kennedytarheel This is one of the very best articles I've read in Houzz. Thank you so much for helping me clarify my approach to clutter!!!!

slgvam Excellent points in a timely post! Thank you!

Elyn's Library Perfect timing! A well written piece full of encouraging guidance.

Like most people, I think, I'm somewhere in between minimum and maximum.

I love the sleek, clean looks of the minimum - but when I see a living space with only a sofa, 2 chairs, a naked coffee table and a wall mounted TV my first thought is "Where's the remote?" I have the same reaction when I see a gorgeous, bright kitchen with nothing on the counter but a bud vase with a single tulip - "Where's the coffee maker?"

On the other hand, a sofa with so many pillows there's no place to sit isn't very appealing to me either.

Thanks for all the great ideas to help everyone create their own happy, harmonious, beautiful home.

Marcy Giesbrecht Woke up this morning thinking this very thing..time to de-clutter. Your guidelines were most helpful. Good questions to ask myself.

keellee Wow, I needed that! Now what I need is the ideabook on how the architect (me) and the artist (my daughter; love her to pieces and do appreciate her whimsey) can live together !

chanchal3 Nice article and timely too:)!

gknee Inspiring way to begin the new year, thank you.

A. Peltier Interiors Great tips, that office space by Nicole Lanteri looks just like mine!

mimidear Exactly what I needed! Thank you. I've searched for the helpful understanding of the how and why to keeping, displaying and saving my "stuff" that I like so very much. I believe you have given me a good footing to accomplish my goal.
Thank you for this article and all the inspirational photos and suggestions.

mimidear

mauishopgirl I really enjoyed this different take on writing about clutter. It was a nice departure and more realistic and accepting than the typical declutter post. I struggle with this often as a minimal lifestyle does appeal to me but I'm also very creative and very visual and like inspiration in my home.

inkwitch Ever since I learned what an energizing and "freeing" feeling that de-cluttering can give me, I'm addicted to periodic purges. Sometimes it's hard to turn loose of something I particular like, but turns out to have marginal use, like pillows, spare curtains or tablecloths that no longer fit my color scheme. I think twice about acquiring anything new.

maudiemoon I have the soul of a minimalist and the clutter of the artist! I am going to de-clutter big time in 2013. Thanks for the guard rails.

olldbobbi Very good advice here! My clutter problem isn't exposed, it's "toss it in the closet and close the door really quick". I did just buy six large plastic containers to use to clean out the linen closet, however, and I intend to be ruthless! Sort of....

Leah Witmond I'm leaning heavily towards minimalism, but my husband is definitely a maximalist. Our daughters are artist. Figuring out how to have a home that inspires all of us and makes us feel comfortable and really at home, is a challenge. But I love challenges, so I'm good.
We've just finished giving our entry/hallway a complete makeover, and I've given myself this month to put the finishing touches to our living room and dining area. I'm sewing slipcovers for my dining chairs (which don't really look too good anymore, but are still in good condition otherwise), next I'll move on to sewing new curtains, some more pillow cases (so I can change them around as the mood strikes me) and the hubby will finally attach new baseboards.
Next month we'll turn our attention to the bedrooms, and after that (probably near the summer months, we intend to build three or four rooms in the loft. I can hardly wait to get my hands dirty on some solid construction work again.

sherry0117 Love this article, very helpful. My biggest obstacle in de-cluttering is my husband. Just because it has been in a box for 5-7 years does not mean he will not need it this year: ) How to over come this.

clairem09 A home does not feel right without a little bit of clutter, that is what makes it a home.

gschneider I was just about to type what kennedytarheel already did - totally agree. Thanks for the mental tools to better define the issue of clutter for each of us.

yipsy2 The New Year should bring hope and inspiration to Houzz followers. De-cluttering is cathartic but can also be time-consuming and occasionally painful. Each item we consider for a "new' life has memories and images of why and where we acquired it in the first place. Tough stuff, unless there's a specific goal with positive results at the end of the purging.

The way I've found to move me through the process is to consider the use items may have in "another life". Happily, our area has a number of places such as ReStore - a contributor to Habitat for Humanity and other charitable Thrift Shops, or even consignment shops who also contribute to the community, where gently used items are welcomed and appreciated. It feels so much better to load items into a dedicated package for someone else than to make the trip to the dumpster.

So that picture frame my Mother gave me years ago or that pair of decorative candllesticks I just had to have for my table, can be cleared out easily knowing someone else, somewhere, might enjoy my mother's and my 'exquisite' taste.

Here's to a productive de-cluttering with a happy outcome!

justj Enjoyable article. My only issue is that I believe architects are also artists so I wouldn't reference the two images as the soul of "an artist" v of "an architect". Regardless, your writing style and eye for imagery made this article about clutter refreshing. Thank you for sharing.

Jack Rice The minimalist approach to decor seems to me to be the design "trend" of this decade. I have never been a fan. I find it cold, boring and emotionally uncomfortable to linger in a minimally designed space. I much prefer spaces that are comforting, beautiful, and inspiring. Spaces that reflect the personality of the people who live in them. I actually like a space that has something I didn't notice the last time I was there. My space is filled with strange and beautiful objects and furniture that I have been collecting my whole life. My home tells the story of me and where I have been over the last 35 years. If your collections are well curated even a very small space can be warm and comfortable. I currently live in 775 sf that is a gloriously maximalist jewel box.

Leslie Jeansonne More minimalist. But I do tend to clutter things up so I definitely see your point with what you perceive as clutter. Love the article.

jeri402 I spent the entire day decluttering! Great timing.

warrak Great inspirational article . NewYear hopefully brings these de- clutter ideas to a motivated Me. Loe this App.

jkristamagee Oh how I LOVED reading this. I am neither I would have to say- mostly I do like living by my 3 rule system 1. I love it. 2. I need it 3. I just can't live without it. BUT!- my husband and son also live here , and that means it is thee home too. As long as my personal space is how I like it/want it, and my main rooms that guest will be apart of are clean and Neatly arranged - I do not stress too much. I find myself lucky to have so much space for organization also. It just bothers me to to read the "idea books" that make things seem that one is wrong unless all I done a certain way.

beverlya22 I am developing better habits regarding clutter, and I realize I have a lot of emotional attachments to things. I also have finally learned to let go of things so that others can possibly enjoy them, as they are no longer so important to me. Thanks so much for a different approach to clutter; I no longer feel guilty for hanging onto things but I will now challenge myself to justify them.

mattstephball Thankyou, we are selling our house in four months ( depending on the time our new house is built ). I have so much stuff. I have decided if I haven't used it in 2012, I am donating it. buyers want to see a clean decluttered house, I am sick of feeling swamped with clutter I need a clean start before we move. I have started. One room at a time. I wish my kids would get rid of some of their toys.lol

Jenna Umberger Hi Becky :] I loved this article & it was very inspiring... I suppose I do have some purging to do. Also, I've been looking around on Houzz for examples of design studio spaces. I'm an interior design student & my workspace is so boring & super cluttered :/ Any idea where I can find some inspiration?

Farmersdotter My criteria: is it beautiful, useful or worth inheriting? If not, it's gone.

warrak Have read this article numerous times and get a great tip each time.

pepperblue I'm a maximalist but I want organized "clutter" otherwise all the items create chaos rather than inspiration. Harmony is important whether it be in the repetition, color theme, or light and darkness of a space. For me if those things are there then I can generally find inspiration in my art.

