How to Declutter Your Room: 12 Tips for Managing Bedroom Clutter Once and For All

It’s easy to let your bedroom become a catch-all for the stuff you don’t want to deal with. As such, it can be tough to find the motivation to declutter it. Not very many people see the inside of your room, so it might not seem like decluttering matters. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Your bedroom is a special place; it’s the last space you see before you go to bed at night and the first space you see when you wake up. A cluttered bedroom can be stressful and make it difficult to relax and get a good night’s sleep. 

But how do you declutter your room and turn it into a relaxing sanctuary? To help you get started, we’ve gathered tips and insights from some of the top organizing and decluttering experts in the country. So whether you’re living in a house in Sacramento, CA, or an apartment in Atlanta, these tips are for you. Read on to learn how to create a clutter-free, peaceful bedroom.

1. Remember, your home and mind will feel lighter when you’re done

Disorganized spaces create a cluttered mind. Shannon Hruska, Executive Director with 2B Organized, notes, “as you get your room organized, you’ll notice a weight lifting off your shoulders. Removing extra furniture from the room, purging your closet, and cleaning out your overstuffed dresser drawers will bring a sense of calm. Enter the process knowing that your home and mind will feel lighter when you’re done.” 

2. Designate boxes for keeping, donating, and selling

The trickiest part of decluttering a room full of stuff is working out what to keep and what to get rid of. “Start by designating and labeling boxes for keeping, donating, and selling,” suggests Ellen Delap, CPO with Professional-Organizer.com. “It’s a good idea to put the boxes just outside of the bedroom, so they aren’t in your way.”

Before you start sorting your items into boxes, have a timeline in place for dealing with them. For example, can you do a donation run the next morning? Or will you list items for sale that same afternoon? Having a plan means you’re that much closer to a clean and relaxing bedroom.

3. Start with large items to declutter your room

Many people struggle with decluttering because they get wrapped up with cleaning out a single drawer, and before they know it, an entire afternoon has passed by. To combat that, “start by decluttering the larger surfaces in your bedroom, such as your dressers, nightstands, and closet,” says Krista from Motherhood Simplified. “Once you tackle the larger items, you can clean the inside of your drawers and closet, removing anything you don’t need to make space for design inspiration.”

4. Only keep items that bring you joy

Christopher Weir from Spartan Junk Removal suggests committing to lightening the load and only keeping items that bring you happiness. “You can start small, like removing a single trash bag a day, which quickly adds up to a lot of work,” he says. “If you want your items gone in a flash, call a junk removal company. Either way, decluttering helps accomplish a lighter lifestyle that will complement your remodeling.”

5. If you haven’t used or worn something in the last year, let it go

“If you haven’t used or worn something in the last year, it’s time to donate or sell it,” says Kim Jones from Lock and Key Home. “It’s amazing how great you’ll feel once you let go.” 

Kim also has tips for how to identify clothes you rarely wear:

1. Hang your clothes on hangers facing the same direction. 
2. After wearing an item, face the hanger the other way. 
3. Once a few months have passed, you’ll be able to see which items you never wear and can consider getting rid of them.

6. Divide your room into zones before decluttering

One of the best ways to declutter is to sort your bedroom into zones. Zones are small areas that you can declutter one by one.

“For example, create a nightstand zone, clothes zone, and so on,” says Cassie Thompson from Serene Spaces Professional Organizing and Consulting. “Start in one corner of your space and work your way across, sorting everything into appropriate zones. If it starts getting overwhelming, split your time into 15-minute blocks.”

Many people have very cluttered closets, so you’ll want to set aside a good amount of time for this particular task.

7. If you’re moving, decide what’s important

Jessica Waters from In Perfect Order has advice for those who are moving. “If you’re moving, ensure you’re only bringing the essentials,” she says. “Before you pack everything up, ask yourself: What is your room saying to you? Is the bed piled high with unfolded laundry and candy wrappers? Are your drawers stuffed full of clothes that no longer fit or no longer represent who you are today? If so, reconsider what you want to bring into the new space and what you leave behind.” 

8. Turn on some music and have fun

Sonya Fehér from spaceWise Organizing elaborates: “Make this project fun and easy by turning on some music and doing one area at a time, no matter how small. Your future self will thank you.”

9. Move items into categories

Clothes are often difficult to organize. An easy way to help this is by grouping similar items together. “For example,” says Sara West from South Coast Organizers, “put shirts with other shirts and jeans with other jeans. Once your items are in their groups, sort them by color. Not only will it look pretty, but categorizing makes items easier to find and shows you how many of each clothing item you have or don’t have.” 

Sort items into categories to see what you have. “Things often have a way of ending up in other rooms,” says Marie Jackson from Organized Marie. “Putting them in categories will help determine what stays, what goes, and what needs to be relocated.”

10. Try decluttering in stages

“With a little planning, you can remove items in stages, including shoes, sweaters, and dress clothes. Once they’re gone, you can sort them into categories,” notes Adriel Brophy from The Orderly Manor. “Take stock of how many items are in each category and if you really need that many. Then, figure out if an item is something you love and want to keep or something I want to get rid of. Don’t let old items clutter your new space.”

11. Use keepsake bins to store special items

Organizing family keepsakes, photos, and children’s artwork can be overwhelming. A great way to manage these items is with memorabilia or keepsake bins. Meghan Maxson, Owner of Streamlined Living Colorado, says, ”it’s great to have a place for those special items without showing them to the public. Some examples of keepsake bin contents are trophies, medals, special clothing, art projects, awards, sentimental toys, and movie stubs.”

12. Take advantage of wasted space

Decluttering often reveals nooks and crannies that you either forgot about or covered up with clutter. Consider utilizing this space with creative storage solutions. 

Lisa Dooley from Your Organized Life has some tips to make the most of your space: “Regardless of your closet’s size, there is often wasted space on the floor and inside the door,” she says. “Try using a hanging butler hook on the door for your robe, sweatshirt, handbags, etc. If you’re using the bedroom for multiple purposes and space is at a premium, hang shoe pockets inside the closet door to add valuable storage space.” 

“If you need several items for your bedtime routine, create a convenient space for them,” says Sara Kate Carr, Designer at Help You Dwell. “Maximize storage space for bedside tables and create a peaceful and tidy space by choosing two 36” drawers instead of a traditional one-drawer bedside table.”

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