How to Fake Your Way to Order in a Maximalist Home

published Apr 23, 2019
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Credit: Julia Steele

We’re going to let you in on a little secret: Not everyone’s into decluttering their decor.

Don’t get us wrong, we see a lot of value in getting rid of decor and accessories that don’t add anything to your home, or spark joy in the words of Marie Kondo, but some people are just maximalists at heart. Maybe they’re not willing to part ways with items from their past or find comfort in having more than what they need, but the clutter-free minimalist lifestyle isn’t for everyone. And that’s okay.

But just because you have a “more is more” mentality doesn’t mean your home has to look like an episode from “Hoaders.”

“Being organized gives you more time, money, and the freedom to do the things you are passionate about,” says Jeanie Engelbach, owner and founder of organization company apartmentjeanie.

Here, she shares four tips for actually creating order in your place:

1. Keep it Together

Calling all collectors! Believe it or not, it is possible to bring order to your eclectic assortment. According to Engelbach, the key is keeping everything in each collection together.

“When you have loads of interests, it’s important to have a specific space for each category and store it separately,” she says.

A stack of old postcards feels less overwhelming than, say, seeing a stray postcard everywhere you turn. Plus, it’ll be easier to find everything in your collection should you move or (gasp!) decide to sell your stock.

But that doesn’t mean you have to keep everything boxed away in the back of your closet. Instead, give your home a personal touch by infusing your collections into your home’s decor.

“I have over 27 collections, everything from lunch boxes, to Barbies, to vintage soda bottles,” Engelbach says. “Most of my collections are displayed as decor.”

2. Purge the Packaging

We hate to break it to you, but keeping your shoes, cereal, and even your trusty food processor in their original boxes could be making your home look more cluttered than it really is.

“You can minimize the visual effect of abundance without downsizing, by removing unnecessary packaging,” she says. “I like to use clear airtight food containers for anything I can empty from their original packaging.”

Another perk of using clear containers is being able to see exactly how much of something you have in your home. Instead of digging through your pantry to see if there’s an extra box of pasta, you can take a quick look at a clear jar and move on!

3. Strategic Storage

You may not have subscribed to the full Marie Kondo mindset; however, we can all agree on the importance of a good fold.

“I live by the belief if you see it, you’ll use it,” Engelbach says. “It’s important to know exactly what you have so you don’t purchase multiples.”

Instead of crumpling up your laundry and sticking it in the back of your closet, take the time to fold everything correctly. Not only will you be able to see everything you have, but your closet will appear more organized.

4. The Occasional Edit

We get it: As self-proclaimed maximalists, you really love your stuff, but that doesn’t mean you can’t clean out shop every so often.

“I can appreciate having an abundance of stuff, but that doesn’t preclude me from being ruthlessly analytical about its value and use overall,” Engelbach says. “ It is rare that I actually miss what I’ve willingly let go of.”

Carve some time out of your busy schedule each year to re-evaluate your belongings.

“Even if you love everything you own, pulling it out and organizing gives you the opportunity to assess and determine if you really need 18 water glasses, or if maybe scaling to back to eight makes sense for your current lifestyle,” she recommends.