INSIDEOUT Modern and Traditional Thought-provoking article, good job! My brain enjoys both ends of the spectrum so I redecorate about 6 times a year. Therefore, my crazy, cacaphony of beautiful objects can all enjoy the spotlight at different times of the year. I also find myself corralling objects so that there are clean lines then -pow- an area filled with excitment. Best, Diane INSIDEOUT Modern and Traditional

marshrose visual - like to SEE what I have. Challenge: overthinking vs. just tackling and doing

fishtaco Well written article. Great ideas and a thoughtful approach to clutter. Thank you!

pauli12 Marshrose said she likes to see what she has and this hit a chord with me. It bothers me to have too many things stored away. I can't stand not knowing what is in a basket high in my closet. I am always looking to see what it is. I think I would like to pare down is so what I have is out and seen and enjoyed and not hidden away.
I have a little glass cracker server that I never use. It just sits there taking up space in my hutch. Does anyone else do this?
This is a very nice collection of ideas and I enjoyed it very much.

amnaggar First picture does NOT represent "clutter" :) Just love it

JAN MOYER I am neither minimal or maximal but I think clutter isn't your collections displayed with pride, or that you own 300 tee shirts that you love and manage to maintain so you can find a favorite, or even a "busy mind" creative space that is messy when in use. What feels like clutter to me are things that accumulate in random ways, out of context to their surroundings. Hence.... a dining table loaded with unopened mail, the kids leftover birthday bag treasures, and the screwdriver that no one returned to its rightful space, feels like clutter in a very big way. So too does a lovely bedroom dresser or table loaded with deodorant, perfume, jewelry, tissues, mail, the bills you dragged up to open, three week old catalogues and the dust coating all of it. A potpourri of who knows what doo dads in a china cabinet, sentimental but lost amidst the rest.....feels like clutter only because it has no common thread except it lives in a china cabinet and our eyes fight to make sense of it. Aaaaaaahhhh the variables of clutter!

olldroo I think Jan, I would go one step further and say there is clutter and there is junk!! Junk just has to go. I have just had to totally empty rooms for a total renovation and as I moved things out I immediately tosssed the junk and the clutter I no longer need, use or like. Then as I moved everything back, I took a longer look at things, found homes for the absolutely must haves, tossed more and the "not sure" things have gone into a spare room that I regularly visit and check on, but nothing comes out until it is rehoused or tossed - no half measures. It is really making me quite ruthless, so much so I even attacked my linen cupboard and took 11 bags of linen I know I will never use again to our local wildlife shelter.

Definitely totally emptying a room, thoroughly cleaning and putting things back in proper storage is a great way to see just what you really do need.

appytrails When I realize there's something that I no longer use, or my tastes have changed and I can't imagine why I ever bought it in the first place, but it's still a nice piece, it often goes to the basement. Once it's there awhile, it's much easier to totally let go of it without guilt or remorse, and decide where its next home will be, often offered to friends or family, Salvation Army or even put out by the road with a "free" sign.
So far the "road" has taken in quick order a perfectly good tube TV, a functioning but noisy air conditioner (with a sign saying as such) a coffee table and a sleeper sofa.
It's a good feeling to both let go of what is no longer wanted, and also know that someone else will still make use of them.

mugsy1703 I too, am somewhere between min and maximalist ... leaning more toward minamilist. I love color and beautiful art and objects but they have to fit in my space. I am not sentimental so if it doesn't work anymore, I pass it on ... to the (married) kids, thrift store, garbage. My husband shares my taste ... except he is never the one cleaning up the clutter :) Somedays, it seems like I am doing nothing but cleaning up junk and clutter that others leave behind ... papers, gifts that need to find a spot, seasonal clothes, christmas decor ... etc. etc. It is a never ending battle but I don't want to be faced with a mountain of junk when one day we decide to downsize. My sister-in-law and brother-in-law are in that position now and she has no clue where to even start. She has saved every receipt since their honeymoon (45 yrs ago), tax files, clothing for her kids (who are all married with kids of their own), toys etc. etc. She has spent more than a month sorting ... and crying ... and she has hardly made a dent. I would rather avoid that pain. I live by the mottos ... "you can't take it with you" and "it's just stuff".

JAN MOYER mugsy1703
OMG you are soooo right!!! My sister and I used to routinely purge my parents basement and attic while they were in Florida, as Mom wouldn't part with a thing. My dad saved things like soap wafers in a big cookie tin. Apparently because he didn't like a wafer in the shower, but couldn't bring himself to toss what was still a useful amount of soap. Useful for WHAT?? We used to get laughing so hard, we could barely stand up. One year my sister emerged from behind the cellar stair wearing a yellow parka with the sleeves up to the elbows. I said what the H _ _ _ !!! is that?? "My parka from eighth grade" My sister was forty seven at the time.

ginihamilton I slip back and forth from minimalist (craving for order and simplicity) and maximalist (just love that "stuff") but have found a way to satisfy both by creating visual clusters. I may have too many family photos, but they all hang together on one wall. The candles all on a tray on one table, etc. There are many little vignettes to rest my eyes on, but in between there is calm space.

olldroo Actually it was cleaning out my mother's home after she passed that totally cured me of hoarding - much to my joeys' relief, no way could I put them through the months of work I had.

astraea I'll second that this is one of the best articles I've read lately! I guess I'm not a clutterer, but I do have friends with problems. I think that when people reach a certain age, they'd like to declutter, but it's become too physically & emotionally overwhelming for them, to actually do it alone. Often adult children shy away for "getting involved", but in truth it's better to help when asked .. than wind up stuck doing it anyway, after their parents are gone!

I know it's time to declutter, if a collection of anything results in it taking too long to find what I'm actually looking for, or I begin to resent "maintaining" it (i.e. dusting)!

aussietoo I'm definitely a modernist minimalist, married to a maximalist. I can look at an item in a store or gallery and think "I love it" and then walk away with it filed in my head. My husband is a "Gotta have it" and leans towards antiques of any size, from the knick-knack to the Chippendale dining suite.
I can't wait to see your thoughts on co-existence of the two. At this stage I have given up on my preferences.

olldroo Aussietoo - who does the housework? That usually settles things - FAST!!

