Stunningly Simple Minimalist Organization Tips [Transform Your Home TODAY]

I’m pretty sure that everyone enjoys seeing their things organized. 

There is just something about it that has a massively calming effect on me.

When I first embraced minimalism and decluttered my own home, I had no idea the effect it would have on my happiness, my productivity, and my entire life. Not only did my depression become more bearable, but I was able to recharge in any room in my home without feeling claustrophobic and overwhelmed.

Plus something else happened, I no longer needed to constantly organize my things anymore. 

Everything just fitted where it should. 

I didn’t have to rearrange cupboards every week trying to fit stuff in, pile everything up (and then curse myself when I needed the bottom item) or always be on the lookout for some magic, space-saving storage that promised the world (and rarely did they deliver! Except for vacuum bags, those babies are incredible!) 

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So, how do you organize like a minimalist? 

The simple answer is… You don’t.

As a minimalist, you declutter your home and then choose simple, coherent storage options that work intuitively. 

You just don’t need “hacks” when the amount of stuff you own is manageable. 

You end up decluttering to organize. 

And trust me, it works!

This may be the perfect time to consider reading more about minimalism. I know there is no real “definition” of the word because this concept can mean different things to different people.

Things like choosing quality over quantity, going paperless and digitizing everything, being more intentional with your time. These are all aspects of minimalism that you may want to include in your life. 

If you are looking to lead a more minimal life then set some step-by-step actionable tasks that start small, so you can create the minimalist atmosphere you desire and reduce the stress that comes with too much stuff. 

How do I go from clutter to minimalist?

How you go from a clutter filled life to something much more simple all depends on your concept of minimalism and how much you want to get rid of. 

Let’s face it, everyone has far more than they really NEED in their homes, and reducing that clutter makes organizing far easier. 

You do not have to start over and throw everything away, but purposefully recycling, selling, or getting rid of unused or not needed items will make organizing a breeze.

So let’s get to organizing like a minimalist!

How do you declutter and simplify a house? 

I actually have a step-by-step guide to decluttering your home full of minimalist tips for decluttering. 

I have summarized the information below, but if you need a bit more guidance then just click the button below to download your FREE decluttering guide so you can start working toward the organized house of your dreams!

You need to do some basic prep before you get started!  

Set aside a free day or even an entire weekend so you can accomplish all of this without interruption. 

The FIRST STEP in the process is to CHOOSE A ROOM or a CATEGORY.

Decide on a starting point. I find starting with your closet and then moving onto different rooms in the house the easiest way to do it.  

The SECOND STEP in my guide is to remove anything that doesn’t belong in that room or category. 

Take these items and return them to their “home” ready to be decluttered there.

Our THIRD STEP is to go around your home and ensure that all items that belong in the room or in that category are returned so you don’t miss anything. 

For the FOURTH STEP, set out where your TRASH, DONATE, KEEP & STORE piles will be.  

Make sure you’re using industrial trash bags (they need to be strong!) for your trash and donate pile.   

Here comes the hard part. You know the saying “it always gets worse before it gets better”? Well, this is what they were talking about… 

In STEP FIVE, we get everything out that we want to declutter.

So if you’re decluttering your closet get everything out and put it in a big pile, if you’re decluttering the kitchen, empty all the cabinets and draws!

Yes, it will look like a disaster zone at this point…

STEP SIX is actually decluttering!

Pick each item up and have a look at it. If your first thought is to throw away or that it is not something that brings you joy or has a purpose, put it in the bag and don’t look back. Consider if it is something that is genuinely trash, or if you can donate it for someone else to use. 

What should a minimalist keep?

In reality, whatever you want. Minimalism is about you and your life. There are no set rules.  

But my opinion is to keep what is necessary, what makes your heart sing, and rid yourself of the rest. 

If you’re still struggling with what to throw out and what to keep have a read of my FREE decluttering guide, just click the button below to grab your own copy!

At this point your first room or category should be fully decluttered! Congrats!!!! 

For our SEVENTH STEP we are going to get rid of the trash and donate bags.

It’s important they are out of the house before we even consider putting anything away because otherwise, it can be too easy to go back and take things out of them later!

But now we move onto the organization part, which I can promise you will be a lot easier having decluttered… 

Once everything has been put away neatly keep repeating the above steps until you have decluttered every room in your house. 

