How To Declutter Without Losing Your Maximalist Style

Decluttering is already a challenge as it is. But when your interior veers on the side of maximalist decor and style, where gallery walls adorn living rooms, bespoke antique furniture fills living rooms, and extravagant shelves display treasured trinkets galore, you may have your work cut out for you. On one hand, you want to ensure that all of your treasures have a designated home and that it tastefully captures your space's eclectic character and aesthetic. But on the other hand, you don't want to hold back the space from reaching its maximalist-capacity. So, how do you keep up with organizing and maintenance without your home losing its maximalist charm? For starters, you'll want to strike a balance of organized maximalism by creating an organizing plan, designating zones, and keeping a regular decluttering schedule.

One strategy for decluttering your home is getting to the nitty-gritty of what's causing your clutter. Duplicates and broken things that you swear you're going to fix one day (but let's be real, when will you actually have the time?) can be a source of an imperfectly perfect mess. Remember, it's unlikely that you'll organize and declutter in one fell swoop, so it's best to designate decluttering one area at a time. Even tackling a small area at a time, like an entryway or bookshelf, can alleviate the impending anxiety that typically comes with reorganizing and better prepare you for specific chores.

If minimalist master Marie Kondo has taught us anything, it's the power of keeping belongings based on how much they spark joy. That's not just a trick to consume less, but it comes in handy when it's time to clean and organize your space. If you have duplicate items, ask yourself if you really need two duvet sets or more decorative pillows or if the space in your closet could be of better use. Specifically, does one of your duplicate items hold more sentimental value than the other? From there, you can decide on what goes and what stays, effectively giving you more room for items that you use or that you enjoy.

Adding stylish storage solutions, like tall chests with multiple drawers that you can designate for different items, helps keep clutter out of sight. This can free up breathing space in corners of your home that may look too busy, showcasing pieces that could easily be tucked away without compromising on the lived-in aesthetic of maximalism. When displaying your treasures, create cohesive groupings by clustering similar items and complementary colors together — it'll feel curated rather than cluttered. Let's not forget that consistency is key in the world of decluttering. A loud, bold, maximalist style doesn't mean you should have an erratic organization schedule or that you have to conquer every room in your home to sustain tidiness. In fact, committing to even a no-fuss soft decluttering session daily or weekly means you don't have to melt under the weight of decluttering a nightmare all at once.