Prioritize the maximization of unused horizontal surface space.
Have you ever noticed that restaurants and bars often decorate their walls with stuff that would easily be considered clutter on the floor? Apparently “clutter” is a highly relative descriptor, and the visual-spatial bias behind it privileges horizontal surface space. You can leverage that knowledge to quickly de-clutter spaces without investing in lots of new storage furniture and organization systems. It’s by far the cheapest trick I know.
Simply move and reorient items from horizontal surfaces (like table tops, floors, chair seats, etc) to vertical ones (like shelves, hanging storage, cabinets, upright bins, baskets and boxes that can sit on top of cabinets, wall-mounted dispensers, etc). Even just stacking stuff can make a space look less cluttered.
Once you start getting creative with this concept, you can build it into the layout of your living spaces. For example, you might figure out what stuff can live in wall-mounted dispensers instead of occupying the space of a counter/vanity/floor. Similarly, you might find visually appealing ways to store “clutter” out in the open, such as a ceiling-mounted pot rack or a stainless steel prep table used as kitchen island storage.
Prioritize the maximization of unused horizontal surface space.
Have you ever noticed that restaurants and bars often decorate their walls with stuff that would easily be considered clutter on the floor? Apparently “clutter” is a highly relative descriptor, and the visual-spatial bias behind it privileges horizontal surface space. You can leverage that knowledge to quickly de-clutter spaces without investing in lots of new storage furniture and organization systems. It’s by far the cheapest trick I know.
Simply move and reorient items from horizontal surfaces (like table tops, floors, chair seats, etc) to vertical ones (like shelves, hanging storage, cabinets, upright bins, baskets and boxes that can sit on top of cabinets, wall-mounted dispensers, etc). Even just stacking stuff can make a space look less cluttered.
Once you start getting creative with this concept, you can build it into the layout of your living spaces. For example, you might figure out what stuff can live in wall-mounted dispensers instead of occupying the space of a counter/vanity/floor. Similarly, you might find visually appealing ways to store “clutter” out in the open, such as a ceiling-mounted pot rack or a stainless steel prep table used as kitchen island storage.