How do I start organizing my house? Minimalist Storage Ideas and Organizational Tools and Tips that Actually Work

Now we want to put everything away and tidy up the rooms or area we’ve just decluttered. You could call this STEP EIGHT but a lot of the tips I’m going to go over with you are more general tips for whole-house organization. 

But a quick word of warning, if, as you are putting stuff away, you are still finding it really difficult to keep things organized and fit it all in neatly then you might need to declutter some more. 

Have another look at your “keep” pile, does the furniture, closet, shelves, etc, provide enough storage space for all of the items? If not declutter again!

You don’t need more storage, but rather less stuff. 

In the beginning, it’s not uncommon to have to go back through your “keep” pile a few times. I know I certainly had to…

Now onto the tips!

Create an organized, designated catch-all place near your front entrance

I love this tip and think every household should do this. It stops things like car keys, wallets, bags, letters – you get the picture – being left all over the house.

So set up a little area, perhaps it’s a draw unit, some cute boxes or a bench with hidden storage that everyone can dump their stuff into when they get home from work or school. 

Make sure you go through it and clear it out once per week because I tell you the strangest stuff can end up there. But this will stop all those day to day items being just left everywhere around the house. 

Don’t pile open shelves with loads of stuff

If you want that minimalist look to your home (whether you’re actually planning on becoming a minimalist or not) make sure you don’t use your open shelves for storing loads of stuff. 

Instead, only place a few items on open shelves and keep the majority of your possessions in closed storage like boxes or cupboards.

In fact, you could put some pretty storage boxes on the shelves, but you just don’t want lots of stuff visible, for both aesthetic reasons and for your mental health. 

Use furniture with hidden storage

A great option to consider with your furniture is finding some that create “hidden storage”. This will allow you to keep things that need to be kept out of view without it looking like you have loads of cupboards everywhere! 

Like this ottoman that looks lovely but you can also store plenty inside it. 

Use labels

You think you will remember what’s in each storage box but you won’t, trust me on this and use labels.

Really you will thank me for it!

Digitize as much as possible

Go paperless! And don’t forget to unsubscribe to email newsletters once in a while, digital clutter is just as annoying and damaging as physical clutter. 

Dealing with duplicates 

If you find a duplicate of something, get rid of it. You do not need two potato mashers and three front doormats (yes I somehow had three front doormats, don’t laugh.)

Unless it’s something that will get used up, like shampoo, but make sure you always go “shopping” in your deep storage before you actually buy something!

Keep items where you use them

For example, it makes sense to store pens in the office, right?

But if you’re always using pens in the kitchen then you need to store some there as well because otherwise, you’ll end up with pens just randomly laying around. 

I know a lot of these tips may seem small, but it really is the small things that keep your home looking lovely and organized. 

Think of the stuff that’s normally creating clutter – papers, car keys, random objects you used yesterday but haven’t had the time to put away yet – you’ll see that these tips will actually stop that clutter from being there!

Minimalist living tips to stop the clutter accumulating

Once the clutter has been completely removed from your home, you will feel relief, finally an organized home *without* having to buy countless different storage options… 

But here’s the thing, minimalist organization is a continuous process

Organizing and decluttering is always ongoing. Your first declutter was very important, but keeping the clutter away is just as crucial.

So here are a few tips on how minimalists live to keep their homes simplified and clutter-free!

Declutter regularly

Don’t worry, it’s way easier the second time…

I like to do a big declutter at least once per year and then I might declutter certain areas as and when if I notice they’re looking a bit bloated. 

Be intentional with what you buy

Really think if this item will enhance your life, or will it become just something else you have to deal with? 

You can always use the one in one out concept if you are ready to go all-in with minimalism, where every time you introduce something new into the home, you have to get rid of something. It does work! 

Always choose quality over quantity

We want items to last so no more just buying the cheapest thing, now we only want something in our life if we love it and it’s best suited for its purpose. 

Rent where possible

When you have a very expensive buy, such as a black-tie gown or tools for a DIY project, check if there is a rental option.

There’s no point in buying something, particularly an expensive something if you’re only going to use it once or twice. 

 

As you’ve seen minimalist organization is less about storage hacks and more about just having less stuff. 

So take back your life, reduce the clutter and have the organized home of your dreams!

And don’t forget to grab your FREE decluttering guide, just click the button below and it’s all yours. 🙂