How to | Decorate without the clutter

You want to have a home that is curated, organized, and decorated with all the things that make you YOU – the dried flowers from your wedding bouquet, the portrait of your parents, your favorite psalm verse. But, lots & lots of stuff collected over several years adds up & sometimes makes your home look less like a functional space and more like a hot mess.

As we are spending more time at home these days we have the perfect opportunity to clear the clutter, add your bliss, & have the home you love that is both beautiful and organized!

How? Read on, dear friend.

As you’ve heard before, before you can add anything, you must remove something first. That is basic decluttering 101.

So we can talk all day long about adding decor and art to your home but first, something MUST go. And while scary, this part is really the fastest. How do you identify what should go from your home?

• Walk through your home and gaze around at all your items (could include large furniture items too). Stop at any spot that your eyes land & you think to yourself “hmm, this doesn’t look right” or “why did I buy that?” These items are great indicators of ones to get rid of.

Ask yourself:

1. Does this item serve a function or purpose?
2. Does this item tell a story about me or my family?
3. Do I like this item?

• If you answered “NO” to any of the three questions above, chuck or recycle the item immediately. Having that piece take up any more of your time is actually sabotaging your peace & happiness. It no longer serves you.
• Repeat this process throughout your home or room. Hopefully when you’re done, you’ll have only items left that are serving a particular function or that you love.

Now, that you’ve decluttered and removed some items, you can add. And the key here is to work in reverse of the previous step. So, you will only add decor that either serves a purpose, tells a story about you, and/or that you love.

For organization of items you already have and didn’t/can’t get rid of, you keep your clutter from getting overwhelming by keeping everything within its place, arranged in bins, cubbies, or shelves.

So how is any writer supposed to pen a stunning piece of advertising copy — copy that sizzles and sells? The following tips will jumpstart your creative thinking and help you write a better ad. Consumers are inundated with ads, so it’s vital that your ad catches the eye and immediately grabs interest.

Use a tray to hold coffee table items. This gives you the best option for quickly picking up the tray and putting it aside when you need the entire surface of the table for games, working, eating, putting your feet up, whatever your jam is!

Hide your clutter. Just because you need to have the items nearby within arms reach does not mean they can’t be neatly kept out of view with a magazine holder, or storage bin.

Keep it simple. I see homeowners try to cram too many items and accessories in one place and truly less is more. Follow the triangle principle and have the tallest item in the center and shorter items on the left/right.

Choose furniture with built-in drawers to store catch-all items like paper, cards, or pens.

Be creative with your shelves! Find unique shapes or material for your shelving and include a few decor items to showcase. Don’t throw your whole kitchen sink onto it, hide the rest in a cabinet or closet.