How do you declutter a small house?

Fabien T.
I declutter a small house by focusing in what I do have and keep aware of what I have . Therefore avoiding getting messy.
Josefino P.
I like to start with whatever work space you have at home whether it be a computer desk or kitchen. Once you start to put things in order in one spot that has the most impact on tidiness in the short term will help you carry that momentum in other parts of your home.
Nelita P.
For me it’s based on the number of people who live in the house . If it’s 4 people and it only has 1 bedroom and only 2 other rooms I think that’s pretty small.
Pia Y.
set up bins with categories and add corresponding clutter to the bins. while filling the bins, discard anything you do not actually need. after all clutter is in its appropriate bin or in the toss/discard it is now time to take 1 bin at a time, taking each item and giving it a designated space.
Manuel U.
I put everything in the garden then sorted through it- put everything in piles. Junk piles when into the car for donation and throwing out. Repacked the stuff I wanted to keep into boxes with a contents list.
Mia Q.
I start by identifying essentials-what can’t you live without? Then sort things that you use often, vs things you rarely need or use. For clothes, try the hanger trick-put everything hook facing you, then turn the hooks to face away once you’ve worn them. Whatever you don’t turn in 3 months, donate. Do you have multiples of things you don’t need? Ask if friends or family want the things you don’t use much. Then if there’s stuff left over, make a donation drive to goodwill.
Also see about lofting furniture to create more storage space.
Virgil Q.
Same as a big one, start with one category, the one you feel less stressed about, one you might have thought about long time, for example documents. Collect them all in one place, start going through quickly. Try to understand what categories this document fall to. It can be based on storage time: one you will always need, one you have to keep till certain point in time (1/3/5 years…), or classify them based on the type, contracts required payments, warranties, memories, medical, career, financial. You can also classify them with more then one system. Pay attention to stationary and storage options, maybe some personal notes can be rewritten on a standard size paper which would ease the storage, or find a specific size binders/ baskets/ drawers/tubes.

