The Ultimate Decluttering Checklist: 32 Small Projects That Make a Big Impact

Sometimes all it takes is one small decluttering project to make a space feel tidier. Whether it’s tackling the junk drawer, organizing craft supplies or cleaning out one closet at a time, the cleaning and organizing experts at HGTV are sharing their ultimate decluttering checklist, filled with manageable projects for every room that will bring you one step closer to home organization bliss.

Let's kick things off in the kitchen — a room especially prone to clutter and messes — with an under-the-sink revamp. “Decluttering and organizing under the kitchen sink will provide daily benefits since the kitchen is such a high-use space,” says Michele Vig, founder and chief organizer at Neat Little Nest. To keep this area tidy, stow the items that you use on a regular basis, such as dishwasher tabs and sponges, and relocate all other items to a closet or garage shelf.

If you’re constantly searching for kitchen utensils in cluttered drawers, tidy things up with customizable inserts. “Customizable drawer dividers allow you to use every inch of space,” says Michele Vig of Neat Little Nest.

If you find yourself rummaging through a messy pantry every time you make coffee or tea, organize all your supplies at a centralized coffee station. In addition to your morning joe essentials, a decorative stand is a pretty way to show off your mug collection and free up space in your cabinets.

If your pantry shelf is littered with orphan tea packets and half-empty boxes, consider giving them a drawer of their own. Use dividers to categorize your teas and prevent clutter. “An organized tea drawer maximizes horizontal space and makes it easy to see your full portfolio of flavors,” says Amy Bloomer, owner of Let Your Space Bloom.

Ziploc bags are tricky to store. The flimsy cardboard boxes are hard to stack neatly on a shelf, and they’re also difficult to stuff inside drawers if you have a lot of different sizes. Amanda Clark of Ever So Organized recommends doing away with the cardboard boxes entirely and storing the bags in dispensers that fit easily into drawers.

If overhauling a messy pantry is too daunting of a task, try starting with the pasta. Get rid of all those pasta boxes that are nearly empty and consolidate the contents into clear canisters. “We always recommend decanting dried goods in a pantry,” says Corrie Jackson of Maison Haven. “Not only does it look great, but you can see when you’re running out, so it makes grocery shopping more efficient.”

Rachel Rosenthal of Rachel and Company decluttered this refrigerator by organizing snacks, dinner ingredients, produce and other items in clear, stackable bins. Rosenthal suggests organizing your fridge after a shopping trip so that you know what foods need to be sorted.

Cramming your oven mitts and dish towels into an already overstuffed drawer? Or maybe you’re just leaving them on the kitchen counter, taking up precious counter space? Remove kitchen clutter by designating hooks for dish towels and mitts when they’re not in use.

Clear off your kitchen counters for instant peace of mind and to maximize space for cooking. Ashley Murphy of Neat Method suggests hanging knives on a magnetized strip instead of storing them in a knife block, which takes up a lot of space. “If you have to have things out, consider a pretty tray or turntable to help minimize the visual clutter,” says Ashley.

Whether it’s in your kitchen, mudroom or nightstand, junk drawers can make any space feel disorganized. Jennifer Jones of iHeart Organizing sorts junk drawer items into “keep” and “relocate” piles. She puts “relocate” items where they belong and places the “keep” items back in the drawer. Using drawer bins, like these, can accommodate items of all sizes and keep clutter at bay.

Tired of tripping over shoes every time you enter and leave the house? You can install a custom cubby system like this one, or buy a dedicated shoe organizer to stash all your most-worn pairs. Use spare cubbies or shelf space for other common entryway obstacles like backpacks and outdoor accessories.

Hats take up more closet real estate than you’d expect, which can result in teetering towers of large-brimmed headwear. Caitlin Kah, founder and principal of Caitlin Kah Interiors, organizes her hats by hanging them on the wall like art. “Consider using beautiful brass wall pegs if you’re actually going to use the area as a swap station for your hats,” she says. “If you’re planning on treating the space as a static gallery wall, Command hooks will do the trick.” Caitlin recommends thinking of a hat wall as an art gallery, making sure to include some variety in color, detail and size for visual interest.

Don’t let your bookshelves become a repository of knickknacks and dying plants. Clear them of miscellanea and finish them off with some color-coding for a nice visual touch. “A space that looks beautiful is more likely to stay that way,” says Corrie Jackson of Maison Haven.

Sort the items in a stuffed closet into "keep" and "toss" piles. Once you've pared down, use products like velvet hangers, baskets, stackable bamboo shoe shelves and clear plastic containers to help maximize every square inch of closet space.

Bring order to your handbag collection, so you can find the right bag quickly and easily when you're running out the door. Amanda Clark of Ever So Organized stores clutches and other small bags on their sides in clear acrylic containers. If you have enough closet space, you can also hang bags and purses on hangers.

