Jonathan Scott's Top Decluttering Tip Will Have Your Home Organized In No Time

Who among us hasn't had to sort through a mountain of mismatched Tupperware just to find one lid, or dig through a linen closet overflowing with extra bedsheets that haven't been used in years? It's easy to think that just buying a few more storage bins will solve the problem, but HGTV's Jonathan Scott has a much simpler solution: getting rid of all those duplicate sets of various home items. In a recent Instagram post, he suggested that a good strategy for decluttering your home is paring your belongings down to just what you use and not keeping sets upon sets of items around in case you need them one day.

The one-and-done philosophy is the best in clutter-heavy areas, and is a great tip for decluttering your kitchen. For example, when it comes to bed linen sets, two to three sets is all you need – not more. That's one you're currently using and one that's clean and ready to use; you can also tack on another set if you tend to get behind with laundry. The same goes for towels. Getting rid of those extra sets will free up extra space in your linen closet and then you won't need dozens of storage organizers.

Focusing on quality over quantity changes how you view your space, especially if you decide to upgrade some items while still paring down overall. Instead of managing a massive inventory of mediocre items, you'll have a small collection of things you actually love and regularly use. And when you stop keeping so many multiples around, there's less stuff for you to deal with, and less stress.

It might feel daunting, but the best way to put Jonathan Scott's advice into practice is to start with your most crowded cabinets. The kitchen is often where you'll find a ton of duplicate items. It's common to keep full sets of knives around when we only use three, or multiple sets of mixing bowls when one would suffice. Take a hard look at your gadget drawers, too. If you have three peeler tools or four measuring cup sets, pick the highest-quality version and donate the rest. Paring multiples down makes areas much easier to navigate, regardless of the room they're in.

Beyond the kitchen, apply Scott's only-what-you-need audit to other types of collections, like your cleaning supplies, makeup products, and other common items people forget to declutter. By consolidating things like multiple half-empty bottles of the same glass cleaner, or three sets of hair tools, you instantly get rid of clutter, have more room for everything else, and are able to find things easily. This isn't about being a minimalist; it's about functioning comfortably every day. 

Once you've cleared your duplicates, the final step is keeping things tidy. And it's pretty easy to maintain those boundaries with a one-in, one-out rule. For example, if you buy a new set of bath towels, toss out an old set to stop that clutter from creeping back again. So follow Jonathan's lead and embrace the power of the only-what-you-need set.