7 Steps to Organize Home Decor with Easy Storage Solutions

by | Home, Organization

Is your home decor storage out of control? Check out these tips to organize your home decor and save time and money with accessible storage!  Keep reading to see how I organize all of my extra home decor and store it so I can easily shop my home for decorating.

Who remembers their first house of their own?  I remember our first “real” house.  We had two extra bedrooms and I turned one of the closets into my own little home decor store.  Really, it was just a fun way to organize my home decor since I had the extra space.

That didn’t last long…

How do you organize extra stuff?

Well, this first depends on the space available to you.  At first, I had plenty of space and shelves were a good solution.  It was just my husband and I and I didn’t have anyone else’s things to be responsible for.

I bought shelving where I could display all of my “pretties” and easily switch out my décor on a whim.  When it started getting too full, I’d have a yard sale and then the following Saturday, hit up my favorite yard sale spots to start filling it back up again!

Then, we became a family of 3, with one extra bedroom and only one extra closet.  My “spillover” space was gone, but I still enjoyed my big décor closet!  As family’s tend to grow, ours thankfully did also!  When we became a family of 4, things really changed for storing and organizing, well…EVERYTHING!

Where do I start decluttering when overwhelmed?

Plans and organization need to evolve with your family, specific home layout, and needs.

Even though I still loved to decorate, my décor started getting scattered all over the house.  At the same time, baby and toddler essentials dotted every room.

Every room also had spots to house “extra décor” and it become a chore to enjoy my hobby.  I remember really struggling with that and while I loved my babies more than anything, I found myself frustrated and floundering at how to organize and keep organized.

Two fixer upper houses later and one more child later, I was still struggling.  Things would end up in totes in the attic.  Then, I couldn’t remember for the life of me what I had.  As a result, I would end up purchasing something else just to save myself the stress of trying to find things.  I remember telling my husband that I just desperately wanted a place where I could line up my décor and shop my house.

We started working together to figure out how we could accomplish that.  

Home organization is a team effort.  

You likely won’t be or stay successful without buy-in from everyone who lives under your roof!

At the time, I did have one, small closet with shelves.  Even though I was thankful for that space, we found that it didn’t really solve the problem completely.  At the time, it was still overflowing and more of a nuisance than a help.  Lots of small things stacked on shelves is just incredibly impractical, as it turns out!

We had to figure something out that would really work for the long term.

Pro Tip: As much as possible, anticipate and evaluate how your storage will best serve your family for the long term.  Otherwise, you’ll continue running a short cycle between getting organized and having to do it all over again soon.

Here’s what we did to really make a difference:

We invested in two vintage pieces that we love.  They add to the aesthetic of our home while providing the RIGHT kind of storage for our home décor.  I took out every single piece of home décor, fought the feelings of being overwhelmed, and got to work!

Here are the tips that I am finding very helpful:

How do you store extra home decor?

  1. Regularly sort, declutter, and reorganize
  2. Keep like items together
  3. Address seasonal home decor
  4. Store decor in plain sight
  5. Choose the right storage and organizational pieces for greenery, throw pillows, candles, tablescape decor, and other home decor extras
  6. How to purge
  7. What to do with the discards

7 Steps to Organize Home Decor with Easy Storage Solutions

Where do I start when organizing my house?

Step One to Organize Home Decor: Regularly Sort, Clean, and Reorganize

 

How do you declutter when you have too much stuff?

Above all other tips and advice I can offer, consistency is the most important.

I try to clean out and organize home decor every season!  This really helps me keep from ending up with SO much stuff!  That doesn’t mean I literally take everything out, but I scan through and if there is something that I know I won’t be using, etc.

Next, I immediately put it in either a donation bin or a bin for our yearly yard sale.  By doing this several times a year, it never gets too overwhelming.  Actually, I have been doing this regularly for several years and it makes a huge difference.

It is often a 20 minute or less job!  I’ll talk later in this post about how to go about getting rid of home décor items, specifically.

Anytime that I redecorate a space, I take a minute to evaluate: is there an item that I don’t want anymore?  Is there something broken or unusable that should be discarded?  If so, I do not put that item back into my home decor storage.  By regularly weeding through my decor, I can keep the stockpile from growing into mounds of things I won’t use again.

Pro Tip: In your planner, set aside 30 minutes once a week to declutter a space.  Even it is just a drawer or small cabinet, creating a habit of decluttering and cleaning out can really be life changing.  Get your family and kids involved too.  If they are old enough to help, teach them to declutter often as well.

Remember: home organization is a team effort.

Step Two to Organize Home Decor: Keep Like Items Together

The next key step is to organize home decor into like items.  For example, all of my candlesticks are together and all of my taper candles are kept together.  At the same time, I have a spot for small brass figures (like my swan and deer collections) and another spot for my vintage clock collection.

Drawers are incredible storage for smaller items.  This is where the big apothecary cabinet made all the difference for me.  For example, all of my brass candlesticks are in two of these drawers.  Also, I keep a drawer just for small architectural salvage items, taper candles, brass figures, napkin rings, place cards, etc.

