'An exit strategy for clutter' – 7 easy ways to embrace minimalism in a busy household

It doesn't need to be difficult to embrace minimalism in a busy household. In fact, it can be as easy as just changing the way you shop, store and declutter items.

Whether you adopt the one-in, two-out rule, embrace technology over paper clutter, or opt to borrow or rent certain items instead of purchasing them, these small adjustments can have a huge impact on your home, experts say.

Here, our organizational experts share their top easy ways to reduce clutter like a minimalist, even in the most bustling and hectic of spaces.

7 easy ways to embrace minimalism in a busy household

1. Adopt a one in, two out rule

One of the simplest ways to embrace minimalism, even in the busiest of households, is by taking pointers from the one-in, one-out rule, and implementing a one-in, two-out rule.

Martha-Carol Stewart, owner of Chaos Organizing, explains, 'For every new item that comes into your home, get rid of two. It’s a simple habit, but in a busy household, it works like magic. You’re no longer just managing stuff – you’re curating what stays.'

For this, Martha-Carol suggests using stackable bins, such as the Stackable Clear Storage Bins with Lids available at Walmart, in closets or garages, so every family member can drop items in on the go. This is something she does herself at home, describing it as an 'exit strategy for your clutter.'

2. Borrow or rent

As Diane Greenhalgh, professional organizer and founder of Tiny to the Max, points out, not all items that you may want or need require that you purchase them and keep them forever. Instead, borrowing or renting them allows you to keep things only as long as you need, and to mix things up with variety.

'For instance, when was the last time you visited your local public library? They have so much to offer,' she says. 'For toys, you can mix up what your kids have and let things go easily once they outgrow them by using toy co-ops and libraries.

'For clothing and accessories, instead of buying a special occasion dress that you'll wear only once or trendy pieces you'll toss out next season, rent them instead. You can even rent your wedding dress!

'And don't forget to make use of your friends, family, and local community. Share that great book with someone who will enjoy it instead of letting it gather dust on a shelf, and ask your friends and family to do the same. You can also find and share items through your local groups.'

So, before purchasing, think through the essential questions to buy before buying anything, and consider whether you could rent it instead, which is an effortless way to edit down your belongings. Or, pop things you want to buy on a wish list and review them a month later. The Magnetic Notepads available at Amazon are great for this.

3. Shop with intention

For those things you do want to buy, shop with intention to embrace minimalism, advises Ben Soreff, professional organizer at House to Home Organizing.

'Most minimalists believe in the saying, "More isn't better, better is better," and they tend to have items of quality as opposed to a lot of inexpensive plastic items,' he says. 'Many people enjoy "retail therapy," and the act of shopping relaxes or de-stresses them.

'While there is nothing wrong with that, shopping as a hobby lends itself to creating clutter because we are drifting into collecting instead of acquiring items we will actually use.

'For instance, when a typically expensive item is on a massive sale, that alone can inspire a purchase. However, the actual item is usually not attractive or something that fits well.'

This 'consumption as sport,' as Ben describes it, is a type of clutter minimalists never have, so random, reduced purchases are things minimalists never buy.

Instead, suggests Diane, why not try shopping your own closet, like Chiana Dickson, content editor on Solved, who went on a three month clothes buying ban, and saved $500.

'Do you have a great outfit hidden in the back of your closet that you forgot about? Or you may have supplies or pantry items that haven’t seen the light of day in forever,' says Diane. 'Use them up first before you go shopping for more.

'And don't forget those "special" items you've been saving. If you never use them, then they're just clutter. This way you get to enjoy all those fun purchases and save your closet from the clutter of adding things you already have,' helping to break the stages of clutter once and for all.

4. Schedule a monthly declutter day

In a busy household, embracing minimalism is more difficult than ever. So, suggests professional organizer Martha-Carol, to curb this, introduce a monthly decluttering day to encourage your family to declutter. After all, experts say a decluttering schedule is the key to breaking the cycle of clutter.

'Put it on the calendar like soccer or school pickup,' she advises. 'When minimalism becomes a shared goal, it sticks. Everyone in the household should be part of the process – it builds respect for each other’s spaces.'

'Bins set boundaries so clutter doesn't get out of control. The Home Edit Bins available at Walmart are beautiful and make purging a little more glamorous.'