If you feel overwhelmed make a break

Kate F.
Typically I will find a place to put my items like under a bed or under the stair case and I’ll get a plastic tub to put everything in. Also I try to keep laundry organized and my kitchen organized as well if everything is organized and has a place the your house will probably be less busy
Terrence Z.
Remove all items that do not spark joy or hold an important role in your life. This process can feel upsetting, reminding you of all the money and space wasted. Yet, it is important to keep in mind that your space does not have a space for these things.
Lee J.
It was actually complicated, as I do have a small house and needed to declutter and change after my dad’s passing. I did put things into piles of what I use and not. It’s ridiculous the attachment we get to some things. Also shelves: shelves are simply amazing and it has decluttered my desk SO much. It’s awesome.
Shane N.
I just finished decluttering my room in a share house. I had accumulated things for close to 5 years and was feeling suffocated by the clutter . I read “the life-changing magic of typing up” by Marie Kondo and as corny as it may sound, it was extremely helpful. For one, it helped me to understand that the twisted love-hate relationship I have with my things is much more common than I realised. We all fall into the trap of keeping things in our life that no longer serve a purpose, so my first piece of advice would be to forgive yourself for getting in that situation. The second would be to read that book! Take your time decluttering, but be diligent and ruthless. Don’t be afraid to sell and donate the things that no longer deve you — they may find use in someone else’s home. If you feel bad about getting rid of presents, you could take pictures of them so you can keep the memory.
Lucile Q.
Start by getting rid of what you don’t want. Put it in a trash bag and donate it to your local goodwill. Then, re arrange everything the way that is comfortable for you
Abigail Z.
For me the best way has always been to create a home for everything. A drawer for tools (hammer, screwdriver, tape measure etc), a place for papers that I have to keep (or scan them to be digital). Drawer organizers and added wire shelves in the bathroom to give me more space and see what I have best. And most importantly a place to hang my keys and bag when I come in. In my smaller apartments those are the things that didn’t have a “home” because I would be using them soon but made things feel overwhelming. Once they had a home keeping counters clean and really deciding what I needed to have around was easier.
Nanna N.
Hey girl hey! You gotta be consistent when it comes to decluttering. Know that it’s gonna get worse before it gets better. Decide on what you REALLY need. Ask yourself: Do I need two of the same shirt? Can this lamp or tray go to a better home? A weird tip, but it works: have a swap party. Invite some friends over and ask them to bring things they don’t need. That way, y’all can swap things. Who knows? Maybe that painting of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer that your mother in law made can go to someone who wants it. And maybe you just got a couple of eyeshadow pallets that have been on your wish list.
Go declutter, home girl
Ilan T.
I live in a 600sf apartment. I have a place for everything and keep things tidy so it doesn’t feel cramped. I gave away everything that I didn’t absolutely need. Others could benefit from what i didn’t need. I use Kindle instead of buying books. I stay organized
Timmothy F.
Luckily for me we recently knocked down and built our house again. Which meant having to move out and into a rental, and then moving out of the rental and into the new house. This meant a lot of throwing things out and sorting through things. Honestly if t wasn’t for that I probably wouldn’t have my life together and as neat and sorted as it is. I do highly recommend watching Marie Kondo on Netflix thought as she helped sooo much throughout the process. Although I didn’t thank every item it gave me a mindset to sort through things I don’t really need. Oh, and also when sorting. Always think “Will I need, want, notice it’s gone or care about this item in 10 years” — most of the time it’ll be no. And you won’t realise it’s even gone within the next week. Also labels and place items with similar things. It’ll help a lot when needing to find stuff. Happy cleaning/sorting.
Nathalie Q.
Primero seccionó la casa, luego prioridades y con la ayuda de la aplicación los minutos los designó para limpiar las secciones de la casa, voy de mayor a menor es decir , recojo todo, lo coloco en las áreas seccionadas y cuando acaba el tiempo, vuelvo a tomar el tiempo para llevar a cabo el orden minucioso de esa sección
Ka S Q.
One item at a time. If it doesn’t make you smile, it’s got to go. Whether it be in the trash, donate, whatever you have to do… If it doesn’t make you happy, get rid of it. Check out flylady.net.
Jonas W.
My advice would be to get rid of one or two items each day. Take them straight to an opportunity store or donate them to a local community group. The key from here on in is to then make sure you aren’t bringing new items into your household. Don’t need it? Don’t buy it. Another thing you could do is make a list of 100 things you own and use regularly. After you’ve made that list, walk around the house and see what wasn’t important enough to make the list- you’ll be surprised how much stuff you have that is not used or needed. Good luck!
Stella P.
I would start by doing a complete spring clean. We all hold onto so many things for no other reason that we don’t want to get rid of it. If you haven’t used it in over a year, you probably won’t be using it again. Also think of this as an opportunity to donate your things to less fortunate people who actually need the things you haven’t been using.
Malthe Y.
Honestly prioritize what you have. If you haven’t used items in years and they have no sentimental purpose, get rid of it. Keep only stuff you need and use. Shelves are your friend and be creative with new ways to store items.
