How to Put Your House on a Diet
In this weather, it’s easy to forget that a home exists outside the warm, high-thread-count embrace of your bed. While some light hibernation is key to surviving winter, your home shouldn’t look like a bear lives there. Don’t just slim down your body banging out spin classes or starting juice cleanses—your house should go on a decluttering diet too. Here, eight celebrated organizers share their for how to keep it tight home-wise in the New Year.
Joshua Greene, co-founder of Hernandez Greene
I’m obsessed with these stackable plastic containers from an Australian company called Decor. They’re perfect for the pantry, because you can see what’s in them—and much neater than rolled up bags thrown on top of each other. But I use them to store everything from extension cords to Christmas ornaments. Start with one drawer, then go from there.
Nate Berkus, founder of Nate Berkus Associates
Wovens are my absolute go-to refresher for the New Year: jute, seagrass, anything natural. This woven hyacinth basket looks so chic and doubles as a hardworking storage vessel. Besides being incredibly useful, they look like you picked them up from a bazaar in Peru during your winter vacation.
Kelly Wearstler, founder of Kelly Wearstler Lifestyle
I hit “reset” by organizing my closet. I keep my clothes in water-resistant bins labeled by category, which I change out seasonally. If I see something I haven’t worn in the past five years, I give it to charity. Finally, I throw in a lavender sachet to keep my clothes smelling fresh for months.
Jeremiah Brent, interior designer, co-host of Home Made Simple on OWN, Saturdays at 9am ET/PT
Usually I say if it’s not absolutely beautiful or functional, get rid of it. But on my show, this one woman had a drawer full of bead necklaces, and instead of throwing them away, I turned them into wall art by hanging them on a thin piece of wood. Editing can also mean making something beautiful from what’s just laying around.
Dustin O’Neal, co-founder and creative director of DNA
It sounds harsh, but get rid of keepsake items. If I can give up my nearly-disintegrated linen Gap shirt from high school, you can give up yours. Keeping clothes with sentimental value in a tiny plastic bin beneath Kanye West concert tees doesn’t honor your connection to them. Your closet should reflect the person you aspire to be—not who you no longer are.
Luke Edward Hall, interior designer
I’m a hoarder by nature, but twice a year I have two big clothing throw-outs. The job is a two-stage process: I’ll grab all the shirts and jumpers I feel I should get rid of and stuff them away in a suitcase for a couple of weeks. If I don’t touch the suitcase during this time, I clearly don’t wear or hanker after the items and they can be taken to my local charity shop without further ado!
Jon Call, founder of Mr. Call Designs
This year, I decided to take pictures of all the magnets and mementos on my refrigerator and upload them to Dropbox. Now I have digital files for old birthday cards, ticket stubs, and notes close at hand everywhere I go rather than cluttering up my fridge surface.
Nathan Turner, interior designer
For organizing the office, I love an oversized bulletin board. I buy the largest size I can find at Staples.com and then send it to my framer to be mounted in something that complements my room. They’re also great for hanging inspirational images to help you keep those resolutions!
Vicente Wolf, founder of Vicente Wolf Associates, Inc.
I tend to entertain more in the winter months, and stemware and flatware storage cases from the Container Store are my secret weapon to keeping clutter out of the kitchen. They’re a low cost solution to organizing and protecting your antique pieces—and they make your pantry look chic and colorful.
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