Are you tired of the clutter in your home? Try these minimalist home organization tips!
The average American household has over 300,000 things in it, from ironing boards to paper clips. That’s a lot of stuff if you think about it! But simplifying your home doesn’t have to mean spending hours organizing and decluttering.
At Wipe and Organize, we believe that slow and steady progress is usually a fantastic way to make significant and long-lasting changes. There are many compelling reasons to declutter your home, and we understand how tough it can be.
But the more you simplify your home, the less busy and full your days will be simply because you’ll have less “stuff” taking up your time and attention! But keep in mind that this list of 11 minimalist home organization tips is simply a guideline to get you going.
You should learn to use it in a way that works best for you!
Minimalist home organization tip: Create a system for managing paper clutter
Do you struggle with paper clutter like pamphlets or receipts? If so, you need a simple system to keep it under control. The key to this minimalist home organization tip is to keep things simple. If it builds up, you’ll procrastinate, and nothing will ever get done.
Instead, handle your paper clutter immediately, as soon as it enters your home. The truth is that about 85% of what you receive can go straight into recycling. But we recommend shredding some items first.
You can scan most of the remaining 15% using a simple app on your phone. Then, you can store the handful of hard copies you need to archive in a file folder.
Minimalist home organization tip: Clear out expired food from the pantry
One of the best minimalist home organization tips we can give you is to go through your pantry and get rid of anything that’s past its expiration date. Donate it to your local food bank if there’s anything you know you won’t use but is unopened and still fresh.
And while you’re in there, straighten up a bit, look at what you have, and try to plan your meals around what you have instead of buying anything else.
Minimalist home organization tip: Clean out your sock drawer
Decluttering doesn’t always have to be a big project. Taking a few minutes to clear the clutter from small areas in your home will make a big difference.
For instance, quickly look through your sock drawer and remove any socks with holes, ones that don’t match, you don’t like, and so on. It might not sound like much, but you’ll be making progress and making your life easier!
Next time you have a few minutes, declutter another small space or drawer in a room. Believe us: It adds up!
Minimalist home organization tip: Make a decluttering box
When you begin to gradually declutter, little by little, having a place to hold anything you’re decluttering is key to making it easy to get rid of clutter. Keep a bag, box, or basket to collect donations and things you’re decluttering somewhere with easy access but not too visible.
You don’t want you or other household members second-guessing your decluttering decisions! As time passes, add things to the box. Then, on a weekly/monthly basis or when the box gets full, drop it off at a donation center and begin again.
Minimalist home organization tip: Find three things from your wardrobe to get rid of or donate
Open a drawer or stand in front of your closet and try to find 3 things to get rid of. Don’t worry about decluttering your entire wardrobe. Just begin small and find a couple of things you don’t wear, don’t like, don’t fit anymore, and so on.
If you do this once a week, you’ll be making significant progress towards simplifying your wardrobe.
Minimalist home organization tip: Get rid of the duplicate items in your kitchen
Getting rid of any duplicates is another fantastic minimalist home organization tip. The kitchen is a place where it’s easy to collect duplicate items. How many measuring spoons, spatulas, and mixing bowls do you really need? Do you use all of them?
If you have identical items, keep one or two of your favorites, then eliminate the rest!
Minimalist home organization tip: Clear out your bathroom
How many times have you tried a new product, wasn’t crazy about it, but instead of getting rid of it, shoved it in the back of a cupboard “just in case”? You might have even started using a new bottle of shampoo or lotion but never got rid of the old one that had a little bit left.
Don’t spend too much time on this. But glance around your bathroom for easy things you know you’ll never use, need to be tossed, and so on. Removing this layer of clutter on surfaces will simplify your bathroom, not to mention your mornings!
Minimalist home organization tip: Clear your countertops and put everything away
Clutter-free countertops make cooking and cleaning much more effortless. And also be reducing the visual clutter in your kitchen. The goal should be to only keep the essentials on your countertops, like the things you use daily.
You can also try experimenting with what the word “essential” means to you. Put things away in drawers and cupboards to see how you like less stuff on your countertops instead. We promise…you’ll love it!
Minimalist home organization tip: Find 3 books to pass on
Here comes the rule of three again! Most people struggle to declutter books. But taking it slow regarding books is a fantastic way to make the project seem more manageable and less overwhelming. Find three books you’ve read and know you won’t reread.
Or three books you haven’t read yet but don’t even want to. If you’re having a hard time letting go of books you haven’t read yet, try giving yourself a deadline. If you haven’t started or finished the book by that date, get rid of it!
And remember, if you donate the books you don’t need anymore to your local library, you can always borrow them if you ever want to reread them!
Minimalist home organization tip: Keep relaxation zones clutter-free
Where’s your favorite place to relax? A cozy chair by the window? Your bedroom? Under a fluffy blanket on your couch? Elevate these spaces to genuine havens by keeping them clutter-free. A good place to start is with your bedside table.
Don’t use this heavenly space as a dumping ground. After all, you don’t want to wake up to clutter. Instead, clear everything away but a favorite book, a glass of water, and maybe a photo or cheery plant.
Minimalist home organization tip: Go through your junk drawer
Almost everyone has some kind of a junk drawer in their homes. Junk drawers can hold various things, from screws you find around the house to scissors, tape, pens, and so on. There’s nothing wrong with having a drawer like this for all the various items households need.
But all the extra clutter comes from loading the junk drawer with chaos in the form of random things you don’t know what to do with. So the first thing you should do is eliminate anything you don’t need or use…or don’t even know what it is!
Then, give everything you decide to keep a designated place to help keep clutter from filling the space from now on. Repurposed boxes or drawer organizers can be beneficial in keeping the junk drawer intentional instead of full of chaos.
Our favorite option for this comes from our friends at Amazon. This Clear Plastic Drawer Organizers Set will make this minimalist home organization tip a breeze!
Be sure to let us know how these minimalist home organization tips have worked out for you. But don’t go away yet! Wipe and Organize has much more to offer its readers.
For instance, we highly recommend you check out: 25 Kitchen Organizing Mistakes That Are Costing You Money