And, if you're struggling to declutter toys when your children aren't on board, Martha-Carol recommends trying the game 'Keep or Toss Lightning Round.'

'Set a timer for 10 minutes and shout out items rapid-fire,' she says. 'It's high energy, zero drama.'

5. Don't accept freebies

It's all well and good making time to declutter and embracing minimalism, but accepting freebies can undo all your hard work before you've even realized, says professional organizer Diane. For that reason, accepting them, no matter how tempting, can often wind up being a minimalist decluttering mistake.

'There are a lot of occasions and events where you get freebies – from bottles, toys, and t-shirts to bobbleheads and tchotchkes,' shares Diane. 'Unless you have a specific need for it, say no thank you. They are usually cheap and break easily anyway. That includes airplane and hotel freebies.'

Diane adds that when ordering take-out, it's best to even skip the plastic utensils, single-use napkins and straws.

This may seem inconsequential, but your junk drawer will thank you, and conquering the dreaded junk drawer when the time comes, decluttering and using drawer dividers such as the Mainstays Compartment Organizer available at Walmart, will feel ten times easier.

And, if it's something you really want to accept, take Martha-Carol's advice and get rid of two items in its place.

6. Use tech to cut paper clutter

Decluttering a home office in a busy household is particularly difficult. But, between books, files and papers, getting rid of paper clutter is vital for embracing minimalism in a busy household, says professional organizer Ben.

'Minimalists don't tend to have newspapers or magazines,' he explains. 'They are typically early adopters of technology to streamline paper.'

So, unsubscribe where possible, or desired, from magazines and papers that you won't keep after reading anyway, before organizing paperwork at home to tackle this common type of clutter.

You can use document boxes for this, such as the Bankers Box available at Walmart, and use decorative magazine holders to store those that you're not ready to part with, or unsubscribe from.

We recommend the Wicker Free Standing Magazine Rack available at Wayfair for this.

7. Minimize flat surface clutter

Finally, says professional organizer Martha-Carol, reduce visual clutter in the living room, clear visual clutter in the bedroom, and keep kitchen counters clear to embrace minimalism, even in the busiest of households.

'If you can’t see your kitchen counters or nightstands, chances are your brain feels just as cluttered. Clear surfaces are the secret to peaceful rooms.

'It gives your eyes, and your mind, a place to rest. Ask yourself: what really needs to live here? Is it helping us with our goal of peace or hurting it?

'Use clear, flat-sided bins inside cabinets or drawers,' such as the Vtopmart 5 Pcs Extra Large Clear Plastic Storage Bins available at Walmart. 'They corral items better than Lazy Susans, which tend to let things slip off and spiral – pun intended.'

What to shop

All prices were correct at the time of publication.

Meet our experts

Martha-Carol Stewart

Martha-Carol is a nationally recognized professional organizer, speaker, and co-author of Southern Chaos: Organizing the Southern Home. Known as the “Southern Martha Stewart of Organizing,” she has over 12 years of experience.

Diane Greenhalgh

Diane is a professional home organizer who specializes in decluttering, downsizing, and small spaces, helping clients to embrace minimalism, whatever their space.

Ben Soreff

With experience with level five hoarders, Ben's knowledge centers around embracing minimalism and decluttering, even in busy or crowded spaces.

FAQs

How do I go from cluttered to minimalist?

Changing your space from cluttered to minimalist can be challenging, but it is possible. For example, adopting some minimalist home hacks, by making a home for everything and doing a weekly reset, can make a huge difference.

'A large number of my clients express a desire for a more minimalist lifestyle or even claim to be minimalists,' says Ben. 'However, there are challenges to true minimalism. If you have children, then living as a real minimalist can be very difficult.

'Instead, we urge our clients to think about why they are keeping an item instead of focusing on purging. People have anxiety when they are not in control, and sometimes they feel that by getting rid of everything, they will be free, or, at the very least, in control.

'However, this is a false equivalency. We want to think about how expensive something is and how hard it is to get again to determine if we should keep it,' or donate or sell decluttered items.

'We want homes for everything in our space by category. Through good organizing and having proper systems you can find what you are looking for and cut out the clutter.'