Janin N.
I try to be brave by throwing away or donating to charity things that I really haven’t used at all in the last 4 months, it’s more liberating than it is painful
Dora S.
1 room at a time, bags/ boxes for 1. Refuse2. Recycling 3. Library items 4.Charity Shop 5.Offering to someone
Be grateful for the use you have had from everything that is moving on.
Cameron T.
Throw out all the unnecessary objects that don’t make you happy. I really am not sure, to be honest, because I don’t have a small house of my own. You could try the KonMarie method, which helped me declutter my room.
Alison E.
Try Marie Kondo’s “Konmari” method of going category by category through your possessions, and discovering which ones spark joy for you.
Malthe C.
Always just go room by room … never just do things all at once but you can do certain things at the same time for example run laundry when you clean the kitchen and then move to the bathroom and which laundry and do three loads then fold
Jonas W.
Get lots of storage boxes that stack and are easily accessible. Label them. Fold your clothes upright like Marie kondo. Get plastic tubs (I use the ones for the fridge that are for cans of coke) you can pull in and out of your high kitchen cabinets for stuff like spices. Then you can store them here.
Isael Y.
First I start with sorting all items into the rooms that they belong into, just put them anywhere on the floor, shelves, beds, etc. Then I put all my focus into each room on a different day. Usually I start with the rooms that are utilized the most: Kitchen, living/family rooms, etc.
Elisa E.
Start with just one room and sort the items into trash, donate, and keep piles. Take all piles out of the room until only bare furniture remains. Then trash and donate the respective piles. Start bringing the items back and ask yourself critically whether each item you are taking back is actually necessary to keep
Karen O.
By getting rid of incessant things as well as stuff that is useless. Don’t keep things that’s don't invoke joy or a certain memory when you look or use it. Keep things that benefit you spiritually, mentally, physically, or emotionally.
Mads C.
start from the small things, such as simply throwing out useless papers or garbage lying around. the feeling of accomplishing a small task motivates me to do more, resulting in the habit of decluttering sticking
Lila Z.
If an object does not have a home or place it belongs, then you must either decluttter the object or others to make a home for it. Go through your home by category and declutter duplicates or anything that does not give you an inspiring feeling.
Curtis F.
Hahaha, excellent question! I just went through that a few weeks ago and can share what worked for me:
I started small, one drawer at a time, one cupboard shelf at a time. I found a box and placed the content in there. Then cleaned the drawer (shelf/cupboard) and only placed things in there I use regularly. The rest stayed in the box or went into a box marked ‘donation’. If I haven’t used it for a year, chances are I can do without. Don’t rush it, just do one cupboard at a time, put a set time aside and stop when the time is up, or when one cupboard (drawer) is done. Otherwise it becomes an overwhelming task or time slips away and you don’t get other things done. That will make it harder to start the next day. Oh and yes, I did one small thing every day until it was done.
It feels amazing to sit back and have a clean and less cluttered environment. I feel like I can breathe and relax as before I would look at it and think ‘I got to do..’ it was always stressing me in the background. Now, I enjoy my organized environment and I feel more at peace and feel less cluttered in my head as well.
Frances F.
Throw everything that you and your family hasn’t touched or used in at least 6 months away. I swear by adding shelving into the walls if possible. If not buying bookcases, the cute footrests/storage boxes, cute basket to store things in. I also swear by hanging shelves. They are amazing for just about anything, and if you have any spare wood or know someone with some can make it even better because you don’t have to pay for anything. You get a used piece of wood(obviously not too used), cut it to the length you want the shelf, and nail it in yourself. Or have your husband do all the work 🙂 either way the hanging shelf should usually be pretty much a free diy project, and the little bit of wear on the wood makes it look even more rustic and cool if your are into that kind look.
Sara C.
Start in one corner/area and move your way around. Migrate things you’re not sure where you want to put them yet, have a odonate and trash bag. Don’t start on a big project right off the bat-you forget how much stuff you accumulate. A dresser. Drawer. Desk.
Once you organize a space, keep it organized
Brayden R.
Start in little sections! That would be the easiest way! Really think about what you NEED to keep, not what you WANT. What you need is for more important than your wants!
Helenice Q.
Lots of organization and use of space. If there are things that could be stored or put out neatly it makes a big difference especially the use of shelves and hooks to hang things. Repositioning furniture and decorations can make it feel more free and clean if you are stressed or don’t know where to start. Poking around home improvement stores sometimes yields some rare space saving organizational finds.
Felicitas F.
With a heavy heart and big black bag… In all seriousness, a friend of mine told me about the maybe box. Put stuff in it that you’re thinking of getting rid of. If after 1 month, 3 months or whatever timeframe you want to set you’ve not used the things in the box and you don’t miss them then you get rid of them, easy.
Alison E.
