How to Declutter Your Home One Gentle Step at a Time
Hand’s up if you’ve been asking yourself how to declutter your home this spring! There’s something about spring that stirs up the urge for a refresh. The light changes and we can open the windows a little wider to let fresh air circulate. But we also begin to notice the things that have quietly piled up during winter—cluttered surfaces, overflowing drawers, the hallway that seems to collect everything from school bags to boots. Spring is the time we start to feel the need for a clear out, to make more space, so we can breathe a little easier in our homes.
While the idea of spring decluttering sounds uplifting, the reality often feels overwhelming. I don’t know about you but my life is pretty busy. Even the thought of devoting a whole weekend (or more) to decluttering my home from top to bottom can often be enough to make me quietly close that overstuffed cupboard and walk away, pretending I don’t see it.
This is where a gentler approach is needed. Decluttering doesn’t have to be dramatic or done all at once. It can be slow, steady, and thoughtful—a process that unfolds over time. With a few simple decluttering tips and a mindset shift, we can start to let go of the things that are no longer serving us, and begin to shape a space that feels calmer, lighter and more aligned with how we want to live.
So here are some tips on how to declutter your home without the stress. Whether you’re dipping your toe in with a drawer or two, or ready to embrace a full spring refresh, these spring decluttering tips will help you take that first gentle step.
Start with Your Why
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Before you reach for the storage baskets or begin piling items into charity shop bags, pause for a moment. Decluttering isn’t just about getting rid of things. It’s about making space for what matters. So before you begin, ask yourself: why do I want to declutter?
Maybe you want a home that feels calmer at the end of a long day. Maybe you’re craving more usable space at home for family life, creativity, or simply the ability to breathe a little more easily when you walk through the door. For some, decluttering is about reducing mental load. For others, it’s about creating room to grow into a new season of life.
Taking time to connect with your reason helps the process feel less like a task and more like an act of care. It also makes the decision-making easier when you’re sorting through your things. If you know what you’re creating space for, it becomes clearer what no longer needs to stay.
This simple step of anchoring yourself in why can turn the act of decluttering your home into something far more meaningful than a spring clean. When you start with intention, how to declutter your home becomes less about getting rid of things and more about making space for the life you want to live.
Create a Calm, Doable Decluttering Plan
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Decluttering your home doesn’t have to mean turning your weekend upside down or emptying every cupboard in a frenzy of decision-making. In fact, the most lasting change often comes from small, steady shifts rather than dramatic overhauls. If the idea of a big spring clear-out feels overwhelming, start smaller and slower.
Begin by choosing just one area to focus on. That could be a single drawer, a kitchen shelf, or the pile of unopened post by the front door. Setting manageable goals is one of the most effective decluttering tips, especially if time is limited or energy is low. You might even find it helpful to set a timer—ten or fifteen minutes is often enough to make a visible difference, and short sessions help you avoid burnout.
Another gentle approach is to move through your home room by room over the course of a week or a month. Keep a basket or box nearby for anything you’re unsure about, so the decision doesn’t hold up your momentum. And don’t forget the power of a reset ritual—opening a window, playing music, or lighting a candle as you begin can help mark this time as something intentional and positive.
These spring decluttering tips aren’t about how fast you can go—they’re about discovering how to declutter your home in a way that feels calm and sustainable.
Clear the Clutter, Not Your Whole Schedule
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Once you’ve made a gentle plan, the next step is finding ways to fit decluttering into the rhythm of your everyday life. Because let’s be honest—very few of us have hours to spare, and even fewer have the energy to tackle the entire house in one go.
Instead of waiting for the “perfect” time, try anchoring your decluttering into moments that already exist. Ten minutes while dinner cooks. A quick sweep of the bathroom shelf before your morning shower. Sorting a drawer while catching up on your favourite podcast. These small windows of time are often overlooked, but they’re where real change can begin.
One of the simplest decluttering tips is to keep a donation bag or box out in the open—somewhere visible, easy to reach, and ready for anything you no longer need. This one act makes it easier to let go in the moment rather than putting it off for later.
You don’t need to do everything at once. In fact, the most lasting progress often comes in quiet, consistent steps. This is how to declutter your home without overloading your schedule—one habit, one drawer, one shelf at a time.
