3 "Under-the-Radar" Items to Declutter to Instantly Make Your Home Feel Far More Spacious

Clutter is the antithesis of a calming environment, but we sometimes fail to notice it in our homes. Often, it's a direct result of tasks we've put off (like never donating our clothes to Goodwill) and other times it stems from our well-intentioned sustainability efforts (like that growing box of reused gift wrap). However, if minimalism is your style goal, these common clutter culprits need to go.

When you declutter your home, you'll naturally start with the places that cause the most problems - overflowing closets, for example, or stuffed drawers in disarray. Yet, we often fail to notice everyday things that fall under the radar. If you want to rid your home of visual clutter but can't place a finger on what's causing it, there are some places you ought to start.

To help you recognize exactly what those clutter culprits are, we asked decluttering experts and minimalists which items we have a tendency to overlook. Sorting out these spaces takes a matter of minutes, but it could make your home feel far more spacious in an instant.

1. Paperwork

Letters, papers, and bills often build up on the kitchen island or coffee table, but if you're a fan of minimalist interior design, they have no place in your home. Professional home and lifestyle organizer, Di Ter Avest, says that the paper problem is sneaky but severe, and loose papers offer an invitation for clutter. "Whether it's mail, flyers, kids' school papers, or old receipts, these little things tend to pile up on countertops and tables," she says. Before you know it, your home is in a state of paper-induced disarray.

Paper files like these ones from Walmart are a great start to the solution, but you do not want to just be transferring the problem to a different area instead of actually fixing it. Organizing paper files so that they are both functional and stylish is the key to solving the loose leaf enigma, as well as knowing when it's the proper time to let go.

Amanda Wiss, founder of home organization company, Urban Clarity, says that as the seasons change it can be easy to forget about the items we have collected over the previous one. "Holiday greeting cards and wedding invites can clutter the front of your fridge, and mail and bills can pile up when we are dreading dealing with them," she says. Minimalists won't harbor these items for long, though. Instead, they're more likely to choose one or two treasured keepsakes before recycling the rest.

2. Decor That's Over-Stayed Its Welcome

I will say it gently: if it is mid-January, it's time to put the Christmas decor away. And this sentiment applies to every season or holiday switch. We all love the way our homes look with festive lights, quirky gourds, and fancy nic nacs. But our exciting summer or fall decor ideas become tired when left out too long. Keep your home feeling chic by restricting seasonal decor to the appropriate amount time.

Rotating seasonal items extends beyond just decor; clothes and shoes should be monitored on a regular basis as well. To embrace the minimalist interior aesthetic, you must think about what it is you actually need around you. What purpose do your belongs serve within the space? Having chunky boots and heavy jackets on your shoe racks in the middle of July takes up space that can be used for articles of clothing that will not be gathering dust.

Di advises that a helpful technique to try and cut down on seasonal item overload is the "out-in-the-open" method. This method encourages you to take an intentional look at everything you own in a certain category (be it shoes, jackets, or holiday decor) and opt only to keep the things that really serve a purpose for you. Seasonal switches are the ideal time to put methods like these into practice.

3. Forgotten Chores

A good minimalist home is nurtured by a minimalist mindset, and staying on top of chores is a must. Interior designer, Michelle Poitras, says "daily upkeep is key to maintaining a tidy and minimalist home". Michelle explains how when we let manageable tasks pile up, they become something frightening and very unmanageable. "Daily items that tend to accumulate, like dishes in the drying rack and clean baskets of laundry awaiting sorting and folding can be avoided by establishing a daily routine," says Michelle.

Even taking a moment just to scan your space and identify what needs to be done is a great start. Once you know what is on your to-do list, it becomes easier to sort out and remove chore clutter from your home. Michelle says to "ask yourself what you can accomplish in the next ten to twenty minutes and then proceed with a quick tidy." Suddenly getting chores done feels a bit less scary.

If having a daily task to-do list seems a bit too much to handle, try implementing a Sunday reset checklist. Having a designated day of the week to reorganize your space, will definitely help keep things under control. Not to mention, Sunday resets are the perfect excuse to buy a facemask, light a candle, and enjoy the comfort of your freshly cleaned home.

Decluttering and minimalism go hand in hand, so tackling these problem areas could be the key to creating a more spacious, minimalist home. Your space is bound to look more visually streamlined in next to no time.

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