8 Simple + Effective Ways You Can Eliminate Visual Clutter in Your Home
Visual clutter is one of the leading causes of stress. But the hard truth of the matter is that you’re the only one who can do anything about it. If you want to reduce stress and anxiety, one of the best things you can do is eliminate visual clutter. While that may sound easier said than done, there are many ways you can do this that are simple and effective.
Let’s look at 8 ways you can eliminate visual clutter in your home
#1 — Give everything a home
I can’t stress this tip enough. If you want to eliminate visual clutter, you need to give everything a home. And I mean everything. I’m talking about that stress ball you keep on your desk or even your television remotes. When everything has a home to go to you’re going to naturally have less clutter.
Not to mention you’ll find things faster. If you keep your keys, sunglasses, and masks in one place, you know where they are so you can get out the door faster. This tip can even benefit children. If you teach them to give each of their toys or items a home, they’ll be able to find them without coming to you for help.
Don’t overcomplicate this. Make sure the home of the item is functional and makes sense. Keep your keys on a hook beside the door or in a bowl on a sideboard. That’s the perfect home for them. Don’t keep your keys in your dresser if you’ve never done that before.
#2 — Put it away immediately
This next tip piggybacks off of the first one. To eliminate visual clutter, start putting things away as soon as you're done with them. Even if you know you’re going to leave the house again, put your keys away in their designated home instead of throwing them on a random surface. This will save you time looking for them later.
It takes less time to put things away immediately than it does finding them hours later and putting them away then. For example, when you come home, hang up your coat and put your shoes away immediately. When you go grocery shopping, take the time to store everything away neatly. If you receive a package, remove the item and dispose of the packaging as soon as you can.
You’ll find that doing this keeps clutter from piling up because you’re taking care of things as they appear. Yes, there will be times when you can’t put all the groceries away. If that happens, put the necessary items away and finish the rest as soon as you’re able. Stop letting things pile up. That’s what takes up precious time later in the day.
#3 — Keep it simple
I mentioned before that the worst thing you can do is overcomplicate things. Don’t think too hard about where your keys should live when they’re not in use. Think function above everything else. When you keep things simple, you’re saving yourself from unnecessary stress.
So if you want to eliminate visual clutter, don’t think you need elaborate organizing systems. What you need are simple and quick solutions. Keep a paper tray near your front door for all incoming mail and other papers. Implement the put things away immediately rule. And if you want more tips on how to easily simplify your home, check out this blog post.
#4 — Schedule regular decluttering sessions
Another thing you can do to eliminate visual clutter is to schedule regular decluttering sessions. This doesn’t mean you throw away everything you own. Instead, think of it as a fresh start. Throughout the year, we tend to bring things into our homes that we use once, maybe twice, and then forget about. But rather than get rid of it once it has served its purpose, we store it somewhere and leave it there to collect dust.
Start small. Twice a year take some time during a weekend and walk through your house. Check every nook and cranny. Basements, attics, and garages should be your focus here. And don't forget your pantry.
Anything that has expired or you can’t remember the last time you used it, declutter it. If you have a ton of skiing equipment, but you can’t remember the last time you skied, it’s time to say goodbye. And before you say, “But I might go skiing again,” know that skiing equipment can be rented. So on the 10 percent chance you may go skiing again, you can rent what you need or borrow it from someone else.
#5 — Conceal wires
You can eliminate all the visual clutter in your home and still have wires peeking out from every which way. Because of all the technology and digital devices we own, we need wires for charging them. But who wants to stare at a gaudy wire when watching TV?
Thankfully, there are many great ways to conceal wires. You can buy decorative boxes and run the wires through them. There are adhesive wire organizers you can stick behind desks or other furniture. You can also get creative and build your own concealing device. My brother-in-law covered their television wires with a wooden cover he drilled into the wall. They then painted it the same color as the living room wall so it blended in better.
Another way to keep wires from taking over is to have a central charging station. Phones, tablets, etc. This way all the wires are together and they won’t be scattered throughout the house.
#6 — Create a weekly cleaning schedule
Visual clutter can be more than just physical items in your space. You can also be offset by dust, noticeable fingerprints, and general uncleanliness. In my experience, there are three kinds of people:
Those who clean when things are dirty.
Those who clean when company is coming over.
Those who stick with a cleaning schedule.
If you want to eliminate visual clutter, particularly dust, you’ll want to use a cleaning schedule. If you’re about to argue that you don’t have time, don’t worry. Your weekly cleaning routine doesn’t have to be complicated. Mine isn’t and you can read all about it here.
Your focus is to create a simple routine that involves cleaning what bothers you. If dusty surfaces annoy you, focus on cleaning those once a week. If your carpet gets dirty fast, focus on vacuuming once a week. Save deep cleaning for when you have more time. But instilling a simple weekly cleaning schedule is going to be a game-changer.
#7 — Don’t forget your digital space
I mentioned before that clutter isn’t always physical. You could have the tidiest house but still get stressed over digital clutter. We spend over half of our days online. Whether it’s working on a computer, watching TV, or scrolling through our phones. Our lives are 90% digitized and you’ll be surprised how cluttered your digital space can get if you’re not careful.
It's important to take time to declutter your phone and computer. Especially if you use them every single day. And if you organize apps into folders, think how fast you'll find what you need. It’s common to download an app for one-time use and then forget to delete it. It’s common to take thousands of pictures and never go back to delete poorly shot ones.
Decluttering your digital devices will also free up storage and allow them to perform faster. Still not sure where to start? Here are 12 things to declutter to free up your digital space.
#8 — Add a nightly tidy-up to your evening routine
This simple hack completely changed the way I approach clutter. It also provides one final win before I head off to bed. Who doesn't want that? Your mission is easy: each night before bed spend 10-15 minutes tidying up. I’ve mentioned this in previous posts, but it bears repeating because of how effective it is.
I’m not talking about a rigorous cleaning routine here. Simply go from room to room and clear any surfaces. Put things away in their home. Wipe down any dusty spots if you feel inclined. Your focus is resetting your space. This way when you wake up in the morning, you know everything is clean and in its proper place.
This simple hack is a great way to eliminate visual clutter. It also improves your mental health because you’re able to go to bed knowing your home is in order.
These eight tips are just the tip of the iceberg in helping you eliminate visual clutter. It won't be easy at first. But soon you'll feel your stress levels fade and you'll be motivated to keep going. And know that my blog offers decluttering and organizing tips every month. So if you never want to miss a post, sign up for my email list.
What are your biggest obstacles when it comes to eliminating visual clutter? Have you tried any of the tips mentioned above?