There’s nothing like a sprawling jumble of shoes on the floor to make your closet feel like an unwieldy mess. Organizing your shoes along shelves or in clear bins can give your closet an instant facelift. “Clear, stackable shoe boxes are a great option because they maximize vertical space — plus you can see what’s inside,” says Corrie Jackson of Maison Haven. Use boot shapers to prevent tall boots from falling on top of each other.

Your bedside table is one of the first things you see when you wake up and one of the last things you see before falling asleep, so keeping it tidy can go a long way toward making your bedroom feel organized. “Because it’s not a ‘public’ space, the bedroom is often overlooked when it comes to getting organized,” says Amanda Clark of Ever So Organized. “Take some time to go through your bedside table. Only keep items that are necessary and that you enjoy using.”

If your clothing drawers have fallen into disarray from daily rummaging, try filing your clothes vertically so that you can see what’s in the drawer without having to dig around. Jennifer Jones of IHeart Organizing uses soft-sided boxes to organize clothes by category.

Even precious jewelry can look unruly when it’s in a tangled heap. “We often see jewelry stored in a haphazard pile in a decorative dish or on a tray, making it difficult to see the inventory,” says Shannon Krause, certified professional organizer and CEO of Tidy Nest. “It looks like clutter even if it’s your most prized possession.” Shannon recommends organizing jewelry as if it’s on display at a store, making the inventory easy to see. You can use a drop-in drawer organizer, clear containers or a hanging organizer with clear pockets.

If shampoos and bath products have taken over your shower floor or tub ledge, introduce some shelving to streamline your shower’s appearance and save space. An attractive caddy over the showerhead is all you need.

Amanda Clark of Ever So Organized tackled this disorganized medicine cabinet by removing all items, grouping similar items together and tossing anything that hadn’t been used in the past year. Clark put items in acrylic bins and pretty Mason jars for easy identification.

Reduce chaos in your bathroom closet by separating items into categories like hair, dental and first aid, and placing them in labeled bins. “The bathroom is the ideal space to implement plastic or acrylic containers for ease of cleanup when toiletries spill,” says Marissa Hagmeyer, co-founder of Neat Method. She also suggests a bin for backup shampoo, lotion and beauty products, so that you know where to look when you run out.

To achieve orderly linen closets and cabinets, Ashley Murphy, co-founder of Neat Method, stacks and labels linens and towels according to bed size or room. She also suggests using linen closets to stash utility items that aren’t used every day, such as batteries, backup toiletries and medicine.

Home office desks often double as dumping grounds for mail, magazines and random office supplies. Declutter your desk by tossing or relocating unwanted items and thoughtfully organizing paperwork and supplies.

Don’t let your child’s books, pens and other school-related stuff take over the dining room table. Instead, store them in a designated caddy that kids can access whenever it’s time for homework. (Photo courtesy of The Container Store.)

If you’re constantly finding stray bracelets and barrettes around the house, designate an accessory station to hold it all. “Kiddos come with a lot of little bits and bobs, especially small accessories,” says Laura Kinsella, owner of Urban Organyze. “In order to prevent finding these items in every nook and cranny of your home — or worse, stepping on them — corral items with an over-the-door accessory station.” Modular organizers can expand to include more types of accessories as your child’s needs change.

Craft supplies can quickly get out of hand in a home with young kids. Stow all the crayons, glue sticks, scissors and construction paper in labeled bins, and designate a craft shelf that all members of the family can reach. Michele Vig of Neat Little Nest points out that organizing craft supplies can also prevent duplicate purchases.

If you find yourself digging through a heap of wrapping paper and gift bags every time a holiday or birthday approaches, simplify your life with a gift-wrapping station. Amy Bloomer of Let Your Space Bloom says a simple back-of-the-door organizer (like this one from The Container Store) can do the trick — especially if you’re short on space.

Don’t let pet toys and grooming supplies pile up in a dusty, fur-covered heap. Laura Kinsella of Urban Organyze recommends a portable caddy to keep pet supplies in order. “A three-tiered rolling caddy can serve as a one-stop storage for your pet’s food, treats and grooming gear,” says Kinsella. This DIY rolling unit is a multi-functional family storage piece; it’s great for pet gear or mudroom extras, like shoes, hats and gloves.

Yoga mats, dumbbells and other workout gear have a way of overcrowding precious space, whether it’s your home office or a hallway closet. Gather all your workout equipment and create a designated gym station. Laura Kinsella of Urban Organyze, recommends a rolling cart so that you can stow the gear when you’re not using it.

Nothing clutters a garage more quickly than yard and garden tools with unwieldy shapes and long handles. Shannon Krause of Tidy Nest recommends storing tools on a horizontal rack. “Vertical space is always under-utilized in utility spaces such as basements and garages,” says Krause. “We like to install a heavy-duty utility track with hooks on the wall to store sports equipment, outdoor tools, even bikes. This maximizes the vertical space, and the items are more accessible.”