Practical Solutions for the 5 Most Cluttered Spaces in Your Home

Whether you live in a small apartment or a large home, clutter can accumulate quickly, turning even the coziest spaces into a source of stress. Conquering chaos and finding order is essential for creating a peaceful and productive living environment. At first, tackling clutter can feel overwhelming, but with a clear plan and manageable steps, you can transform any space into an organized haven.

Today, we will explore the top five most cluttered spaces in a home and provide practical tips on editing, organizing, and maintaining them.

The Kitchen: The Heart of Clutter

The kitchen is often the hub of the home, and because of that, it is one of the most cluttered spaces. Between cooking, eating, and socializing, kitchens can quickly become chaotic with dishes, gadgets, and pantry items piling up.

How to Edit

Start by emptying your cabinets, drawers, and pantry. You can tackle these areas one at a time if that suits your schedule better. Lay everything out on a surface to see what you have and sort items into categories: keep, give away, donate, consign, sell, or toss. When deciding what stays, ask yourself how often you actually use the item. This step is about function and purpose so try to forget about sentimental value. Clear out expired pantry goods and broken appliances, and donate duplicates or unused gadgets.

How to Organize

After decluttering, group similar items together. For a truly organized look, consider using risers for dishes, bowls, and cups to maximize cabinet space. These risers allow you to stack different items at varying heights without causing a jumbled mess. Decant pantry items like spices, cereals, grains, and snacks into uniform, labeled containers. This helps eliminate the visual distraction caused by mismatched packaging while making it easy to see when you are running low. 

Clear bins and Lazy Susans for condiments and frequently used items also work wonders in both the pantry and the fridge. Organize your pots and pans in deeper under-counter cabinets, and if space permits, use dividers for lids to streamline access. You could even set up a small catch-all area for charging devices, mail, and packages to keep your counters clear.

How to Maintain

To keep your kitchen organized, adopt the “one in, one out” rule, meaning each time you bring in something new, remove something old. Regularly check your pantry for expired items, and keep up with a monthly declutter session to ensure everything stays in place.

The Closet: A Jungle of Clothes and Accessories

Closets are notorious for harboring clutter, with clothes, shoes, and accessories piling up over time. It is easy to accumulate more than we need, and before we know it, our closets become overwhelming.

How to Edit

Start by removing everything from your closet and sorting items into the same categories as mentioned above: keep, give away, donate, consign, sell, or toss. Forget the outdated “if you haven’t worn it in a year, toss it” rule. Instead, try on every piece, and reevaluate its place in your wardrobe. Your body shape, style, and lifestyle may have changed since you last wore certain items, and you may rediscover forgotten favorites.

How to Organize

Once you have narrowed things down, store out-of-season clothes in labeled bins on top shelves. Use slim, matching hangers to save space and give your closet a streamlined look. Valet rods can help set aside outfits, while acrylic stacking drawers, shelf dividers, and drawer organizers keep smaller items like accessories contained. Lighting also plays a crucial role in a functional closet. Consider installing adhesive LED lights to illuminate hard-to-see spaces, making your closet feel more welcoming.

How to Maintain

Maintain your closet by revisiting it each season. Swap out items as needed, reassess what no longer fits your lifestyle, and put everything back in its place after wearing it. This ongoing process ensures that your closet remains a curated, functional space.

The Home Office: Paper Piles and Tech Chaos

With the rise of remote work, home offices have become more essential than ever. Unfortunately, they are also prime spots for clutter. Paperwork, office supplies, and tech gadgets can quickly take over, leaving the space feeling chaotic and unproductive.

How to Edit

Start by clearing off your desk and going through your shelves. Sort your paperwork, shredding anything that is no longer needed. For documents you need to keep, categorize them by bills, work-related materials, and personal items. Also, declutter your office supplies and discard any broken or unused items.

How to Organize

Once pared down, implement an organized filing system with labeled folders. Store them in a file cabinet or under-desk cabinet on casters for easy access. Consider going digital by scanning important documents to minimize paper clutter. For your office supplies, use drawer organizers to keep things in order, and a cable management system—such as a cable box or power strip hidden beneath the desk—will help conceal unsightly cords. A charging station also helps minimize clutter while keeping all your tech gadgets in one spot.

How to Maintain

To keep your home office running smoothly, deal with new paperwork as soon as it arrives—either file it, scan it, or toss it. Implement a “touch once” rule for mail and bills to avoid the temptation of building up paper piles. Regularly adjust your organization system as your needs evolve.

The Bathroom: A Sea of Toiletries and Towels

Bathrooms are often small, yet they are home to a wide variety of items—from toiletries to towels, makeup, and cleaning supplies. It does not take much for this space to become cluttered and disorganized.

How to Edit

Begin by emptying your bathroom cabinets and drawers. Check expiration dates on skincare products, medications, and cosmetics, and dispose of anything expired or unused. Clear out your toiletries and bathroom products and decide what stays based on how frequently you use them.

How to Organize

Group similar items together and store them in stackable acrylic trays or risers inside your medicine cabinet to make the most of the limited shelf space. For extra storage, consider adding a small trolley, perfect for holding toiletries, towels, or cleaning supplies in small bathrooms. Under-sink storage bins or laundry baskets are also helpful for corralling extra supplies.

How to Maintain

Adopt a minimalist mindset and avoid buying new products until you have used up the ones you already have. Regularly check for expired or unused items and do a quick declutter every few months to maintain order.

The Garage: A Catch-All Space

The garage is often the most cluttered space in a home. It tends to become a catch-all for everything that does not have a designated spot. From tools to sports equipment, holiday decorations, and old household items, you have probably seen a cluttered garage or two.

How to Edit

Take everything out of your garage and sort it into categories: keep, donate, sell, or discard. Evaluate whether each item is still needed or used. Discard anything broken or outdated, and donate or sell what you no longer need but is still functional.

How to Organize

Once you have pared down your belongings, store similar items together. Use sturdy shelving units and clear storage bins for easy access and visibility. Hooks and pegboards can help you utilize vertical space for items like bikes, tools, and garden supplies. If you need to store oversized items like cargo bins or ski equipment, consider ceiling storage racks to free up floor space.

How to Maintain

To prevent clutter from building up again, review your garage seasonally. Make sure everything has a designated spot, and be sure to return items to their proper places after use.

Taming the chaos in our homes helps reclaim a sense of balance in our lives. When our spaces are orderly, our minds feel lighter, and we can move through our days with more clarity and purpose. It is not about perfection but progress—taking small, intentional steps to shape our environments into reflections of the calm we seek within.

If you need some additional support or home organization assistance, be sure to check out our available services. We aim to bring peace to every client’s home and look forward to helping you with whatever obstacles you are currently facing.