The Best Ways To Display Trinkets Without Cluttering Your Home

Between gifts, vacations, and various events, we collect a ton of sentimental, memorable, and fun items over the years. But a big issue that emerges with too many knick-knacks in the house is the clutter they create. Over time, you may find yourself drowning in all the small objects you have found. Don't get stuck in the chaos; instead, discover the best ways to display trinkets without cluttering your home. From shadow boxes to glass jars, there are ways to keep a clean and organized collection you will adore while adding a new level to your home decor game.

Before setting out your items, it's important to start with a deep clean of your current collection of knick-knacks. It may be wise to part with some of the items, especially if they're damaged. Creating "sale," "donate," "toss," and "keep" piles is one of the best strategies for decluttering your home. While decluttering should be done at least a few times a year, the frequency depends on how often you shop and the number of people who dwell in the home. If you have children, you may find yourself clearing things out every few months; meanwhile, if you don't have kids and collect things randomly, you may only organize your home once or twice a year. But once you have dwindled your trinkets down to the final collection you won't part with, it's time to show them off in the best light.

Keep your home looking neat by displaying all of your interesting, unique, odd, or valuable items in a curio cabinet. Also known as a cabinet of curiosities, this type of cabinet usually comprises a wooden frame and glass door and wall panels. Sometimes mistaken for a china cabinet, a trinket-filled curio cabinet can be placed just about anywhere, making it a great decorative element in your home. Don't forget that these cabinets can also get messy, so learn how to perfectly style your trendy curio cabinet.

Those odds and ends that you can't seem to get rid of offer a great way to decorate shelves in your home. There are many kinds of shelves, including floating, bookshelves, built in, fixed, pull out, and ceiling mounted, that you can place throughout your home. Go for those that match your style and then adorn them with trinkets that fit the aesthetic. Be wary, though — a common shelf styling mistake people make is placing too many items on their shelves. This overcrowding will create a sense of chaos in your home.

Decorate your home with the items you've collected by creating a one-of-a-kind gallery wall. There are many ways to fashion one of these eye-catching features. Utilize picture frames, shadow boxes, shelves, and hooks, creating a wall that matches your personality and the home's aesthetic. However, before jumping in, there are some key things you'll need to remember. First, find the right space for your home for a gallery wall — it should have enough room to fit your collection. Even so, be mindful of how many items you're putting up to avoid overcrowding.

Show off your trinket collection with multi-purpose furniture — a functional item you can use daily. These essential home pieces are awesome to have, especially if you live in a smaller home where you want to show off your cool finds without cluttering the space. There are a ton of multi-purpose furniture options, like chairs, couches, tables, cabinets, and even beds that can neatly display and store your cherished items. Since these items may be in easy-to-reach places, keep your valuable and breakable trinkets out of reach of children and animals.

Trays offer a great way to display small items like rings, stones, and coins. This method is pretty simple, since all you need to do is set the tray on a counter, shelf, or tabletop, and fill it with some of your goodies. Place a larger, upright item in the middle to create a centerpiece around your small knick-knacks. What's great about these trays is that they come in all kinds of sizes, colors, shapes, and designs, making them an eye-catching piece no matter the location. However, don't overstuff the trays with too many things to avoid clutter and overcrowding.

Take those sentimental trinkets that you can't seem to part ways with and tuck them into a shadow box. This is a great way to organize and display your photos and mementos from activities and events throughout the years. Don't forget to consider the different styles, shapes, colors, and depths when finding the perfect shadow box. You can even mix and match these displays throughout your home. While there are many types of shadow boxes, for inspiration, check out how to display your favorite collectibles with this IKEA shadow box picture frame hack.

Sometimes rooms have an air about them that works well with those oddly specific items you love. The best way to follow or create a theme in a room is to display similar objects and decor in the space. This is a great way to show off your personality and give people a taste of your creativity. You can build thematic groupings in all kinds of ways, be it through specific shapes, items, colors, or categories. For example, popular interior decor themes include nautical, bohemian, rustic, and cottage core. 

Banish clutter from your house while keeping most of your trinket collection by rotating the items throughout the year. To do this, you'll need an organized system that involves knowing when to put an item out and when to store it away. Then, whether it is every season or on specific holidays, you can show off those knick-knacks you can't seem to get rid of. Another great way to show off your favorite objects is with this DIY rotating shelf, which could be the organization game-changer you've always dreamed of.

Using a home's vertical space effectively is a missed opportunity for many people. Vertical space comprises the usable area spanning from the floor to the ceiling in any part of the house. It offers an excellent way to add taller display options — or even to hang items. Do you have any awkward spaces in your house where the walls are empty? Declutter your home by making the most of vertical space in these underutilized areas. Whether it's underneath a staircase or in a narrow hallway, set this space up as a mini shrine to show off your trinkets.

A clever way to reuse old glass jars around the house is to fill them with your small trinkets. You know those seashells, marbles, coins, figurines, and other tiny items that just sit around, cluttering up your counters? Well, they can finally have a lovely home when you place them in a glass jar. You can get creative by adding other decorative elements like sand, ribbons, and beads — or all of the above. Then, display the jar as a decor piece on a shelf, a counter, or a table. 

Keep things clutter free by sticking to a library-style categorization system. And we're not talking about organizing by author name or title; instead, stick to a meticulous way of sorting the items, whether by color, type, or size. By having a system in place, you can create an area that feels intentional, not hastily thrown together. While categorizing, take an inventory of the items you have so you know where they are at all times.