Decluttering: 3 ways to eliminate superfluous stuff from your home

From your wardrobe to the furniture, through colors: 3 decluttering strategies for your interiors

“Decluttering,” i.e. getting rid of superfluous stuff. Originally an oriental philosophy which is increasingly appreciated even in interior design. It is known that the neatness of your surroundings affects your psyche and your personal serenity. Sometimes, however, the idea of a systematic decluttering of the house evokes the phantom of an epic endeavor we give up on even before we begin.

So here are 3 simple tips to undertake this path calmly and without stress.

Decluttering your wardrobe: if you’re not wearing it, why keep it?

It may seem like a banal suggestion, but we know quite well that it isn’t. Our wardrobes contain more than we wear. Clothes that have gone out of fashion, don’t fit, or don’t suit you any longer. Why keep them? Realistically ask yourself how long it’s been since you last wore them and, taking advantage of the seasonal wardrobe change, eliminate the surplus. You can swap the good ones with friends or give them to charity. If you have serious doubts about some, there’s a foolproof trick: pile them all in one box inside the closet. If you don’t open it even once within the next year, you know what you’ve got to do.

Decluttering your home: no knick-knacks on the furniture

Knick-knacks, pieces of paper, objects and furnishings. Which did you choose consciously? Which are useful or give the room atmosphere? And which are there by chance (or because someone gave them to us?)? It’s time to tidy up. Eliminate all the useless objects that inhabit shelves and tables, nobody will blame you or will really miss them. You don’t know where to begin? From any room, without any rush. It will be enough to dedicate fifteen minutes a day to this operation, and before you know it, order will reign supreme.

Decluttering interiors: no excesses

Sometimes disorder is in the detail. Gaudy colors, furniture piled up in a small space, baroque or pretentious furnishings and décor. All these elements can give the impression of a messy space though nothing is actually “misplaced.” This is the most difficult step to undertake, because in time you tend to get used to your own clutter and your own home. But try to observe it with new eyes and see if something seems out of place. If you’re in the mood for housework, consider structural changes inspired by sobriety. Wall kitchens, flush to the wall walk-in closets, sliding doors without frames and casings. Or container beds or new wallpaper. You will notice that even a single element can influence the overall effect enormously.