Learn 3 tips for organizing a room full of stuff when you think you love it all!
I thought we could take a day to answer a reader's real question. At its heart, I'm hearing her ask: "How can I be organized (and not a hoarder) when I love too much stuff?!"
Let's read what my sweet friend had to say ...
I stumbled across some of your pins several years ago... probably around the time you were just getting started! I live in a small craftsman house, and, like you, my goal is a cozy, comfortable home. Coincidentally, my favorite color is turquoise.
Because I love decorating and collecting unique pieces to personalize my home (or hoarding, as my family teases me!) while living in a small house, organization is one of my struggles. I'd love to see any of your posts about this. I also look forward to seeing your great decorating ideas.
May God bless and keep you and your family!June (not her real name)
I absolutely love this question, but I struggle with the same thing: keeping a clean, clutter-free and organized home when I fall in love with new decor at every turn.
I honestly have never said no to a Target run. I'm always stopping by the clearance aisle for the perfect knick-knack, pillow or throw that jumps into my cart and comes home with me.
Welcome to Day 21 of the 30 Days to Less of a Hot Mess Challenge! We're decluttering, reorganizing and getting some fresh air to make a home we love. If this is your first time joining, you may want to start here at the beginning. Affiliate links used for your convenience.
When I recently decluttered my craft and home decor closet, I realized I just love too much stuff! I need to narrow things down to a more manageable amount of items I truly adore.
This also helps when you shop. You won't be tempted to buy every little thing that catches your eye.
(Decluttering and organizing helps with shopping, too, because you realize you don't actually need one more notebook when you have a drawer full of them at home. Not that I know anything about that from personal experience.)
How to Organize a Room When You Love Too Much Stuff
1. Display Sentimental Items
Do you have sentimental things in your home that just take up valuable storage space? Look for a way to put them to use in your daily life. Instead of buying new art for your wall, use that old print and frame that's taking up room in your closet.
I've collected a few bowls over the years, either from travels or as gifts. I use them in the bathroom to corral my random bits. Pull those sentimental items out of storage and place them somewhere prominent. If they push out another item, then put that one away.
This cuts down on what's in storage, and you won't have to buy anything new to meet your needs. Look for ways to repurpose and actually use what you already have. All of this means you'll have less to organize! Yay!
2. Choose Your Favorites
Say you love throw pillows and have 30 of them in your home. You only use 10 at a time on your furniture and store the rest. Try narrowing your collection down to your top 15 favorite pillows.
For me, pillow covers that can work through every season are key! Then I have 2-3 smaller seasonal covers for special times like Christmas or spring. I keep the same exact pillow forms.
Another example for me: over the years I've bought several large wooden and ceramic candle holders. I had a few white ones from IKEA that were nice. But since then I've bought a couple of sets of rustic, white wooden candle holders. I LOVE them. The IKEA holders have been sitting in the closet for a couple of years. Are they nice? Yes. Are they my style? Sure. Do I love them most? Nope. And I don't need 5 sets of candle holders!
Do you have too many baskets?
Picture frames?
Lamps?
Whatever is too much, choose your favorites and let the rest go to a new home where someone else can enjoy it.
3. Know Your Style
If you know your decorating style, you'll easily spot items that no longer fit your favorite style categories. That makes it easier to let go of things you don't love, and purchase decisions become quick and simple.
When I was clearing out my craft and decor closet, I got rid of a ton of decor I hadn't used in years. It was refreshing to put everything back and see that it looked like my home! I walk by just to catch a glimpse of how pretty it is! If something seems out of place, ask yourself whether you really love it, or whether you're only keeping it because you bought it and it's still in good condition.
A Little Bit About Defining Your Style
I know it's not always easy to define your style, but I encourage you to sit down and work toward that goal. I need to write more about this topic, but here are a couple of tips:
- Look around your home and think about which category you fall into: traditional/classic, modern, or rustic/industrial/urban. Those aren't all the styles, but they're the main ones. If you want to dig deeper, check out these articles on Houzz to find your favorite. My style is a mix of traditional and farmhouse with some coastal influences. I know my style isn't modern, so if something has super clean lines, I don't buy it. (If your home doesn't reflect your style yet, set up a board on Pinterest and pin your favorite rooms. You'll start to notice patterns that define your style.)
- What are your favorite colors? I've narrowed mine down to blues, greens, grays, whites and pink. If something is purple or red, I know it doesn't belong in my home. Every now and then I'll add a pop of yellow, usually in summer. And I'll add a little red at Christmas. But for the most part, I stick to my favorite colors.
These will help you get started making style choices when deciding what to keep and what to let go!
The Messy Work: Take one room in the house and go through it with a fine-tooth comb. Sort everything into 3 categories: can't live without it, adds personality to the space, and let it go. If your "can't live without" pile is too big, go back through it with a fine-tooth comb. Once you're done, put the "let it go" pile in a bag or box and load it in your car to take to the donation center on your next trip out!
In the mess with you, Laura
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