8 Decluttering Secrets from People with Always-Organized Homes

You might have that one friend whose home makes your jaw drop as soon as you walk in the door. It isn’t necessarily spotless or decorated to the nines, but it is a calming, clutter-free space — there’s no pile of mail by the front door or congregation of water bottles by the kitchen sink, and the tables aren’t littered with remnants of ongoing craft projects. For me, that person is my friend Kristen. When I asked her how she maintains such an organized existence, she cautioned me to never, ever open her closets. Ha! 

For more constructive advice, I reached out to pro organizers and storage experts for the best tips and habits everyone can use to keep their home tidy. Here’s what I learned.

“The one thing I notice in every well-organized home is breathing room,” says Paul Tis, president of Junk King, a junk removal service. What does “breathing room” mean when it comes to your home? “Not every shelf, drawer, or surface is filled simply because the space is available,” he says. 

“Well-organized, clutter-free homes leave enough room for everyday items to move in and out without creating a new pile,” he explains. The easiest way to make this happen? To have less stuff in the first place.

Here’s a quick test: Go to your nearest kitchen drawer or closet and see how many items you’re holding onto for someday. Sure, maybe you’ll use that pie crimper tool eventually, and perhaps there will be a blizzard this winter and you’ll finally have a chance to wear those snowshoes. But then again, maybe not. “‘I might need this someday’ may sound practical until you apply it to every area of the house,” says Tis. “It’s how closets, basements, and garages stop functioning.” Instead, he says, the better question to ask is “whether I actually use something and whether it is worth the space it takes up.” After all, “a ‘maybe’ pile without a limit is just a decision that keeps getting postponed.”

Not ready to break up cold turkey with your “maybe” pile? Create a box to store the items you’re undecided about keeping, then revisit them in 30 days. Did you need it? Did you miss it? If the answers are no, it’s time to part ways (unless they’re one of the exceptions below).

Of course, there are items like holiday decorations, your off-season wardrobe, or diplomas that you definitely won’t use or miss in the space of four weeks that you need to think about differently.

“Many organized homeowners use storage strategically for seasonal items, keepsakes, or belongings they don’t need every day,” says Adam Kutner, vice president of marketing at Storage King USA. “Keeping those items in a separate space can help your home feel less crowded while still allowing you to hold onto the things that matter.” Consider a designated bin in your garage, closet, attic, or under your bed for the items you won’t need to reach for regularly.

Bins and baskets don’t magically solve every storage problem, says Wendy Trunz, partner and head organizer at Jane’s Addiction Organization. Even the smartest, cutest, or most viral organizer won’t help if it doesn’t make sense for your space.

Decluttering is “all about the systems and how a family functions within those systems in their home,” Trunz says. It’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. “Great systems are based on the actual things that you have, how you want to find and use them, the ease of putting things back, and the way your family works together in your home.” Like the shoe bench in my own home, which isn’t successful (yet!) because I’m the only one who stores shoes in it. It’ll only work if it becomes a part of a greater system.

You know how you’re always advised to do a test patch when trying out a new skincare product or paint? The same principle applies when it comes to organizing. 

Instead of buying all the organizers at once, start with a smaller project like a pantry or kitchen junk drawer to discover your organization style, suggests Nilgun Yigit, owner of Up Closets of Connecticut. Then, as you get to work, think about the following questions: “What makes the most sense to you? Is it easiest to find things by size, use, color, season?,” Yigit says. Then, once you figure that out, “work your way up to the bigger, more important spaces.” 

Just like how your bedroom instantly looks so much better once the bed is made — think of the sink and surrounding area as the bed of the kitchen. 

“Make sure the kitchen counters and sink are clear of dishes at night before going to bed,” Trunz says. “Then, in the morning before leaving the house, empty the dishwasher so it’s ready for the dirty dishes of the day once again.” Why? “The kitchen is such an important hub of the home that, once it gets backed up it becomes completely overwhelming for everybody,” she says.

Like my friend Kristen and I know all too well, it’s easy to stash things behind a closet door to deal with later, but that only creates more problems down the line. 

“If we keep adding things to closets and don’t take the time to organize them, we end up with disorganization, frustration, and no place to put things away,” Debbie Rosemont, productivity consultant, pro organizer, and owner of Simply Placed, says. Check out these closet storage ideas for a good place to start.

What worked for you today might not work for you tomorrow. “Life changes, so our organization and systems need to be reviewed and updated to keep up with our changing needs,” Rosemont says. 

“We continue to accumulate things in our life, so reevaluating our spaces, our possessions, our needs, and what is most important to us — and regularly clearing clutter and removing things that we have outgrown or are no longer adding value to our life — helps us stay in control and stay organized. Organizing and staying organized is a process, not an event.” Remember: It’s a marathon, not a sprint!