How to Declutter a Bedroom

Bedroom organization begins with decluttering! Learn how to declutter a bedroom in a few simple steps so you can organize and decorate to your heart’s content.

We have a very small master bedroom so knowing how to declutter a bedroom is something I had to learn quickly! I keep tabs on it regularly and every year after Christmas do a major purge. Here’s how to declutter a bedroom the easy way.

How to Declutter a Bedroom

Find 4 cardboard boxes – You can use any disposable container like garbage bags or shopping bags. I just like old cardboard boxes because they are easy to label and toss things in and easy to stack in the car, etc.

Place the boxes on your bed and label them as follows with a sharpie maker:

• Throw away – This is for your trash. Garbage. No, the thrift store does not want that shirt with a rip in the seam and the stain on the front. Throw it away. The don’t want your old underwear or anything that’s broken. Toss it.
• Give away – These are items that are too good to just chunk. Maybe you’d like to donate them to your local thrift store or check to see if a friend could use it.
• Sell – Have something of value that you’re pretty sure you can get some money for? Place it in the sell box. You’ll decide later if it’s going to Craigslist, a local Facebook sell-it group, Ebay, your own garage sell, or a consignment store.
• Remove – This is where to place items you want to keep but that don’t belong in your bedroom. Toys the kids have brought in, the rain jacket you decide should be kept in the hall closet, and the picture frame you want to use in the office instead.

Start in the closet

If you have a severely cluttered walk-in closet, you might need to treat it as a separate room from the bedroom and divide this task into two! If you have a small, standard closet like me, just hit it with the rest of the room. Here’s what to look for:

• Clothing, shoes and accessories that you have not worn for 6 months
• Clothing, shoes and accessories that are ripped, torn, broken or stained
• Clothing, shoes and accessories that do not fit
• Clothing, shoes and accessories that are too dated

Toss each item in the appropriate box that’s sitting on your bed and repeat with your dresser drawers, nightstand, and even under the bed.

Take a look around

You’ve tackled the hard part by dragging out and sorting through everything that can easily be hidden by a drawer, door, or mattress. Now look around and decide what is worth keeping. Is the item worth dusting every week? Does it have any special meaning, significance, or value? Do you find it beautiful? If not, it belongs in one of your boxes.

Sort the boxes

1.Sell – We’re going to tackle the toughest box first. Take a good realistic look at the items in this box. Be brutal. Just because something belongs to you and you saw value in it at one time does not mean someone else will ascribe value to it. Things are only worth what someone is willing to pay for them. Decide if the item is worth the hassle of dealing with Craigslist and Facebook buyers. Is it work cluttering up your garage until you have that yard sale in the spring? Is it worth photographing and listing on Ebay? If not, the item belongs in one of the other three boxes.

Also consider the time involved to sell it. Giant semi-annual kid’s consignment sales are great, but if you don’t have time to place a $5 Ninja Turtle shirt on a metal hanger that you begged a dry cleaners for then pin it with safety pins, and attach a printed label…don’t feel like you’re being wasteful. Your time is worth so much! Choose a non-profit in your area to donate to and feel good about helping women and children in need.

2. Throw away – This is the easiest one (because you deserve a break.) Throw everything in the box away. Boom. You’re done.

3. Remove – This one is pretty easy too. Carry the box around the house placing items in their new home as you go. Now you’re down to just 1!

4. Give away – I like to use plastic grocery sacks to sort the items in this box. I’ll place the skirt I think would fit my friend and the necklace she might like in a bag and label it with her name and repeat. Most things I donate to the thrift store though so they’ll stay in the box and be given away box and all. Take your thrift store box and “goody bags” immediately to the trunk of your car so they are out of your bedroom. This way, you’re not tempted to return the items to their place if you have a change of heart and you’ll be able to drop them off the next time you’re out and about.

Now that you know how to declutter bedroom, you can tackle the next steps which are organizing and redecorating! Here are a few cool tools to help along the way.

Ready to tackle the rest of your home? Check out this post and find 20 things to toss out right now! Once you’ve clobbered the clutter, check out these romantic master bedroom ideas to make your bedroom a place or rest and romance.