I get rid of clutter by giving away clothes that I don’t wear anymore and the clothes that doesn’t fit my kids anymore by donating. I throw away papers that are not useful and sometimes get rid of things that I no longer use like a toaster, table, chair etc. These days it’s easy to sell the things you don’t want off of Facebook market or Poshmark!
Taylor Z.
Start from a smallest table, once it’s organize then you get more energy and you will automatically make the whole house …….
Garance F.
Lots and lots of baskets and storage boxes. Cute baskets are the best because they can be out in the open holding many random house things.
Daniel W.
In my opinion (I am not a professional) I would throw out anything that I have not used for at least 1 year. My parents are hoarders and I’ve had to clean up their clutter to ensure our home does not become some hoarders paradise but also remember don’t throw anything away that has real sentimental value as these objects can support you and enable you to improve yourself everyday!
Christine C.
A step at a time. I live in a small house, we bought from family. When we moved in, the patriarch and matriarch had passed away in the last 4 months and no one felt able to go in and move their belongs, but were prepared to part with them either. I had the ill fortune of living on top of someone else’s stuff for 3 years and it got me very stuck in clutter. It has taken me time, will, and seeing how much one change can help. I would start in the place that gives you the most anxiety or shame. Fix that; see how you feel. You will come back for more, I promise.
Amanda U.
I keep a trash bin and a handheld vacuum easily accessible so I can quickly discard trash and tidy up when I need to. I also try to clean up small messes throughout the day, especially as I’m leaving moving through the space to keep them from piling up into a big mess. Setting small goals is also helpful. For example, one day I’ll focus on brooming and wiping the floors and vacuuming the carpet. Another day I’ll focus on wiping down all the counters and cleaning the bathroom. Tackling one big cleaning goal on different days makes things less overwhelming.
David X.
I like to utilize different wall space and shelving. Small floating shelves mixed into a gallery wall of photographs and artwork are a great spot for books and trinkets, turning little things that can clutter your space into something beautiful.
Samantha R.
Hey divide the work in sections! Start from what complicates your life! I.e can’t find socks? Start from that draw! Take it ALL out, clean it and start throwing away the broken ones, the ones that look old and if some of them are still good but they don’t make you feel good, give them to someone or send to charity. Focus on what you need! 7 days per week, how many socks do you actually need? 😉 think of rainy days and those days when you can’t put a washing on! Apply same rules (or similar) to other draws, the towels cabinet, the kitchen, storage ect! We tend to have more than we need. If not sure, fill bags with stuff and if after 6 months you forget about it or don’t need it…get rid of it! Decluttering makes space for new energy and makes you feel sooo good!
Auguste O.
start by throwing out all old things and trash. like marie kondo said, choose which one sparks joy and which ones do not.
Sofia T.
Start in one room and mentally separate it into smaller areas I.e. 4 smaller areas and clean one area at a time. Then move on to the next room. You have to do basic cleaning like dishes and laundry daily.
Ellie Z.
I look at things I own in batches. Does it bring me love? Enjoyment? Or is it existing there? Things that exist I get rid of. Things that bring me enjoyment I put on a mental filing cabinet of “could go” and the things that bring me love I keep. I also try to be mindful of how much space and stuff I have. Is it a need or a want? Be brutally honest with yourself. I don’t need more makeup- it takes up space I don’t have. I want new shelving- which would give me better space options! The latter is way more of a need than something fleeting enjoyable. I find declutter is about being honest what do you use, what do you love, and what is honestly sitting there collecting dust and not getting used?
Dennis T.
I would look at each category of items (room or use category–like toiletries, linens, cleaning products, toys, etc.) and decide if each one is something I or someone in the house uses at least annually OR if it has very special sentimental value. (Like a special drawing of a child-take a digital pic if you don't want to file or scrapbook it.) If it doesn't fall into either category, I donate it. All remaining items should be stored in the locations closest to where they are used if possible. Uniform baskets or pretty containers make attractive open storage if closet space is limited. I like labeling things in containers when they are not open baskets. I also use Marie Kondo's method of feeling if an item "sparks joy" when purging clothing. I purge items continually and do at least 2 big purges a year to keep clutter down. Also, junk mail never makes it in the house. Goes right into recycling. Hope this is helpful!
Marius W.
Do small pieces at a time, or just get all the stuff together and start there and throw out stuff you don’t need or do need or just want to keep
Arlene R.
You do it room by room, first you must make a big mess by taking everything from that room and putting it in the centre. This will make you realise how much stuff you actually have. Then you work throught that pile. You should divided it into 3 secrions, get rid of, storage and keep. When ever you pick up an item ask if it makes you happy, if the answer is yes then keep that item in the room, if no then it should go to storage or be removed. If your unsure about an item, it means you don’t love it enough to be sure, and so it should go straight to storage.
Bonnie Q.
Every dark moon phase I go through my belongings and let go of the energies that no longer serve me. Thank them and send them on their way.
Lila O.
I think a small house lets you really edit and show what you love, rather than losing your message among a larger space.

