Bedroom Decluttering

1. Pause before you start

When you’re new at bedroom decluttering, you might feel overwhelmed. It’s normal to experience some resistance when approaching such a big task. The bedroom is the most important room in your home. That’s why it’s important to understand what makes this room what it is. When you are aware of its present condition, you can more easily approach the decluttering process.

Before you bring out any rubbish bags or donations boxes, sit down and think about what you have. Is there something you use often? Is there something you no longer use? Do you have spaces or furniture that could be used in multiple ways? Take inventory before starting. It will save you time and effort.

2. Set the vision

Have a vision of what you want your bedroom to look and feel like. Bedroom decluttering is easier when you have a vision. Apart from sleeping, this might be a room where you read or study. It’s important to think of your home as a whole. Are you using your bedroom for other purposes that could fit somewhere else within your home? If you like to do crafts, for instance, you could find a space within your home to place all your crafting supplies. It’s important to have a vision. Vision will help you determine what goes and what stays.

Vision is closely related to purpose. Find the ultimate purpose for your bedroom apart from sleeping. It might take some reworking of your space, but bedroom decluttering is worth the effort.

3. Get the family involved

Every person in the home is a team player. If you have kids, for example, teaching them the habits and discipline of decluttering is important. Acting like a team requires effort, respect and time. To create lasting change within the home, everyone will need to participate in the process. This means that when it comes to the children’s bedrooms, it will be necessary to check with them before throwing away any of their possessions. They don’t have to keep everything, but the selection process will teach them autonomy and stewardship.

It might be helpful to set out some clear boundaries and goals to achieve. The Art of Decluttering team loves teaching the whole family how to smash bedroom decluttering!

4. Start with a blank slate

What do you have in your bedroom? Rather than throwing out whatever is giving you problems, identify what is useful, use-less and what could become a donation. Once you do this, grab a bin, and dispose of the rubbish. Often, we accumulate empty lotion bottles, old correspondence, magazines, and other items that could be easily disposed of.

Things you’ve outgrown are part of this step as well. If you haven’t used something for over six months, do you need to keep it? Asking yourself the tough questions will help you filter what stays and what goes. Ideally, if you have a vision, the blank slate won’t be an issue.

5. Follow the natural limits

Every bedroom has a specific size and a specific number of storage solutions. If you’re struggling to declutter, taking the natural limits of your bedroom into account will help you. Bedroom decluttering is about making the most of what is there and what needs to stay there.

When you follow the natural limits, it’s easier to find a home for everything. Take your time finding a home for each item. Don’t be afraid of getting rid of doubles or triples of a specific item when you only need one of that item. In the process, you will not only develop your decluttering skills but also maintain a decluttered bedroom.