When I see something I really like I take a photo of it with my iPod and then consider where I am going to put it and do I really need it. Helps when I focus on the fact that I may have to downsize one day, possibly in the not too distant future and there will be no room for everything.

lnolan53 I have found that an easy way to gain new perspective is by removing as much as possible from a room. That includes everything on tables, shelves, and even discretionary pieces of furniture. Live with that relatively empty room for a day. As you begin to return items, you do so with a fresh view and discriminating eye. When a room is cleared for painting or carpet cleaning, it's a good time to take a good look at what's going back in.

dragonflynest This is a rather drastic way to declutter. I don't recommend it for the faint at heart. The day after Christmas we started packing up our home in CT to move to IN and had to eliminate a lot of accumulated stuff - that included my kids school papers (they are in their 30's now), furniture we said someday we would refinish, etc. the hardest part was going through things I hadn't set eyes on in years and making the decision to part with it. Toward the end it got a little tedious and now I'm having to promise myself to continue this purging when we finally arrive in Indiana and have to open all those boxes.

catclawrose Good article !! I have found a place that I want to buy,(FINALLY, a place that my Husband wants, too !), and I'm getting my place ready to put on the market. I've been going through "stuff", boxing for keep, give to charity, sell, and had my first yard sale in 30 years,(now I remember why I do estate sales for other people, for a living, and NOT for myself !), and sold a ton of stuff. As items left, I was amazed that it didn't bother me one bit ! Now, I'm continuing to pack and take to storage, where, once we get moved, I'll go through everything even more critically,and have a huge barn sale, with the rest that I don't need ! (It's a wonderful property, with FIVE spacious barns on it ! The house is much, much smaller than where we are now, so I will HAVE to learn to pare down-a good thing ! but, I'm noticing that, with every box I haul out of here, I feel lighter. I'm ready to paint this place, to make it more attractive to a buyer !
Happy New Year to everyone !

kathleenmayo My sentiments exactly as I spent the last month off and on purging! It feels great. But unpacking the attic for my spring garage sale sure will be daunting!

gillianne For me, clutter has a lot to do with visual overload--a riot of colors and, particularly, patterns--not necessarily the volume of stuff. Rooms I find appealing can have plenty of furniture and accessories if they're mostly muted and have more texture than vibrant patterns, hues, or both. This realization led me to re-do our bedroom in quiet neutrals--white and natural linen with touches of black and a bit of non-bright color in throw pillows (solid or stripes only). What a difference with the same furniture and many of the same accessories! That sense of "visual noise" may be a factor for others in what reads as clutter.

olldroo Gillianne - what a great point!!!

Casart Coverings I evidently have a short attention span and am easily bored so things do not remain static in my home. I'm always rearranging, discarding and storing. Jan's comment about her sister's parka reminded me of my sorting of a kitchen linen drawer this week. It yielded place mats my 45+ daughter made in grade school, an apron I made in grade school (anyone old enough to remember home ec. classes?) and a slew of never-worn aprons. Place mats sent to creator, apron sent to only granddaughter, remainder placed in donation basket. Ahhh, good feeling of accomplishment!

cfrostad This is it! The final de-clutter. A recent move into a house that requires extensive repairs has forced all my belongings into two rooms. As I see it, I now have one final opportunity to reduce everything to 'essential' and 'pleasing to live with' before going into the renovated spaces. The tips in your article are bang on and murmuring the words 'be ruthless!', keeps my eye on the goal. My head's feeling better already.

Destin Golf & Beach - FL Vacation Home Rentals It's amazing ... as my husband points out, "we keep our vacation home rentals, www.ChristiannCondos.net, perfectly clutter free for our guests" - and we love it at all 4 of our beach condos. So WHY, at home, not follow the same pattern of minimizing to the essentials while staying well equipped!

terryp Words that inspire me to limit clutter are from William Morris "Have nothing in your house which you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful". It's definitely a continual process for me.

Carrie Greene Interior Design Great article! Something I have always found useful, is to snap a photo of the space, and then really look at it. You will notice the little things you tend to overlook everyday. It is like seeing the space through new eyes.

teriwscott I am changing! With the kids grown I don't require the warmth of all the "things" around us. I like the clean and organized feel. But, I don't want it to be cold. So - organized but warm is what I am going for. Not easy but starting with some of the guidelines above will help.

cagoudy Love this article and I shared it with many people. I find that as I age, I certainly have learned to value certain items and de clutter more often. Maybe my inner architect is coming through.

heintammy I have been doing some of this already and this article is a real inspiration. To add to some of the comments about what to do with the items that are "moving on to a new life":
You can contribute them to a community charity thrift store like Goodwill or Habitat for Humanities "ReStore" or you can join your local freecycle.org group. That way you are de-cluttering, your items go to someone else who might see them as a great find or treasure and you are not adding to a landfill. A win-win for everyone. Thanks for a really good article.

astraea @dragonflynest – You’ve reminded me that putting my house on the market, and having to move twice within a year, were good exercises towards my decluttering! While moving requires you keep going, bored or not, some decluttering experts recommend something like a ½ hour time limit, so you don’t get so bored that you either wind up keeping or heaving everything, because you're overloaded!

Joan Semple Thanks for the tips. I've come to the realization that I'm a minimalist with a definite love for modern furniture & design YET, I live in a 107 year old log home steeped in rich Canadian history. It's a constant inner battle.

alibonelli This makes me both laugh and cringe! I am a very visual person (also a bit OCD) and the inside of our 2 year old home is very neat. Minimal-but not cold. The problem is my basement. When we moved in I directed everyone to put our 'stuff' in the basement and not the house. Only beds, dishes, absolute necessities went in there. Now it is two years later and I am like Monica on Friends with that locked closet filled with junk. Except my 'closet' is about 1200 sq ft! My hubby said just this morning 'there is a lot of good stuff down there'! Because I am visual and hate dust, I do NOT want to start work on this. I will watch hours of decorating shows to keep from going down there. I tell myself that at least I am better than my mother. We were in Macy's the other day and she was trying to find a new hand mixer but was reluctant to give up her current one. The one she fondly remembers from her first apartment. Back in 1963. I told her to take a picture of it and throw it out.

debran Very good questions to ask oneself! For me the clutter factor comes in when I have to tidy up for company. If I'm not happy to have it laying around or on display, then it is clutter!

morgana44 I never lived with cllutter but years ago I saw a BBC show about death and children having the sad job of cleaning up stuff and I went on a spree where I emptied drawers and closets so my children wouldn't have that job. I still purge 'stuff' on a seasonal basis and my closets look like closets in a model house for sale.

However, picture one and nine are how I live...English country to the max, a blue and white collection, art filling the walls and a library chocked full of books. I absolutely require visual stimulation otherwise I would go bonkers. I learned through years of reading decorating magazines and wandering through shops and furniture stores how to display items to give a home a collected look rather than a jumble sale at the junkyard.

But I also appreciate clean lines and a minimal look, my all times faves being the California golf couse house and the house in Chicago that rose from the ashes of an old dairy barn.

todaze It's been so long, I can't remember where I first heard this but I need to have it tattooed to my forehead!

Too many things are a burden.

Too few things are a hardship.

Several things, carefully chosen, are just right.

Angelica Epelbaum As an artist with the soul of an architect, my biggest clutter challenge is my art supplies. I do have those white organizing cube drawers and a devoted studio space, but they often become a catch-all, and ultimately a cluttered disorganized space, on their own!

JAN MOYER I got this yesterday, and it made me think about all that STUFF.......
POOR PEOPLE

One day, the father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the express purpose of showing him how poor people live. They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family.

On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, 'How was the trip?'
...
'It was great, Dad.'

'Did you see how poor people live?' the father asked.

'Oh yeah,' said the son.

'So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?' asked the father.

The son answered:

'I saw that we have one dog and they had four.
We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon. We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight. We have servants who serve us, but they serve others. We buy our food, but they grow theirs. We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them.'

The boy's father was speechless.

Then his son added, 'Thanks Dad, for showing me how poor we are.'