So, to declutter a small house, be bold and selective!

Sophia Z.
First, go through your home and assess your belongings. Go by category starting with clothes, then books and papers, miscellaneous items, then sentimental items. Decide what you want to keep, toss, and donate. Then, when you’ve fully edited your belongings, figure out how you’d like to store things. Get boxes and other containers and put away your things in a way that you can see everything easily. Try not to pile or stack things. Try to have things upright in their containers so that you can easily remove them without shifting a bunch of things around. Store dishes like a bookshelf, for instance.
Normano C.
Love your question! 😀 I live in Amsterdam and my house is small too. Very important to declutter, even more so for small (living)spaces.

I keep most (all) things in clossets. Now, if you don’t have a lot of storage space you need to make the most of the space that you do have. And dessingnate stuff to a certain space. Maybe use boxes, so you can order stuff and stack the boxes on top of each other (IKEA has clear boxes so you can see what’s in it, without needing to shuffle stuff and end up with a mess every time you look for something). If you have a basement (or at least a space that can function as a storage), you might want to store all that you don’t need on a daily/weekly basis. I.E. Winterclothes in the summer and summerclothes in the winter. You might want to look into Mary Kondo on Netflix. She talks about how to declutter, in such a way that you’re only surrount yourself with those things you truely like (love even). Devide the to declutter project into separate tasks i.e. clothes, basement, books, sentimental things and miscellanious (…). Give yourself the time to declutter every part. Believe me you, you gain more than just a clean house, you get more focused and clairity to what’s important to you. Things you decide to not keep: you can sell, donate or throw away.

Good luck!!! You got this!

Corey U.
It’s so easy when everyone in the household know that everything in the home has a specific place. If you don’t use it, get rid of it- Donate, sell, recycle, or (last resort) is throw it out.

Everyone in our house helps with decluttering. We do a 10 minute pick up everyday. The WiFi goes off and everyone does a task and their chores.

Hans Gerd X.
Firstly, I sort out the items into two groups, namely ‘Unwanted’ and ‘Wanted’. Secondly, after discarding the unwanted items, I clean up the house, rearranging the furniture to maximise amount of space. Thirdly, I plan out where to put which items. Then I get to work, placing items where they should be 🙂
Gladys W.
Keep it simple. Buy less. Rotate seasonal items at least twice a year. Donate items that are no longer being used frequently.
Andre P.
Organization is key! Get containers of all sizes to put stuff in, toys, electronics, cleaning products etc. and if you can get a cleaning crew once or twice a month to keep spaces clean that’s a huge plus. hope that helps!
Ruben F.
I’ve found that often turning clutter into art or decoration can not only help the space feel cleaner and spacier but also cozy and unique. If you decorate some shoe boxes into a puzzle-like design then you can store stuff in a nice diy shelf. I think making your space ~yours~ is super important.
Fatima A.
try to rid of the small, unnecessary items that take up space. put things that you don’t use often, but want to keep, in a box in the closest or somewhere out of sight. make your bed and organize the items that are visible to the eye.
Teod Sio F.
Pack everything into boxes. Have a box for different things, shoes, jewelry, shirts, random things. This way you’ll be able to see what you need & don’t need
Denise R.
A Way to declutter a small house would be putting everything back where it belongs once your done with it. That way you don’t have things laying around unnecessarily. Throw away trash ASAP don’t leave little wrappers here and there, or a plate on the table and keep watching tv. Clean it right away. You’ll get up anyway. Overcome laziness with action
Oliver P.
I love it so it's not a problem for me. I have a huge family house and i will have to declutter and I must say, it will be exciting. For the small house or a big one I do it by rooms 😉