Decorate Without Clutter
How to Effectively Look for a Home
October 9, 2020
Safe Halloween Fun!
October 30, 2020
How to Decorate Without Feeling Cluttered
Decorating your home can be a bit of a challenge if you are not an interior designer. You may think that it’s going to be easy, but once you start, it can prove to be more difficult than you expected. This especially rings true when you are trying to decorate your home without feeling cluttered. You know, all those little knickknacks and tchotchkes that were given to you over the years. They need a place to live, just make sure not to overcrowd them! When it comes to decorating your home, think minimal and clean. Once your space starts looking like there is too much stuff, it might be time to purge. The fall is a great time to do so! Check out our awesome article on how to easily purge your home if this applies to you. Now, let’s get into how to decorate your home without clutter!
We absolutely know that everybody’s decor style is different, and if you don’t like the tips given in this article, that’s okay! You can decorate your home however you see fit. These tips are just here to help make your home feel a little less cluttered.
Keep it Minimal
As we said before, it is best to keep your “stuff” to a minimum. This applies to all counter spaces, tabletops and open shelving. Even your fireplace mantle. Anywhere that your knickknacks can gather. This does not mean that you have to keep these surfaces totally free of everything! You can absolutely add a plant or some other sort of decor to a surface. You can even add more than 1 as long as the surface area allows for it! Remember the 80:20 rule. For every surface, try not to fill it up at more than 20%. Besides, you want to show off those beautiful quartz countertops anyway! Why fill them up so that you cannot see them! Same goes with your table, a table cloth or table runner can look beautiful, just don’t overdo it with a giant centrepiece with candles, etc. Check out our great article on decorating your kitchen counters!
Put Stuff Away
It’s funny how easy this sounds and how hard it is to actually do! Sometimes keeping your spices out on the kitchen counter is easier to grab when doing your cooking. But, if you keep the spices behind closed doors, it will instantly clean up those counters! Leaving the broom out or toys on the floor can make a home look cluttered, so why not take the extra 30 seconds to put them away. I know, it is easier said than done! If you create a dedicated space for everything in your home, this will make things easier. For example, maybe you always leave your keys on the stairs or on a table by the door. Try adding a small decorative bowl to the table and put your keys in it instead. If less clutter is what you are going for, putting your things back where they belong is going to go a long way! Finding a spot for everything to go is your first step.
Don't Overcrowd Your Walls
Wall decor is often something that isn’t talked about or utilized in homes. When done properly, your walls can add a great accent to every room. When they become overcrowded, they are more of an eyesore than anything else. If your room is small, it is great to add a mirror to make it seem bigger. A great tip for mirrors is to have a window reflecting into them as well. This will give the illusion of more space along with bringing in more natural light! Be sure that the frame on the mirror matches something in that room and don’t add a bunch of photos or art around it. Mirrors are great for decorating, but they should never be crowded. If you have a large wall, it is okay to go for something large and bold. A large piece of simple artwork can add colour and interest to a room, just try not to add a very large, busy picture with a room full of patterns and funky furniture.
Keep a Healthy Plant Life
Plants are great for adding some life to your space. The greenery adds a serene oasis and also helps to improve the air quality in your home. That being said, too many plants can look a little… “overgrown”, pun intended. If you are looking for a larger plant, be sure that it isn’t going to be larger than the room allows for. 8ft ceilings should never house plants that grow higher than 6ft tall. In smaller rooms, you can definitely have more than 1 plant, just don’t load up on large plants. Try a few smaller plants in cute pots on a table together. A general rule when decorating with plants is to keep them in odd numbers. Symmetrical plant arrangements look a little more formal, odd numbers give them more of a casual look. You could also add a hanging plant or one that can be placed on shelving on the wall. When placing plants on shelves, counters and tables, remember not to crowd them with other items.
Rug & Throw Pillow Dilemmas
Having an oversized rug in a smaller room or too many throw pillows on the couch or bed can be a bit of a disaster. If done properly, both of these items can make a room look amazing! Choosing the right sized rug for your room can be fairly easy. A good rule of thumb is to make sure that all 4 feet of every piece of furniture in the room are sitting on the rug. If you have furniture up against the wall, make sure the rug ends before the feet of the furniture. You don’t want your furniture to be lopsided, so make sure that the rug doesn’t make it so. A great article for how to choose the right rug for your room can be found here. When it comes to throw pillows, less is more. Since these pillows are purely decorative and not often functional, it is a good idea to have a place to store them when they are not being used. You are going to want to move them when you are sitting on your couch or going to bed.
If a clutter-free home is what you’re looking for, we hope you have enjoyed our tips on decorating your home without the clutter! Studies have been done that link depression and anxiety to cluttered homes. It’s been proven that having a fresh clean home is actually better for your mental health! I know that every time I clean up the junk from my countertops and floors, I just feel so much more at ease! It just makes sense to decorate your home without clutter! Looking for more tips on home decorating? Check out our article on decorating your kitchen counter!