Side note: knowing that I have two drawers of brass candlesticks is a great deterrent to purchasing more. Since I know what and how many I have, I’m not tempted to build up excess that I don’t need.  Great home organization and storage will save you money in the long run.

Larger items, such as lanterns, tall candlesticks or vases, and heavy wood items are lined up neatly on shelves in a closet.  We actually had three closets built into our playroom for the purpose of storage.  One is for the kids toys and art supplies, one is for décor, and the third is our “mudroom” closet. (Admittedly, it’s the catch all closet!)

Wall décor, such as wooden signs and vintage metal signs, are stored between two rafters in the attic.  Storing them upright makes it a little easier to find what I’m looking for and also keeps them in better condition.

How do you store entertaining items?

I wrote a separate blog post on how I organize and store entertaining items, such as dishes, linens, and tablescape items in my dining room.  As with the rest of my decor, the two keys are consistency in decluttering and grouping like items together.

Fortunately, I have a lot of drawers in my dining room apothecary cabinet and that works perfectly for keeping these smaller items well-organized.  (You can read all about how we transformed this old apothecary into an incredibly well-functioning piece for our home over on THIS post!)

You can get more details about how I specifically sort, organize, and store all of my entertaining items over on THIS post.  Admittedly, I have a lot of it.  However, I love using it, especially now that it is really organized!

 

Step Three to Organize Home Decor: Address Seasonal Décor Separately

 

How do you organize seasonal decor?

Seasonal decor is a beast of its own.  We can probably all agree on that!  However, broken down into seasons and regularly purged and organized, seasonal decor doesn’t have to take over your storage.  You can organize home decor for the seasons quickly and easily!

Season specific decor is stored in bins in the attic: Christmas, Fall, Easter, Thanksgiving.  When I pull out these bins, I decorate and then get rid of anything that I know I’m not going to use.  At the end of the season, I again make a small pile for our yard sale or donation of items that I no longer want.  At the same time, I also discard anything that is broken or messed up.

How do you store seasonal decor?

Over time, we have switched all of our seasonal storage bins to THESE.This style is very heavy duty and stacks easily.  They are much stronger than most of the clear or colored bins that some stores sell for seasonal color coding.

Then, we use white duct tape and a sharpie to label the boxes.  It is easy to switch the tape and relabel as the storage evolves over time.

We keep all of our seasonal decor in the attic and separate from regular home decor.  Since the totes are easily stacked and labeled, seasonal decorating is much easier and more efficient.

Pro Tip: Keep your seasonal decor separate from regular home decor.  Also, limit the number of bins you are willing to store for each season.  If the decor isn’t fitting into the desired number of bins, you know it’s time to purge!

Step Four to Organize Home Decor: Store Décor in Plain Sight!

Maybe this sounds really obvious or really silly, depending on how you’ve been organizing and storing your home decor.  However, hear me out!

I keep as much of my decor in rotation as possible.  If you comb through my feed, you’ll see a lot of the same decor used over and over and over!  Just a little switch of greenery or seasonal touches make it feel fresh and new again!

A stack of cutting boards or wooden bowls, for example, is a great European farmhouse aesthetic and is also a great way to keep your favorites on display!  Usually, I keep my mortar and pestle collection in one of my cubby cabinets. They look nice and are easily accessible when I want to use one in a vignette or to hold a plant.

Pro Tip: Invest in decor pieces that you truly love and can be used year round.  Also look for pieces that can serve different functions and be styled in different areas of your home.  You can keep your home looking fresh without having a ton of seasonal decor.  At the same time, you are filling your home with curated pieces that speak to your unique style.

Throw Pillows

I don’t actually change my throw pillows very often.  When I do, it is to add a touch of texture or a seasonal style.  I also try to buy throw pillows that have removable covers.  These covers are taken off, folded neatly in one of the drawers, and the pillow itself is reused.

Pillow covers can easily be folded neatly in a drawer.  Or, if you have extra closet space, hang them with a skirt hanger.  What a great way to shop your own stash when you want to switch up your decor!

However, I do have some pillows that do not have removable covers.  I keep them in totes in the attic, grouped by color, and labeled as such.  Season-specific throw pillows are stored in my seasonal bins.

You can also store throw pillows and throw blankets in plain sight!  Added to a vintage basket underneath the coffee table, they add texture, character, and a curated-over-time look!

(My husband still thinks I have too many, but hey….we won’t talk about his CD collection that takes up the entire apothecary cabinet under the TV!  Ha!)

Greenery

I have a lot less faux greenery than I used to, but I still love mixing it with my real plants.  Seasonal greenery is stored in the seasonal bins.  Greenery that could be used year round is kept in a deep drawer.  Storing it this way keeps it looking nice and it doesn’t get smashed by other décor.

If this drawer starts getting full, I know it’s time to clean out.  There really is only so much faux greenery you can use, right?!

I have a small group of faux, potted plants that are lined up on one of the shelves.  Again, they won’t get smashed by other décor this way.  Also, I can quickly access them and switch them around.  I find myself buying a lot less faux greenery because I can easily see what I already have.

