy access. This is also a great way to put a vintage serving tray to good use. Now your dresser is looking better than ever! – Better Homes and Gardens

You can add an extra touch of elegance with mirrored glass trays or glass boxes. Selecting a few beautiful items will mean that your storage solutions double up as unique, stylish objects in their own right.

small desk organizing from southern living

The Styling: Heather placed stationery in a clear and employed decorative containers to hold pencils, stamps, paper clips, and other office supplies. – Southern Living

 

3. Get creative

Think outside the box and get as creative as you can with your storage solutions. Decluttering is about so much more than tidying; it helps homeowners create a serene, visually delightful space Take the bathroom for instance. Who says toothbrushes have to go in traditional holders, or towels and toiletries have to be hidden away in cupboards?   

vintage silver and brass cups for makeup storage The julep cup: Turn this classic container into stylish storage. (via Vogue)

Could you make a feature of your towels, neatly wrapped in an antique brass planter, or proudly display make-up brushes in a classic brass julep cup? Whatever your personal style, don’t feel constrained by the “normal” uses for containers. Creating and defining uses for objects is entirely up to you.

gold garden stool subway tile bathroom

A garden stool adds a touch of gold to this black and white bathroom. (via Pinterest)
 

4. Double-up

Are there any furnishings that could serve multiple purposes in your home?  Lidded multi-colored raffia baskets could be used as great storage items, as well as adding a touch of fun color. With a few baskets in different sizes, could one store toys, and the other be used as plant pot cover? Remove the lid, and this could become a low basket on a dining table. Place the lid back on top, and you have a stylish footstool.  When organizing your home, items with multiple uses will save space, streamline décor and keep clutter to a minimum.
 

5. Design focal points

A large part of decluttering is “active curation”. When deciding what to keep and what to get rid of, ask yourself if your possessions serve a useful purpose. If not, are they beautiful or do they bring you happiness?  Especially if your items fall into the latter category, why not make a feature out of them?

corner table with art and cloche and collectibles

A half moon table with contemporary art and collectibles. (via Pinterest)

  Cloche and pedestal bowls are wonderful ways to create displays out of your most treasured possessions (with the added benefit of keeping trinkets and treats safe and dust-free!). By treating your house as a curated space, you can declutter and organize through carefully considered focal points.
 

6. Throw as you go

Have a large bag, bin, or basket somewhere readily accessible in your home. Maintaining a beautifully ordered and decluttered home is a long-term project, so make sure that you have a dedicated container in which to put items you no longer want.  By throwing as you go, you can keep on top of unwanted (but still usable) items filling up your house. Whenever the container becomes full, simply drop the items off at your local thrift store. A natural raffia bag could be a perfect solution, tucked in the corner of a kitchen, living, or bedroom.
 

7. Start small

Reorganizing your home shouldn’t be a daunting task. Take it room by room, area by area. By starting small, you can easily identify storage solutions for specific items.  For instance, could your underwear and sock drawer do with a bit of organization? Don’t be scared to combine materials, textures, and sizes of containers. For instance, could your socks sit perfectly in a long rectangular zinc tray whilst your pantyhose would fit better in a higher-sided wooden slatted box

clear glass vase as belt holder

It's a cinch to keep belts organized and visible: Coil them into spirals and stack them on top of one another in a large clear vase. (Put favorite belts at the top for easy access.) – Real Simple

     

This year’s interior design trends embrace the mix and match aesthetic — so start small and match your storage solutions to your own exact requirements.     Still looking for more tips and inspiration? From choosing perfect planters to creating stunning table centerpieces and flower arrangements, the Jamali Garden blog has all the home hacks, advice, and guidance you need to create a beautiful space.