Try the Marie Kondo Method
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A few years ago, a friend introduced me to the Marie Kondo, a professional organiser and declutterer, and I still think about her every time I attempt to declutter my own home. Her approach starts with asking if items spark joy. If not, we should thank them for the joy they once brought and then let them go. If they still spark joy, they can stay. I really like this philosophy of gratitude. Rather than treating decluttering as an exercise in guilt or waste, she invites us to celebrate each item for its contribution. There’s something beautiful about that. It softens the process. It gives you permission to part with things that no longer serve you, without the heaviness of shame.
I have mostly used her approach to organising my clothing, especially the art of folding and storing garments vertically so you can see everything at a glance. This approach completely changed how I use my storage. It’s such a simple shift, but it makes daily life easier: no more digging to find what you need, no more forgotten items crumpled at the bottom of the drawer.
The Maris Kondo method is a mindset that turns decluttering your home into something deeper—a quiet ritual of release, grounded in appreciation. And it can apply to more than just clothes. That gift you never used, the book you didn’t finish, the things you’ve outgrown but feel guilty letting go of—they all played a role. And now, you get to choose what stays.
These spring decluttering tips aren’t just about what you organise. They’re about how you feel while doing it—and what energy you carry forward into your newly cleared space.
Get Creative with Storage
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Once you’ve cleared space and chosen what stays, the next step is making it easy to keep things tidy. The best storage doesn’t just hide clutter—it supports the way you live, making everyday routines simpler and smoother.
Start by thinking about what you reach for regularly. Could it live somewhere more accessible? Are there items you love but rarely see because they’re packed away? Storage should feel intuitive, not like a puzzle. Open baskets, shallow drawers, and clear containers can help you see what you have at a glance, so nothing gets forgotten.
If space is limited, look up and look under to maximise storage space. Vertical storage is a quiet game-changer—wall hooks by the door, floating shelves above a desk, or even hanging rails inside cupboards can free up valuable surface space. Under-bed boxes, ottomans with hidden compartments, and multi-purpose furniture like ottoman beds are also brilliant options when square footage is tight.
And don’t be afraid to get a little creative. An old wooden crate can become a shoe rack. A ceramic bowl might hold keys, receipts or loose bits that tend to wander. Sometimes the most satisfying storage solutions are the ones you already have.
And if you do find there are things you want or need to keep, maybe for sentimental reasons or because you are sure you will need them in the future but you don’t need them taking up space in your home right now. You can consider hiring a storage unit where they can stay safe until needed. Self-storage is a great way to free up space at home without losing your belongings. But don’t use it as an excuse not to do the hard work!
Decluttering your home isn’t just about clearing what’s there—it’s about reshaping the space so it supports you going forward. When you find storage that suits your needs and your style, it becomes easier to stay organised, even when life gets busy.
When your storage supports your habits, it becomes easier to stay organised—and knowing how to declutter your home in a way that suits your lifestyle makes it far more likely to last.
Create Gentle Habits for a Clutter-Free Home
The beauty of a decluttered space isn’t just how it looks—it’s how it feels to live in. But once the initial momentum wears off, it’s easy for clutter to quietly creep back in. Life happens. Clutter piles up. Surfaces become landing zones. The key to maintaining a calm, tidy home is building habits that support it—gently, and without perfection.
Start small. A five-minute evening tidy-up can make all the difference, especially in high-traffic areas like the kitchen or hallway. Create a home for the things that tend to roam—keys, chargers, unread post—and reset them each day. If it helps, tie your habits to something you already do: clear the table before your morning coffee, or straighten the cushions after your favourite evening show.
You could also try the “one in, one out” method—each time something new enters your home, let go of something else. It’s a quiet way to keep things balanced, especially when it comes to clothing, books, or children’s toys.
These aren’t strict rules—they’re gentle rhythms. The kind that support a clutter-free space not through discipline, but through kindness and consistency. Because decluttering your home isn’t a one-off event—it’s an ongoing relationship with the space you’re creating.
A Home That Holds Space for You
Decluttering your home isn’t just about clearing out physical things—it’s about making space for something deeper. A sense of calm. A little more breathing room. The feeling of walking into a space that reflects who you are and how you want to live. A home you love living in.
This process doesn’t need to be fast, flawless or all-consuming. It can be slow. Quiet. Thoughtful. It can happen one drawer at a time, in between the busyness of everyday life. With a few gentle habits and a mindset rooted in intention, learning how to declutter your home becomes less of a one-time task and more of a supportive, lifelong rhythm.
Spring invites us to refresh. So take it one gentle step at a time. You don’t have to do everything. You just have to begin.
