Apartments come a few unique decluttering challenges when compared to larger townhouses or single-family homes. There are fewer spaces for clutter to hide (or be stored in) in smaller apartments and studios, and you may find it harder to declutter in an already-cramped room.
But it’s this small space that makes decluttering oh-so-important. A well-organized apartment will be more cozy, useful, clean, and cozy than one that’s filled to the brim with stuff.
Here are a few of the best tips for decluttering your entire apartment.
Start Small
You’ll likely end up overwhelmed (and on the verge of giving up) if you begin decluttering your apartment by starting with that scary hallway closet or overstuffed pantry.
Instead, ease into it by starting with the junk drawer, a nightstand, or something else that’s small and conquerable within the hour.
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Determine Your Decluttering Spot
Your 500-foot studio likely won’t have ample counter space or a cavernous living room that you can dump everything into to sort, and taking everything out on the spot can quickly turn your tiny space into an overwhelming, chaotic scene.
Instead, keep your apartment from feeling too cluttered while you declutter by picking a decluttering spot—a clean bed works great for this—and toting to your items to and from that spot with a laundry basket or cart.
Decide What’s a Want Versus a Need
Apartments often have very limited space. So it’s crucial that you only keep what you need to have versus what maybe-could-be-some-day-nice-to-have.
To move this process along, place items that toe the line between want and need into a separate bin, and store this bin in an out-of-the-way spot elsewhere in your apartment. Revisit it in six months to a year. If any items in it haven’t been used, donate, sell, or toss them.
Stick With the Same Routine For Each Space
To keep things consistent and efficient, stick with the same routine for decluttering each drawer, closet, or dresser. Begin by taking everything out, then place unwanted items into separate bags or bins to be dealt with later.
Sort the remaining items into categories—for example, the contents of a junk drawer could be organized into “writing supplies,” “extra keys,” and “helpful tools.”
Place items back into that space, using small bins, baskets, or bags to keep things organized, labeled, and separated.
Use Your Walls
Most apartments will be sorely lacking closet space, especially compared to more spacious single-family homes. This means you’ll be limited in where you can keep “extras,” tools, seasonal items, or even linens.
But there’s one space you may be forgetting about: your walls. Empty hallway or entryway walls can be a great spot for narrow shelves, cabinetry, or even a few carefully placed hooks. Find a storage solution that uses this under-used space.
Elevate Your Bed
While a sleek, low-to-the-ground bed can look quite trendy, it also offers little to no storage space underneath it. Consider purchasing bed risers or a taller bed frame to give yourself some more room for seasonal clothes, important papers, or other storage needs.
But make sure anything under the bed is in a (labeled!) bin or basket—tossing an unused holiday sweater or tax return under the bed will only add to the mess.
Try Not To Stockpile
As tempting as a good deal from a bulk store may be, those bulk purchases will only add to the clutter in small spaces.
Plus, they’re likely not all that necessary, especially if you only live with one or two other people or live in a walkable urban area with easy access to a few different stores. Keep just one (or maybe two) items of each type on hand to cut down on storage space needs.
Get Rid Of Your Clutter ASAP
Once you’ve identified the clutter and properly sorted it into donate, sell, and toss piles, actually do those things.
Leaving clutter—even sorted clutter—behind while you continue to organize the rest of your apartment can make your space feel cramped and unclean. Instead, take a few minutes to take out the trash, head to the thrift store, or post a few items on a buy-sell group.