Isn't perspective a wonderful thing?

beachwalker520 My style is clutter-free and simple to keep maintained. When I am preparing for special events or meals, I don't have to remove all the doo-dads from my counter tops or tables. By keeping them free of clutter they are waiting for me to use them for the purpose at the time. Hardest for me is people giving well meaning gifts that because of the limited display space, I have no where to put. I rotate their gifts every couple of months to show the gifts are appreciated. I have installed cabinets in the garage and this is where I keep our "inventory".

maddecorator Another fabulous article. And beautiful photos, too!

saalal Great tips. Will help me to de-clutter.

Pangaea Interior Design, Portland, OR Being a minimalist at heart, it always amazes me how much stuff can accumulate. It's a daunting task to purge when things have piled up during our extra busy times. The best advice I ever got was to pick a corner or a single surface and just clean that one place. Then in pretty short order, you can see that you've accomplished something. Then I think it goes something like 'rinse repeat' through the rest of your house one space at a time.

And here's a great question to ask yourself for purging the closet: "will this fit me if I lose 10 pounds?" If you have to lose more than that, time to chuck it. If you end up losing the weight you can treat yourself with a new outfit. ;0)

stargazer51 Great article and very well written.

Too much clutter physically bothers me -- I flee from "antique" shops after just a few minutes. But too sterile doesn't appeal to me either.

Right now, almost everything we own is in either the POD or the half of the garage without the saw and lumber storage. We're living in the granny unit while remodeling our house.

When it comes time to move back in, I plan to carefully scrutinize each item before allowing it to back into the house. I have to be careful though because, in the past, during purging frenzies, I've gotten rid of things I wish I hadn't. Balance, always balance.

blstrother I'm with the Destin, FL comment: having a vacation home you rent out forces you to keep everything beautiful and clutter-free, and prohibits you from stuffing things in drawers and closets. So now I walk through our primary residence and ask myself, "What would I do to this room if I was going to rent our house to guests as an executive vacation home rental?". It sets the bar higher and motivates me to create the kind of home that is as relaxing as being on vacation.

astraea These articles motivated me so much this morning, that I re-organized the carousels in my upper & lower corner kitchen cabinets .. and was able to make space in the "garage" for the food processor!!

I think another motivation for me, in keeping my house decluttered, is how nice & easy it is to invite people over, or volunteer to have a meeting at my house. All I have to do is a quick dust & Swiffer, not spend days going thru piles of stuff laying around.

JAN MOYER These organizing/ purging topics always elicit such interesting responses, from the emotional, to the downright hilarious. Clearly some people are feeling so newly energized and robust they have left the computer to tackle the kitchen drawers! Which leads to the next best motivator. The single best reason to stay "on top" of anything, whether it's the work on your desk, saving money, cleaning, the laundry, is for the (generally inconceivable) moment when you are unable to do exactly that! So just as my mom used to sweep the laundry as my dad laid on the horn with the car idling in the driveway ( her fear of ....what if...) a really good motivator is: If I had to let someone in here to help me, if I was sitting with a cast to my hip..... if someone else had to do my laundry, pick up after my hubby... see the inside of my CLOSETS.....how would I feel? Or would I want to refuse their help and lock them out?! Inspiring huh? lol

leslielynnwhite I am a minimalist at heart and and a cluttered maximalist in life. constantly have the angst of too many things and yet not being able to part with them. I need another house to store the "spares"

100hmmm Kennedytarheel, I was just going to post the same thing. This is the best article I've seen on Houzz. Please continue with this theme; I want more!

astraea @Jan - Your last comment so true, about what would the house look like, if you were injured & needed people to come in to help! Even more than that, how much more difficult would it be for the injured person & a helper, to get around, if the house were excessively & unnecessarily cluttered!

A single friend fractured their arm up near the shoulder last summer, and when I saw all the clutter in their apartment, I feared for their ability to get around at all without tripping or needing help to move the piles out of the way!!

peterjh1964 Excellent article!!! Beautifully taken points based on personality of the owner of the home and heartfelt allowing for individual needs.

marylou2x this has made me get off the sofa and have a little look around at my own clutter ..now where to begin?

JAN MOYER @astraea
It's not a small thing is it?! The worst stuff has a way of happening when least convenient. More important, when something happens, (and BTW, that doesn't necessarily mean YOU, it could just be someone very near and dear to you requires your presence, and your care and help)..... it is nice to have set a standard for that emergency. So yes, you can certainly make some piles and put some stuff off, but there probably should exist a "low bar" in case your next batch of laundry, or grocery shopping, or whatever.... gets put off due to absolute dire necessity, and not because you didn't have the spirit for it!

mugsy1703 I've noticed that a few posts spoke of storing stuff for their "garage sale" in the spring. To me, that's just another excuse to hang on to your junk a little longer. If you are decluttering ... give yourself a week to get it out of your house. Don't move it to your garage or attic for your sale. Garage sales are a pile of work for a little money. Unless you REALLY need that money ... donate it to those less fortunate or other good causes.

bclowg Some rooms are more "artistic" than others as we remodel our house ourselves room by room. Some days the clutter is unbearable between my professional collector husband, 3 yr old twins, and me, the artist/wannabe architect. I have my nice newly remodeled modern kitchen/dining room which is my sanctuary from the chaos of skim-coating walls, laying floors, managing hotwheels and ponies, the frequent touchup to walls that were regretfully painted pure white as the kids were learning to draw...

What works for us is to declare certain areas clutter-free, they get dealt with immediately (kitchen counters, dining room table, living room floor...). Rethinking our storage so the kids can clean up after themselves. And editing. My downfall is once the decision is made to get rid of an item, getting it out of the house immediately whether we craigslist it or donate it. Too many times I have made that decision to get rid of an item, only to find it again and wonder if I wanted to keep or chuck it.

Also, to overload our already full house, we are dealing with combining two estates into our house (his mom, my dad). To keep that at bay we have rented storage until we can deal with all the extras. With more free time no doubt we will get a handle on the chaos. At a time of resolutions, that is my goal for the year!

JAN MOYER One last thought. A recent poster used the words "final de-clutter" : ) Okay, use this for inspiration: All painters will tell you the second coat of paint is a heck of a lot easier than the first, and actually requires less PAINT... see where I'm going here? So!! Yes!! Attack that clutter, and yes it is going to feel just super when you're done! Mark the finish day for each room with a heart on your calendar, and now count out one month. That's going to be your "quick sweep thru" day.... a peek in each closet, the drawers in the kitchen...wherever your worst spots are. Give yourself no more than one or two hours time, and TOSS,DONATE, ETC. So it never becomes an arduous task again. One room every month, and next years version of this idea book will be one you can laugh at or ignore or just heave a sigh of relief at!

hoofi Thanks for this... It's a constant source of 'conversation' in our home. I am more artistic, and my husband is a minimalist. Would love to see future articles addressing this dilemma. In the mean time, we chug along with one clutter at a time :)

renaellen The biggest challenge in our home is getting rid of anything that we think we "might be able to use in the future"... including magazines, books, toys, dishes, pots and pans. You can imagine what our basement looks like.

astraea @Jan Moyer - Like an addiction, people have to acknowledge that they don't like the way things are, and want to change, for anything to have a long-term effect. I periodically watch those "hoarders" programs on TV, and often they'll say that relatives/friends/professionals have helped the hoarder clear out in the past .. and things have accumulated again. So it takes people to want to declutter & keep up with it long term, just having a motivated friend come in & do it, may not be lasting.

lvansmith Paused to take a break during my office organizing - read this and thought that maybe I need to do more than organize it! (again)

janalive We have to do an inventory for legal and insurance purposes, and this is the ideal time to cull our possessions. For both of us, attachment to a thing can be an overwhelming factor. But also, there is the tendency to fill up an empty space with stuff.
My motto for purchasing almost anything has always been if it is: beautiful, functional, and the size is right for its purpose. The price, of course, must be affordable. That said, there have been moments of madness...which enevitably must be dealt with in a more sober and reflective state.
Thanks for the guidelines; they will be helpful for the task ahead.

