Decluttering your bedroom leads to better peace of mind, and fall is the best time to tackle the task of tidying, organizing, and decluttering this fundamental room in the home for the new season ahead.
Making your bedroom a sacred place, where you can really relax and unwind is essential, especially once the season shifts. Knowing where to start when it comes to decluttering a bedroom can cause overwhelm and worry.
Here, our experts share the five things to declutter before fall – with a focus on the bedroom – to ensure your sleep space is happy and homey.
How to declutter a bedroom before fall
Bedrooms can become a dumping ground for clutter because they are usually a space that guests rarely see. If you share your bedroom, try to tackle the decluttering together – you have shared ownership of the room so you should share the responsibility.
Put on your favorite Podcast, or an audiobook, to help pass the time while you tackle each area, and be ruthless with getting rid of unworn clothing, unwanted paperwork, or seasonal items you won't need until spring. Stock up on trash bags and make three piles as you begin sorting through your possessions – one to keep, one to ditch, and one to take to the thrift shop.
Follow these tried-and-tested bedroom decluttering rules – which come straight from the declutters playbook – for success every time.
1. Winter clothing
People often feel reluctant to declutter their clothes, but ultimately, one of the most important places to declutter is the closet. With your closet being one of many things to declutter before fall, it is important to get your system right when tackling your seasonal transition – and organizing clothes that are out-of-season is essential to this process.
Use this opportunity to edit any clothing that no longer 'sparks joy'. Do whatever you need to do to edit your closet down and remove anything seasonal. All you need to do is break it down. Start with tops, then move on to pants, and so on.
‘Store your most used clothing towards the front and your less used items towards the back and up high’, says Elaine Penhaul, owner of the home staging company, Lemon & Lime Interiors.
It sounds simple, but when it comes to maintaining closet organization, it’s a real game-changer. 'Dedicating prime storage real estate to your everyday clothing will not only make life easier but will keep your closet tidier in general – the less rummaging around you have to do the neater it will stay,' says Vicky Silverthorn of You Need a Vicky.
Vicky Silverthorn has been a professional organizer for over 10 years, helping people from all walks of life to declutter and organize their homes. As an expert in the industry, she believes that your wellbeing starts at home; if your home is in shape, other elements of your life will follow. Vicky has written an Amazon bestselling book on living a less cluttered life.
2. Swap out seasonal shoes
Footwear is notorious for spreading around a bedroom, so making strategies to organize shoes is vital for anyone who wants to put a stop to clutter in their sleep space.
Before starting to organize shoes in a bedroom, take time to assess your whole collection and make an attempt at decluttering one by one. As well as swapping out seasonal shoes, use this time to declutter and toss away old, tired shoes that you no longer use.
‘Try on every shoe and boot,’ says professional organizer Brenda Scott of Tidy My Space. ‘Make sure that they fit and check to see if any need repairs or cleaning.’ This is especially the case in a kids’ room, Brenda points out, as children grow out of their shoes so quickly.
3. Clear out unused items from under the bed
The ‘dead’ space underneath a bed is an area that often gets forgotten about, which can make it a magnet for dust bunnies, odd socks, and crumpled-up paperwork.
If this sounds familiar, then commit yourself to tackling this area before fall begins. Whether you’re storing old clothing, sentimental items, or hoarding things you no longer use – it is time to either get rid of these belongings, gift themto friends or family members, or find a more convenient bedroom storage place, such as a nightstand or chest of drawers.
4. Old wire hangers
A fundamental element of organizing a bedroom, creating a tidy closet is great for boosting well-being, too – a theory much advocated by professional organizers, including consultant Marie Kondo, founder of the KonMari method.
Let's face it, nothing feels better than an orderly, tidy closet. So if your bedroom closet is anything like mine, over the years, it may have become a graveyard for unused hangers.
While it can be challenging to throw out spare hangers, they are one of the many things you should get rid of in a bedroom come fall, especially if they are unattractive wire hangers.
Instead, replace them with slimline, non-slip velvet hangers for an aesthetically pleasing closet year-round.
5. Seasonal bedding
The final step is to organize and swap out a summer duvet for a winter duvet. The end of September is the perfect time to tackle this task, so you may want to hold off until the temperature begins to drop.
Use this time to throw away or donate any unused or damaged bedding. A local animal or rescue center may benefit from old bedding, towels, and sheets.
FAQs
Where do I start when decluttering my bedroom before fall?
The best place to start when decluttering a bedroom before fall is with your clothes storage, say experts.
Store away last season's clothes in vacuum packs or closet storage boxes. Put plastic covers over suits, coats, and evening dresses and hang them in a spare closet or another room. Fold up summer dresses, and light linens in drawers – it will help them hold their shapes.
Decluttering your bedroom will make you feel so much better and help you think more clearly. Knowing exactly where everything is and being able to find something at the drop of a hat will make life so much easier as we head into fall and winter.
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