How to declutter your bedroom

Life moves so quickly, so a decorative ornament here and a blank photo frame there could be considered a stylistic choice when you don’t have time to challenge how much space you’re left with. One becomes two, two becomes three and soon your strategically designed display or storage nooks can feel crowded, inspiring feelings of unease. 

Don’t wait until a specific season to collect and give away unwanted pieces. Healthy decluttering can boost your productivity and make a tidy bedroom achievable. Not to mention the fun you’ll have in rediscovering lost treasures along the way (even if you decide to part with them in the end). Let’s make decluttering easy together - read on and tackle what you can in the time you have. Every little bit helps!

What is decluttering?

A decluttering session means to remove excessive and/or unnecessary items from any space, whether it be your bedroom or your desk at work. Some people focus on whatever they can see on surfaces like bedside tables, tallboys and displays, while others declutter and simplify their decor, amplifying their favourite pieces by putting away others.

Generally, decluttering is: 

1. Identifying unnecessary items taking up space
2. Deciding whether or not you wish to keep them
3. And clearing or storing them away

Top decluttering tips

Decluttering your home can feel like an overwhelming task, especially if there’s an air of chaos, organised or otherwise. The good news is that it can be done at your pace. If your bedside tables are filling up fast, your dresser drawers are packed with products, and you’re ready to make some space, here are some quick tips to help create a calm and restful space.

Quick tips to declutter your home

• Take it 5 minutes at a time: Breaking the task down into smaller time frames will help make it feel more manageable. Set a timer and stick to it. 
• Clear off flat surfaces: It’s the ultimate trick for selling homes: clearing flat surfaces instantly lifts a room, making it feel bigger and giving you back that ever-useful space.
• Declutter often: Waiting until the big spring clean means you have a year’s worth of decorations and unwanted junk to sort through. Clearing space semi-regularly means it will take less effort and time.
• Remove the easiest things first: It can all feel too much too quickly, so to keep yourself from throwing in the towel, opt for the easy things first. This will give you a sense of accomplishment and more drive to continue your cleanup! And if you don’t feel motivated, that’s OK too. Take a break and do what you can while you feel up to it.

Decluttering: where to start

Knowing where to start decluttering can be overwhelming and you might find yourself struggling to know what’s a priority and what can wait until later. Find one place to start. This might be your shelves or bedside table. This will be your clutter-free zone. Make a rule that once it is cleared, nothing can be placed there while you clear out the rest of your space. From here, you can begin working to widen this clutter-free zone to the rest of the room.

How to organise your room

An important part of decluttering is to take it room by room. You may wish to start with the ones you use most: like your bedroom. Decluttering and organising your space can be difficult with items that are likely to be the most personal. Here are some bedroom organisation ideas to help you on your way to a space that feels more serene.

Ways to declutter your room

A peaceful and clutter-free environment is not only good for your body, mind and mood, it may also improve your sleep hygiene. Here are a few tricks to enjoy an organised bedroom:

• Try small trays: These are great for organising those otherwise messy bits and pieces like coins, jewellery and watches, and gives them a dedicated place to live while not in use.
• Use furniture with built-in storage: Furniture such as beds with in-built drawers or storage base gives you more space to tuck away those bits and pieces you need to keep, but don’t want on display.
• Clear out the closet: Clothing can quickly accumulate, so periodically culling those pieces you no longer need or wear will help keep that clutter at bay. 
• Organise your shelves: Are your shelves overflowing? As a focal point in the bedroom, shelf organisation is a good step to decluttering. Try to keep shelves clean and showcase only your most important pieces or favourite items.

The bedroom: Your decluttering checklist 

When clearing clutter for the ultimate goal of a tidy bedroom, there are a few things to keep an eye on. Check for:

• Loose change or trinkets that could be placed in trays or stored away
• Items that may have fallen on the floor and under/behind the bed or bedside tables
• Excess items on the bedside tables, like books or jewellery
• Bedside or dresser drawers that are full or overflowing.

What is the 80/20 rule in decluttering?

The 80/20 rule is based on the concept that 80 percent of the result comes from 20 percent of the effort - known as Pareto’s Principle. This principle can help you identify how to make the best use of your time to achieve the biggest payoff. Doing low-effort tasks that have a large impact, such as picking things up off the floor and clearing surfaces, are just a few ways to use this rule.

What is the 20/20 rule for decluttering?

The 20/20 rule is helpful when you’re trying to decide whether or not to keep an item. Essentially, when you’re not sure what to do with it, ask yourself: can this be replaced for less than $20 in less than 20 minutes? If so, ditch it. If not, keep it.

What is the 90/90 rule in minimalism?

The 90/90 rule in minimalism is a great way to declutter. It’s a process where you ask yourself two questions: Have you used this item in the last 90 days? And if not, will you use it in the next 90 days? These discovery questions help you let go of items that may have overstayed their welcome.

With a clutter-free space, you’ll enjoy a more calming and peaceful environment, better designed to alleviate stress and allow for relaxation. Get the most from your bedroom and declutter with high-quality furniture storage solutions from Snooze.