JAN MOYER renaellen,
Well......., the only thing you can do is go down there and look at each thing, and ask yourself WHEN you last "needed" it. Now, as one who had to go out to buy a spring form pan to make a chocolate cake I wanted to try....only to realize I had tossed mine ten years ago in a cleaning fit... here is what happened. I bought one, better than the first, for 17.99. So it cost me 1.79 per year to throw the old in the trash, and it took ten years to miss it. : ) Ps the cake was super!
http://www.nytimes.com/recipes/1014419/Chocolate-Whiskey-Cake.html

astraea @renaellen - Got a laugh out of you comment; my family was great for that .. and I have to fight against the urge to keep things for future use. When we moved from NY to NJ 30+ years ago, my Mom insisted on taking a huge collection of various sizes of unfinished moldings .. "just in case". After we had a lot of work done in the house .. and none of our "molding collection" could be used because styles & sizes had changed, I finally got her to give it all up!!

Marina Klima Goldberg - Klima Design Group It is so inspiring to finally come across a well written article. Bravo! Your style is beautiful and engaging, and you really and honestly took your time to do the most wonderful job.

getgrowing Sermon today was all about " you can't take it with you!" We are retired, and did one round of downsizing already. Memories are only great if shared so my goal is to take great photos, put lots of comments into a Picaboo book I create and sell the stuff!

shodgson Wow. I so needed to read this article. I'm an Artist and my husband is an Architect type of person. It explains why we have different levels of acceptance to clutter. I would love to read more in this same tread in the future.

ninneth Thank you for this well written article. I always joke that i may have a mild case of ocd because i am constantly clearing clutter from counter tops, this is a daily routine for me. I also like furniture or items that double in function and are pleasing to my eye. My closet seems to be the problem, i always feel bad about getting rid of clothes that are like new and that i loved at some point... i have promised to myself to keep just what i REALLY like from now on.

sue3 My husband has the soul of an architect and me, an artist... I look forward to your thoughts on that :) The good news for us is that we come together in that we both like our home to feel warm and inviting but, I still want to paint the kitchen orange and he doesn't...but he's coming around ;)

trixieh At last, some good advice that I can relate to and draw upon, thank you.

judygilpin WOW!!!! Didn't realize so many had issues with clutter. I'm a "mediumlist"....love beautiful things, but don't let them take over my life. It's pretty easy for me to part with things I'm no longer in love with. I'm not sentimental about "family" things. If I like them, I keep them. Otherwise, they're "outa here".. We moved from Washington state to Arizona about 2 years ago. Had 3 moving sales. We thought we had purdged everything we didn't want or need. Hardly!! Have had 4 garge sales since and took the better stuff to a consignment shop. Our house now is almost they way we want it to be. But I'll keep relocating (tossing) things as needed. I am an artist and interior designer and had to laugh at the photo of the room with the "insperation board". My God, that studio would be so confusing to me that all insperation would be lost in the shuffle......like too many sticky notes to remind you of things you always forget. My theory is, if you get rid of something and a year or 2 later you want it back, just go buy another. Chances are once it's gone you won't even remember you ever had it.

1wanderer I am trying to de clutter as we may be moving soon. Last week we cleaned out our walk in pantry. Binned heaps of stuff and took a car load of unused appliances and stuff to the local op shop. On the way home with an empty car I saw an outdoor table and chair setting sitting on the curb. Couldn't help myself so home it came with me lol

bonnpaul Great article, we are preparing for a move, so has helped alot!

konstadina Very informative post.!

Amanda Matrejek I think it's definitely been my biggest challenge trying to de-clutter my nostalgia-loving boyfriend's apartment. We recently moved in together and things I see as clutter (his framed baseball card, or a toy hockey stick), he sees as necessity. We have a similar style, but we definitely value different objects.

Varinia Am fabulous at having spaces devoid of clutter, if it's an unwanted item I simply donate it or place it in front of my house and within hours it has become someone else's clutter ! Problem solved :-)

Great article indeed.

olldroo Check before placing things on the footpath in front of your home, here you can be fined for littering.

caseyem If I have not used something in a year, I donate it. If I buy a new ( set of sheets, dishes or anything else) I donate an older like object. I clean out closets at least twice a year to keep down the accumulation. I always feel lighter when I have completed a purge. And I am not a minimalist by any means.

maddecorator I try to stick to the one-in, one-out rule also. Bring in an article of clothing — get rid of one. Simple. Of course, it's harder to get rid of things I love, like dishes, but it works pretty well for most things.

tiffany417 Love the article! After having our house flooded and seeing two floors of our possessions on our front curb, I have learned that its okay to get rid of stuff when you replace it or just don't need them anymore. We keep clutter to a minimum because things are just things, and its okay to let them go if they have lost their usefulness or meaningfulness.

Kathy Fautz Ha! it's just before midnight and I'm just sitting down to read because I've been cleaning out the cellars! Yes, i'm motivated to get rid of those things that no longer hold my attention. In exchange we will finally renovate the basement into a finished entertainment area - holding both a computer room for work and a grown up bar area for play; and - of course, a home theater and new bathroom just steps away!

kathleen MK Maximalist artist to the Max married to the Minimalist architect. We could be a reality show. Love how this author understands creative clutter is a tool for artists.

corinan Hi Sherry0117, I think you re married to MY husband. I am not a minimalist but he is way beyond that. I am currently trying to clear out the garage of our new house so I can fit my car into it before we have the predicted thunderstorm with hail, which could damage my new car, as it is outside until I succeed. I will try the economic argument, that expensive panel beating is not less desirable than keeping piles of junk that has no value to anyone (including him).

