FEELING BOGGED DOWN? REMOVE CLUTTER!

Feeling Bogged Down? Remove Clutter.

A designer’s guide to decluttering, purging, and creating a calmer home

If your home has been feeling “heavy,” it’s often not your style—it’s your stuff. Visual clutter steals breathing room, makes cleaning harder, and can quietly keep you on edge. Research has even linked more cluttered home environments with less healthy daily stress patterns (cortisol) in adults. (PubMed) And from a brain-and-focus standpoint, when there’s more in your visual field, it’s harder for your attention to lock onto what matters. (PubMed)

The good news: you don’t have to become a minimalist to feel better. You just need a plan.

Why clutter creates stress (and why it feels so personal)

Clutter isn’t only “mess.” It’s unfinished decisions. It’s maintenance debt. It’s the mental load of seeing things that still need a home.

And the kicker? Clutter collects dust, hides grime, and makes even a beautiful room feel less “finished.” When surfaces are crowded, your eye can’t rest—and neither can you.

Step 1: Choose your “calm goal” (not a perfection goal)

Before you touch a single drawer, pick one clear outcome:

• “I want my living room to feel restful.”

• “I want my mornings to feel easier.”

• “I want guests to feel comfortable.”

• “I want cleaning to take half the time.”

A great resource for mindset + prompts is Secrets of Simplicity by organization expert Mary Carlomagno, which focuses on aligning your time, money, and space with your real priorities. (Amazon)

Step 2: Use the “4-Pile Method” (fast, simple, no drama)

Grab 4 bins or bags and label them:

1. Keep (lives here)

2. Donate (good cause)

3. Trash/Recycle

4. Relocate (belongs in another room)

Designer tip: Set a 20-minute timer. Fast decisions beat emotional spirals.

Step 3: Start with “high-impact zones” (where you feel it most)

These spots change the feel of the home immediately:

• Entry drop zone (keys, mail, shoes)

• Kitchen counters

• Dining table

• Coffee table

• Bathroom vanity

• Nightstand

When these are clear, your whole home feels cleaner—even if every closet isn’t perfect yet.

Room-by-room declutter plan (that actually works)

If you want a structured approach, a room-by-room method keeps you from bouncing around and quitting halfway. (Homedit)

Living Room (comfort + connection)

• Remove anything that doesn’t support how you use the room (lounging, hosting, reading)

• Limit décor to intentional groupings (not scattered items)

• Create one “beauty moment” (a tray, a lamp, a plant) and let it breathe

Kitchen (function first)

• Clear countertops: keep only daily essentials

• Purge duplicate gadgets

• Make one drawer a “command center” (scissors, tape, pens, chargers)

Bedroom (sleep sanctuary)

• Nightstands: only what supports sleep (lamp, book, water)

• Closets: if you haven’t worn it in a year, it’s a donate candidate (with exceptions for formalwear)

Bathroom (clean + calm)

• Toss expired products

• Decant or corral daily items so the counter stays visually quiet

• Keep one “spa touch” (a candle, rolled towels, plant)

Home Office (focus zone)

• Paper piles are attention killers

• Create: Inbox / To-Do / File (and nothing else on the desk)

Cluttered desk creating visual stress and distraction in a home office - drastic I know.

A minimalist office with open space and soft light helps with focus.

Simplify & purge “for a good cause”

Decluttering is easier when it’s not “getting rid of things,” but moving value where it’s needed.

Ideas:

• Donate gently used clothing, towels, blankets

• Offer household items to a local shelter or community group

• Consign higher-quality furniture and décor

• Recycle electronics responsibly

Mindset shift: Your unused items can become someone else’s treasure—and your home gets lighter.

Curate what you keep (this is where “designer magic” happens)

After you purge, what remains should feel intentional.

The “Treasure Rule”

If it’s meaningful, display it like it matters:

• One heirloom bowl on a console

• A framed vintage piece in a clean vignette

• A small collection grouped together (not sprinkled around)

When treasured items have space around them, they look more valuable—and your room looks more elevated.

Treasured items in the clients space creates conversation pieces and elevates their space.

Maintain it: the 10-minute reset

Clutter returns when your home lacks a simple rhythm.

Try:

• 10-minute nightly reset (clear surfaces, load dishwasher, quick tidy)

• One-in, one-out for clothes and décor

• Seasonal sweep (4x/year): donate a bag, toss expired items, reset storage

  
  

When to call a designer (yes, really)

Sometimes clutter is a storage design problem, not a willpower problem.

AOTA can help you:

• Refresh and ework furniture layouts for better flow

• Add smart storage (built-ins, cabinets, stylish closed storage)

• Create “drop zones” that look beautiful

• Finish the room so it feels complete—and stays that way