Spring Cleaning? 20+ Ideas to Declutter Your Spaces

Emily Fazio
·2 min read

Spring cleaning always brings a sense of renewal and order, so let's get at it. Before you hire a professional organizer, take the time to think through the decluttering process yourself. Look beyond seasonal clothes and your cluttered kitchen cabinets to set new decluttering goals to improve your overall routine. Learn how to declutter your home, improve your daily routine, and set a better tone for the vibrant year ahead.

Create Designated Spaces

Adopt a decluttering philosophy that would make your parents proud: Everything should have a place where it can be put away after use. "Assign specific areas for items like shoes, keys, and paper clutter (mail!) to help keep them organized and easily accessible. Use baskets, hooks, and trays to keep things tidy and in their place. Organization can be stylish—I love these cement boxes from cb2," shares Octavio Estrada, Design Experience Manager at Block Renovation.

He adds, "In your cabinets and storage spaces, you can also group items into categories to help you decide how to organize and prioritize them. For example, in your kitchen group baking items or spices together, or in the bathroom group skincare or first aid together. Then decide on zones for these items, prioritizing whichever categories need the most space. Having a set storage space for each category will limit how many items you can fit in there, and you’ll need to decide what to keep or purge."

Organization products and systems are a big help:

  • Storage bins

  • Shoe rack

  • Kitchen drawer organizers

  • Closet dividers — especially helpful if you have a cluttered hall closet

  • Underbed storage

  • Floating shelves

  • Magazine holders

  • Jewelry organizers

  • Spice racks

  • Cable management box for electrical items

Related: The Motivation You Need to Conquer Your Junk Drawer

Use Multi-Functional Furniture

"Opt for furniture pieces that serve more than one purpose, such as a storage ottoman or a sofa bed," recommends Estrada. "This will help you maximize your space and reduce clutter. Article has a nice boucle storage ottoman that can be used for storage, seating, or as a coffee table alternative."

Other multipurpose furniture ideas:

  • Folding dining table

  • Murphy bed

  • Convertible coffee/dining table/kitchen table – great for small apartments or studios!

  • Bookshelf room divider

  • Storage bench

  • Nesting tables

  • Wall-mounted desk

  • Modular shelving units

Related: Conquer Clutter: 30 Things to Get Rid of Today

Edit Your Collections

It's tempting to want to showcase and display your sentimental items 24/7, but it can be more meaningful if you rotate them out throughout the year. Estrada agrees. "Instead of displaying all your collectibles and decorative items at once, choose a few to showcase and switch them out over time. This will keep your space from feeling overwhelming and cluttered."

Related: 5 Obvious (But Simple) Solutions That’ll Improve Your Bedroom Organization