Very good article, I will try to get him to read it.

j0dy Thank you! Thank you! For this post. I'm sure we all are trying to figure out how to do this from time to time...or always. It's always on my mind. I try to keep what I love/like. I do have a tendency to have clutter even though my clutter are things I like but I just don't know HOW to display it all. I collect wine corks and have them in 2 big glass bottles and that's fine. I collect business cards. (It used to be matchbook's back in the day, when I would go to a new restaurant or an art show). I keep those in a glass jar too and those have enough space and is OK. My problem is- finding a place for all my collected sea shells over the last 2 years. That and just the 'normal' clutter of things. It's easy to stay clutter free....for a little while and then old habits start up again. I'm always inspired when I read and look at Houzz articles. I get SO many ideas here! And have used a lot. I know I will get it under control. I just need to find the space. Thanks again for the article!

idonttwantone How reassuring to my mental health to hear that others become nervous when the color is not white!

hollyshiach Laura this is such a kind article! The clutter issue can elicit the one camp or other fascist in people, the other camp being labelled either souless and anal/ or a hopeless mess! Wow I so prefer maximalist/ minimalist! I am in the artistic camp and have a love/ hate relationship with my creative mess. I am sentimental to boot so I find a lot of meaning in the things around me. Our home is well organised but seems to be a vortex for incoming stuff via kids/ mail/ packing up of our holiday house and my Mums house/ work/ projects..... I find the constant process of pairing down difficult and at times painful! I take regular boxes to charity, keep a giveaways box for friends, have a huge recycling bin in a big drawer, am getting more organised all the time but have a shed of terror that remains to be dealt with! It is accumulation of paper filing that I struggle with the most. Thanks for your tips!

astraea @caseyem - You're certainly doing your part to "support the economy", if you get rid of everything you haven't used in the last year! When my Mom died, she had an almost-new microwave I'd bought her, so I packed it up & took it home. 7 years later, my own microwave died, and I was able to pop hers in, without shopping or having it cost me anything. I doubt I would have gotten much, trying to sell it.

ycpiecoup I have too many plants! I have a hard time getting rid of them.

peggo Help! I struggle with "stuff" I am clean and organized, but also like to collect and decorate, so now I have collections in boxes (nicely packed & organized) awwwww...I have the space but the "stuff" bothers me, but its nice stuff, awwwww...

bvfields Facing clutter has not been difficult until now...after 50 years of marriage and getting the house ready to sell, I am reminded of my late Mother's comment: "Somebody else might want that." Thus the current challange!

susannamarie Well-written and appreciated! I tend toward the maximalist, but feel frustrated when too many things are taking up space.

For those who have items they're tired of seeing in personal home decor: While hiding them until you're ready to use them again is a good option, I've discovered sometimes the best thing to do is just to let go of them. Yes, you could donate, and another option to consider is giving it to someone you know how will really appreciate it. I've found knowing that something I have is going to someone who will delight in it makes it that much easier to let go of it. Or if you have a group of friends with similar taste who want a facelift for the New Year (as they declutter), consider having a "Decor Swap."

marsia When I saw the Walter Studio picture, I thought you were going to talk about minimalism - I guess that means I'm a maximalist, but most of my saved houzz pics are on the minimalist side, but showcasing gorgeous art. I like clean but homey. I would go crazy without my hobbies and books.

This article is very timely. Just went out and bought a bunch of baskets for the toys in the living room - we are remodeling and the living room is also the play room at the moment and I need less clutter, as the remodel is in it's second year now. De-cluttering feels so great!

corinan I wonder if some of the maximalist approach might be an inter-generational hangover from the Great Depression, when money was scarce and material goods very expensive, by our standards. I used to laugh at how my grandparents were always stocked up with groceries, just in case.

Now it seems as though we are approaching the point written about in a SF story years ago (The Midas Plague), where the poor people were the ones with too many material possessions, and the rich people lived extremely simply.

Paige Tomkinson I was just getting ready to go attack the mess and clutter....perfect aide in helping me do so!

peggo I think you're right-and i wanna be rich!!

Paintings by Kirsten Elizabeth Gilmore As an emerging artist working from a small home studio, I've learned to embrace the abundance of items lying about that some might call call clutter. But, these items now mostly have designated spaces they can be found in, so, perhaps it is better described as "organized visual clutter"? I'll be more zen-inspired when I can have more space to tuck these necessary art materials out of sight.

Thank you for the timely article. :)

Jack Rice Corinan @ I don't think you can attribute maximal-ism to living through the Great Depression, as many of those people are no longer living, any more than you could attribute minimalism to the current recession. It is really about taste and what makes us feel good about our homes. I was born in 1960 and grew up in homes that were "mid-century modern." As far back as I can remember thinking about interiors I disliked 60's/70's modern finding it garish, cold, mass produced and cheap. I much preferred homes that had handcrafted beautifully designed pieces of furniture in designs that have stood the test of time and collections of the same in objects and art.

Cordini Help "de-clutter" your home or office and organize better with Cordini!

murban This has been an inspiration......thanks so much....

stellabell Great points. One of my new year goals.

At heart, I'm a minimalist. I love clean sleek lines and nothing to mess up my thought processes. My problem is that I am sentimental and try to be a conservationist at times, saving something because I may use it one day or think that I will find another use for it. Not hard to guess I have a difficult time throwing anything away.

This article gives me a starting point. Thanks!!

delorys I am not a fan of dusting . I lean towards the minimalist because of the dusting... But do like to switch out pillows, throws & art work to give the room a new feel.

olldroo Corinan and Jack Rice. Both your points regarding the depression are valid. Yes most of those who lived through the depression and a World War with the resulting shortages and rationing, would have passed now but the next generation were raised by those people who instilled in them their values based on having lived through the depression. I'm talking here in generations, just because 10 -15 years have passed is nothing, it takes at least a generation of people for thinking to change. Don't forget too prior to the depression Class Distinction was still an important part of life and one reason the 'lower' or 'poorer' classes valued and hung onto their possessions. For a long time possessions were passed down through families too, not because of the value but because possessions meant something and it is only in recent years that that thinking has mostly faded out.

People didn't only stock up on food, household needs were also stored when they could be bought cheaply. I grew up through the 1950s and the effects of the depression were still being instilled into us and it took another 20 years before we could embrace the more secure lifestyle we had and could look forward to.

I couldn't agree more Jack with your comment about 60s and 70s furniture and furnishings, but I consider that era very much a break out time, when people really started to throw off all the old fears and uncertainties of their parents, it was minimalist too, again more because of the stifling overdecorated homes they had grown up in - probably went too far the other way, but it did open up a whole new world of furniture and decorating that led to the huge variety we have today.

carpenter01 I am sitting with my husband of 37 years reading this article. He is a minimalist and I am an maximalist. This has been a standing joke in our marriage all 37 years. This articIcle helps me understand the comfort I feel with all my clutter and the annoyance he feels with it all. Thank you so much.... Great article. Sue Ann

audreydassa So so true. I am still struggling with my clutter. Thank you.

elanaf Great article! Cant wait for that article about an Architect (my husband) and an artist's (me) different view on clutter!!

Bev I'm definitely an Artistic Maximalist! My home is always an everchanging tableau of the things I love. I live my life by my favorite all time quote:

"That which we elect to surround ourselves with becomes the museum of our soul and the archive of our experiences." -Thomas Jefferson

ploefff Just a small plea to any parents with adult children when decluttering - tell your kids because sometimes a stupid old plastic bowl that you used to serve me soup in when I was sick is a far more valuable heirloom that the antique china cabinet. Not that you have to ask permission but before the boxes goes to the tip/good will just let them know if there's anything they want now is the time.