Step Five to Organize Home Decor: Choose the Right Storage Pieces

Over on my IG this week, I’ll be sharing a cabinet that I’ve been hunting for a few months!  A good piece is always worth the wait!  Thrift stores, vintage markets, and antique stores are my favorite places to look for furniture!

While I personally prefer vintage, there are a lot of great cabinets and dressers out there with a beautiful aesthetic, won’t break the bank, and have great function.​

Here are some furniture ideas to consider:

  • Use a dresser in any room for extra storage.  A dresser can make a great entryway table or even sofa table.
  • Open furniture can have the possibility of adding baskets underneath for storage.
  • Utilize drawers in coffee tables and console tables.
  • Add thrifted bookshelves to an extra closet or storage space to display your extra home decor…make it your own little “store”!
  • Add organizational bins in the top of closets for home decor items that you don’t need often.  Use canvas bins so you don’t see the stuff  but make sure to add a label!
  • Consider ottomans with a lid for closed storage or stacked baskets in a cute corner.

Here are some furniture ideas that have a great look and could be really functional too:

Step Six for Organizing Home Decor: How to Purge Extra Home Decor Items

You’ve seen me write a lot in this post about donating, discarding, and adding to my yard sale stash.  Most of my décor comes from flea markets, vintage markets, thrift stores, and clearance aisles.  Shopping in this way allows me freedom to get rid of items without feeling wasteful. 

That’s not to say that I haven’t splurged or saved up for really unique pieces; I definitely love doing that.  But I try to be careful about only investing in those pieces that I know are one-of-a-kind and will both function and suit our home for years to come.

Honestly, I don’t get overly sentimental about most décor and enjoy the process of changing things around.  Since I know that about myself, I try to shop accordingly.  I have left behind fabulous pieces that I loved…because I knew it wouldn’t be a long-term piece and it was too expensive to purge in a year.  My husband and I give considerable thought to the pieces that we invest in.

Over these past couple years, we’ve had a lot more time at home (who hasn’t?!?!) and have spent considerable time assessing how we want to use the different spaces in our home.  That has allowed us to feel ready to invest in vintage pieces that we know really fit our home…both in function and in style.

Pro Tip: Don’t overthink things when purging.  Unless an item has specific sentimental value or you really invested in it, don’t stay too attached.  Too much stuff just bogs down your home and your mind.

 

Step Seven to Organize Home Decor: How to Get Rid of Décor Items

The main things I do when purging home décor items is to sort into three categories:

  • Discard: These are items that are in irreparable condition and can no longer be enjoyed by anyone.  Off to the trash they go!
  • Yard Sale: These are items that have good life left in them and also items that I think I can get a little money out of.  If I know it’s going to only get 25 cents at a yard sale, it isn’t worth my storage real estate!
  • Donate: These are items that can still be used but either aren’t worth saving for a yard sale OR I know I won’t have time to get them priced for a yard sale.  Mental clutter is a real thing and I try to purge that too!

If you have nice items that are in excellent condition, Facebook Marketplace is a great place to both buy and sell.

If you have good vintage items, consider finding someone who is a vendor at vintage markets or has a booth at an antique mall.  They may be delighted to give you a fair, bundle price and get a load off of your hands at the same time!​

If you have a lot of items to giveaway, contact local thrift stores for charities.  Often, they will have a pick up service.  By doing this, you’re helping a good cause and saving yourself some time too!

How do you organize extra stuff?

Organizing and storing home decor can be frustrating.  It’s not always simple items that line up in perfect rows or fit neatly into a box.  However, following these tips can really help:

  • Declutter frequently.
  • Don’t keep extra home decor “just because”; only keep what you really love.
  • Store seasonal decor separate from regular home decor.
  • Invest in pieces that don’t need to be stored away; you can decorate with these pieces year round and in different rooms of your home.
  • Utilize your furniture for storage and store extra home decor in plain sight.
  • Keep like items grouped together and stored in designated areas.
  • Put things away where they belong the first time.

I hope these tips and tricks give you some inspiration and motivation as you organize your home decor.  Remember, it doesn’t have to all happen in one day.  Take your time, be intentional, and set some goals to help you get the job done!  You can do it!

A Good Reminder

You should own your home décor; it should not own you.  Chances are, if you’re reading this blog, you enjoy decorating and likely have your fair share of décor items in storage too.  It is worth every bit of your time to have them organized and stored in a way that sparks creativity.  It just isn’t fun to open up that décor drawer or cabinet to a mess…I’ve been there. 

You’ll save yourself time, money, and mental stress to consider how you can better organize and store your décor.  Even more importantly, you’ll enjoy it again!  You may be surprised at all the new ways you find to use your décor!

I hope these lessons that I’ve learned and ideas I use will help you!  Maybe even give you a little inspiration or idea of how you can start loving your home décor again!

I’d love for you to follow me on social media!  You can find my home decor inspiration on Instagram, Pinterestand Facebook!  

Blessings,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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