Diane Wallace The common living areas in our home are pretty much clutter free and filled with things we love. Now my artist studio and my husbands office....that's another matter. Great post with good information. We're current listing lots of stuff that's in our "storage" area, and finding a great relief in having it find a new home. Thanks for the inspiration.

atino Three years ago I had to handle the estate of someone very special to me who passed away at an early age. This person left behind a very large home, garage etc, full of special items which he had worked very hard to obtain. As I went through things I couldn't help but think about how much time we all spend working/doing things to generate income to feather our nests. Perhaps if we worked less we would have fewer material items but would be able to have more free time to enjoy dynamic things like, people, nature, animals, events.
These thoughts have definitely influenced my consumption patterns today. I really think carefully before bringing anything new into my home that I won't consume or use up in its entirety. I also avoid bringing things into other peoples lives too that will be static space takers.

peggo I hear you loud & clear! I really do feel sorry for my kids if they have to go thru all my stuff. I MUST get rid of it!!

countrygirlatheart very enjoyable reading everryones ideas and thoughts! I've found the trick is to give myself 'boundaries'.....1 tote for crafts items, 1 small container to store figurines that are sentimental but not something I want out at the time....in my early 50's now and trying to give everything in my home a place of honor....but realistically, I am SOOO a work in progress!! Tackling my laundry room and rethinking how to store items there....got lots of great ideas from this site and feel confident in the choices for the room! Keep up the fantastic site! I just recently 'found' you after a friend told me about this site!! L O V E I T !!

corinan Olldroo
Good points you made re the past attitudes towards material goods. For many people there is still the attitude of keeping broken things because it used to be possible to fix things (a real tradition in my country), or recycle bits of it, so keeping bits and pieces was or could be useful. But things today are generally designed so that you have to buy a whole new thing (yes, smart phones, I am talking about you) so keeping broken things is often a waste of space.

Plus, buying things is easy and relatively cheap (thanks, eBay) while de cluttering takes time and we don''t think about it as being fun.

julietviney Inspiring article.

I've gradually been clearing my clutter while I've been off work sick for a few months. I have set myself rules: 1. Do I either use it or love it? If not - it goes / gets stored. 2. If I choose to store something, I ask myself if I will remember: a) that I still have it and b) where I put it. If not (unless it's a keepsake/heirloom) - it also goes!

The wardrobe clear-out has been hardest. Letting go of clothes that were just a mistake, impulse buys, things that don't go with anything or things that make me say "maybe I'll wear it one day" (knowing that I won't). Tough love required!

judygilpin I agree with the wardrobe purging.....very difficult to do for me also. Maybe because it looked so great when I tried it on in the store and paid way too much for it. When you toss it, seems like you're just throwing money down the drain. But there is a solution. I've found a great consignment shop that I take my things to. Everymonth I get a check in the mail and letting go of the mistakes is much less painful. Now I can actually find things in my closet and I am much more careful of the purchases I make.

bellamogirl I am a maximalist and I like to rotate my treasures on display. My only problem: lack of storage. My goal this year is to thin my collection of display items and work on improving my storage space

vegaspat What a great article - well written with appropriate illustrations. Your comment about color really resonated with me. I LOVE color, but certain colors do irritate me or make me feel down. I agree - it's important to get rid of those.
I was interested in noting the commenters who said they were moving and using the move as an opportunity to de-clutter. This absolutely makes sense. When you repaint a room is another opportunity to de-clutter. When you know in advance you have guests coming for a stay, it's another opportunity to de-clutter.
Everyone should take advantage of opportunities like these. In this town where I live,everyone seems to move their clutter along with them - does this make sense? Not to me it doesn't.
One commenter noted that she wished her children would de-clutter their toys. Christmas is an opportunity. I used to tell my daughter to select 10 or 12 of her toys she wasn't playing with anymore and we'd donate them to children less fortunate. Worked great for us!
Now that I'm on in years, I think of what my daughter will have to go through when I'm gone, so I've gone on a de-cluttering crusade, paring down and minimizing without sacrificing the treasures which make me feel comfortable in my home. I've also created a photo album of things she might be curious about (she lives in another state) or which might have value - real or sentimental (something of her grandmother's.)
As someone said, junk can be tossed, clutter can be donated. Remember the 3 Rs - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Then De-clutter.

olldroo Vegaspat - I'm with you on preparing for departure. Having spent months cleaning out my mother's home and not having a clue about anything I am creating a scrapbook of items she had that were, to me, of family historical value, and writing up as much family history as I can and adding my own things to it. Just wish I knew my 'Use By" date, the more I do, the more I find.

JAN MOYER No one knows if they should be buying green bananas. You could spend a lifetime wringing and worrying, or... you could sit the the parents down while they are still here, and ASK them what if anything is of true sentimental value. To them. You may be surprised to learn that you are the sentimental one, and the only reason a lot of their stuff is still there... is they couldn't face it all either. Nobody can take your memories away, you won't spend hours looking at stuff you pack away in boxes. It will be "stuff" that your children deal with, when bananas for you, green or otherwise, are no longer an option. You can say that is sad. But it isn't. The best part of everything I remember about my parents and grandparents are dinners around the table. Their laughs. Our crazy relatives. The way my sister could imitate anyone and have my dad in stitches. My sister has a china cabinet and a rug of my parents. I don't even notice it is in her house and not theirs. I don't remember it from their living room, though I know in fact it was there. Yes we have photos, far too many and most in boxes as the best are scattered in our homes. The rest? You guessed it. So except for the green plaid wool throw that went to every hospital stay with my Dad, a few photos, and one or two small treasures... the rest is all memory. Inked forever in place, no dusting required, no storage, no sorting. I think of him each time I pull that green plaid over my toes, and glimpse the photos on the table along side, he and mom laughing. More than that, I don't need.

olldroo Ah, but Jan those are the memories I am documenting for my children and grandchildren to give them an insight into our lives and relationships. With modern technology things are changing so fast, lifestyles and attitudes particularly, my grandkids are fascinated by what we didn't have and how we coped or what alternatives were, it really makes them think and appreciate what they have even more and why I think it so important to preserve these memories. Just gotta keep buying those green bananas!!!!

INSIDEOUT Modern and Traditional OMG Jan Moyer...you captured so much with your clever yet sensitive words, you are a writer. So many have written of their generous decluttering...amazingly sweet...and human...totally renews my faith...D

INSIDEOUT Modern and Traditional OMG Jan Moyer...you captured so much with your clever yet sensitive words, you are a writer. So many have written of their generous decluttering...amazingly sweet...and human...totally renews my faith...D

pauli12 I got the decluttering bug and moved about 30 pieces of clothing on hangers and some art I had been keeping to the consignment shop. So thank you all for the encouragement!
Yesterday I was at my mom's going through her closet...my dad was a historian and he had church records dating back to 1921.... all these lovely handwritten documents..... not sure what to do with those.
I am becoming more ruthless about it though....
I had some old maps I threw away because I was tired and just wanted to get it finished. I wish I had kept at least one of them.
I guess mistakes will be made and that is a part of life, but for the whole, I feel better 'lightening up'.

olldroo pauli, I'm sure if you don't want those church records, someone will. Check with the Church or your local library, the City Council, even your local newspaper may be interested or someone will tell you who is. Don't let them be lost forever. Don't know what sort of maps you had but they can be very valuable too. Please pass your father's records on, they will be a memorial to him and to you too for your selfless contribution.

morgana44 Old maps and handwritten records from years past may be treasures that historians, biographers, etc are seeking. The reason we know what we know of our past is the diaries and letters passed down to us. That won't be available in the future. So if you have some of those things try to find a home. Especially maps...some are found to be rare and worth money and in the future all maps might be collectibles because we now use technology.. Also old globes...there are people who collect them because we no longer use globes.

astraea I'm an officer in a local historical society, and old records & maps are very welcome! We try to cultivate relationships with realtors & boro officials, to know when people are selling (or tearing down) historic homes, to try & save any valuable documents, that might have just become "clutter" to the owners!

hopesilver As a working artist, I cannot help but be a maximalist, but I have begun to seriously look at organizing my art stuff in a logical way; what should and should't be seen, keeping surfaces to a minimum, as they attract unwanted piles of paper...the enemy of all unmans. I am on my 8th day of going through every paper n our files and piles of years...it's not fun, but when I am finished, I'll be done for a long while hopefully. I do admit that a home which has nothing in it is appealing because it is easy to take care of. I just don't like the clinical feel of minimalism.
Your home must have the right bones for that kind of look. And, I love art, and artifacts too much. Having said that, if all were to perish tomorrow, I doubt that I would mis anything so much that it would hurt.

hopesilver Another trick I've learned is if you want to save papers, whether they be written instructions, drawings, notes, etc., it's best to put them in a notebooks and label the notebook with it's contents listed on the outside. This takes care of some of that paper clutter anxiety that looks much worse than it is. Boxes are bulky and files usually get hidden or unopened. A nice row of colored notebooks looks great ad works well. Also, when I read a design magazine, I pull out the pages I love, put them in a plastic sleeve and put them in a corresponding notebook (outdoors, kitchen, etc.)
I also use this rule I made up a long time ago. When cleaning a room, put away only FIFTEEN things. No. I am not quite rainman, but..... Stop. How much more is left? Usually not as much as you think. So either stop and do another 15(or less) later, or continue on. In minutes, it's much less than you imagine.
Sometimes it is useful to use mental tricks so that the monotony and craziness of clutter does not get the best of us.

maddecorator As a former file fanatic, I am trying to go paperless. No system is perfect, and scanning takes time, but it makes me a lot more selective about what I save. No more hanging on to old utility bills! It also saves a ton of space. However, I do agree with hopesilver about using binders. They are great and look good, too. I still use them for clippings about places I want to visit, campgrounds, etc. I also use them to store ephemeral keepsakes that were my mother's, family stuff, obituaries, etc.

pauli12 I like the binder idea...maybe in a bookcase (which I need).
But everytime I hear the word "Binders", I have to smile.

olldroo hopesilver - I can't believe someone else counts like I do. When I have a lot of paperwork to cull or organise (I do folders too) I do 10 a day from each area till it is down to something I can comfortably finish.

When I get behind and feel swamped with housework I will set a timer to spend 10 mins in a room tidying or cleaning. As soon as 10 mins is up I move to the next room. Having a time limit makes me apply myself better so I achieve more, and once I have done that 10 mins in each room, I don't feel half as swamped and I can then run right through the house finishing everything.

wantsideas Great article and great comments! I think I am a fairly good at purging with a gentle shove from the husband. I can honestly say that I’ve never regretted any of the things I have sold or given away. My motto is, one thing in…two things out and beautiful, useful or loved and it stays.

jOdy…Have you thought about making a wine cork serving tray? When I was looking for a tray I came across some that were wood and glass but you needed to insert your own wine corks. Make one for yourself and maybe as gifts for the people you shared the wine with?

Ploeff…..so true. Asking adult kids before you donate or toss would be a good idea. You never know what really had meaning for them. But after asking….purge away. I would hate for my family to have to pick through my stuff and make decisions after I am gone.

I seem to have an over abundance of towels that are still in good shape just not my current colors. My husband wants them to clean up cars, basement, etc but still have too many. I donate them to the local animal shelters and vet’s offices who have an actual need for them when we don’t and never will.

olldroo Animal shelters, especially wildlife ones, are happy to take any old linens still in reasonably good condition - towels, bathmats, handtowels, facewashers, teatowels, sheets, doona covers, and pillowslips. I had a stack of frilly edged pillowslips I just had no use for and asked my local wildlife centre if they would be suitable and they replied the animals would be kept highly amused pulling the frills off.

pauli12 I have some old lambswool sweater I cut into large pieces I want to give to the animals. I have lots of good old dishtowels and washcloths too. Thanks for reminding us to help the animals.

Christy Delaney_Galba I am definitely a minimalist but my biggest challenge in keeping my home organized is the rest of my family. I am the minimalist and the rest of my family is not! They are continually "keeping" everything, while I am continually throwing stuff out! It drives me crazy. I have a place for everything and their "place" is everywhere. They leave stuff lying around all the time and it makes me want to pull my hair out! I think I should be telling this to a therapist and not on Houzz..LOL!!!
My other challenge is paperwork! It is so overwhelming. I go through it usually every week or two but there always seems to be too much of it....from kids school papers to insurance papers to bills, etc! I am a very organized person and love organizing but can't seem to get a handle on paperwork! HELP!

3430823 Fascinating how so many of us feel we must apologize for and justify our cluttering. If you don't believe it read the comments. I say if you don't enjoy it don't do it. And if you are happy with it all around help yourself. It is in good taste if you love it. And if you find you tire of it let it go.

Corky Turner I really enjoyed this perspective on decluttering. I've found most organizational advice suggests stripping everything away, and keeping only what you actually use. But I "use" everything I love, even if just for ideas or inspiration! Thanks for a more realistic approach for the artists of the world to declutter!

drakelol My sense of clutter might be classified as "antiquarian anti-minimalism". I find that I like places that have "accumulated artistically" rather than having been "decorated".

j0dy Thanks drakelol that's what I need to start saying when I get clutter. I'll just say it's 'accumulated artistically'. Sounds so much better than clutter ;) But really, I know what you mean.

olldroo Laura - sounds like a great idea for an ideasbook - Decorating Terminology 1.01

amnaggar Drakelol, thank you :)

mrsecm Thank you Laura - This article is fantastic ! It is one of the best written articles in this field that I have ever read. I now know what my style (soul of an architect) is. Also that it's not always necessary to just get rid of things but to work out how to house them so that they keep inspiring me but not overwhelming me.

chloelewislloyd Thank you for this wonderful article. Jan Moyer, you have me laughing so hard with tears running down my cheeks with your comment about the yellow slicker and your sister. I think when we become mothers, we get very sentimental and keep everything special from our children as we know someday they will be leaving our homes and its that little special something that we keep from them besides all the wonderful memories. Thank you so for the laugh. I need to go see if I have a yellow slicker stashed somewhere with someone's name in magic marker inside. : )

JAN MOYER chloelewislloyd,
I am glad I brightened your day lol ! Now picture your children laughing their fannies off ( as my sister and I were rolling on the floor) that you saved the crazy whatever it is.....as each generation is sentimental regarding their off spring, but the problem is each generation has MORE and more space to STORE it. So it's easy to see why the problem grows with every passing year!!

hopesilver I don't have an attic or a basement , as most homes in California don't. I also don't have a garage for storage, as this 400 sq. ft space was converted into a studio or bedroom . Also our home has the worst closet space. What I have is there to see for the most part, and when it became too much for others in my family, I boxed it up,(we have a small storage unit) or gave it away. My children have been told many times the value of certain items (if they don't smash in an earthquake first,,,) and everything else I have is useful, good and personal.
Except the paper piles and mail, etc. There needs to be an organizing system for paper!!!

arque thank you for understanding the artist's soul:)