With spring finally here, it’s a great time to give your home a refresh. More sunlight during the day means you’ve probably noticed the clutter you haven’t taken care of in a while, or even the stuff in your house that just feels in the way.
At JOHI, we’re all about sustainable, intentional change. Decluttering and spring cleaning shouldn’t feel like a massive task you have to tackle all at once–instead, it’s something you can do over time, and even find joy in as you make your home more livable. Use our tips below to learn how to declutter at home and make simple updates that offer the biggest impact!
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Small wins to declutter at home without feeling overwhelmed
If you feel like your home needs a deep clean and reorganization, take a step back first. You can’t tackle everything at once, so establishing your priorities and a routine will help make it more manageable.
1. Identify build-up spots
First, consider which areas around your home always feel cluttered. It might be your entryway, with shoes piled up, or perhaps on top of your dresser, where you tend to leave items that don’t have another home. Typically, build-up spots happen because you don’t have a good space to store things. This is where you might consider looking into new storage solutions, like cabinetry, or even additional surfaces like benches that can hide storage underneath.
2. Go room by room
It’s so easy to burn out if you just start randomly organizing as you go throughout your day. Instead, pick a specific room or area each week and tidy up for a set period of time. It can help to start with the areas you use the most first, so you’ll experience the impact of your changes right away and feel motivated to keep going.
3. Set your criteria
As you organize, you’ll probably go through a lot of clothing or items that just feel in the way. This is why it’s good to have some type of criteria for what you want to keep and what you can resell or donate.
For example, clothing you haven’t worn in over a year could be given a second life somewhere else. Old papers and documents tend to pile up over time, so discarding the ones that have no use anymore is an easy way to clear space.
4. Create a short daily routine
Once you’ve selected the areas you want to clean up and your criteria, create a short daily routine that’s easy to follow. It could be as simple as 15 minutes in the morning before work or before dinner time. As long as it works for your schedule and you’re making progress over time, you’ll have a tidier home before summer!
5. Get the kids involved
If you have children, involve them daily in some way to help you all stay organized. You can designate easy-to-use zones for their toys and objects, which they are responsible for using and tidying up every day. These storage spaces could be low drawers to save this month’s art projects, low hooks to hang their backpacks and raincoats, and trays for their homework or notices to parents.
Establishing these areas that are easy to use means they’re more likely to become a part of the daily routine, and it’s one less thing you have to worry about. Beyond spring cleaning, these types of expectations for the whole family can help you maintain organization year-round.
How to decide if it’s time to part ways with old furniture or items
We believe the home is a living environment, which means it should change with you throughout the day-to-day and across the years. That means the goal doesn’t have to be a completely sterile, strictly clean home. Instead, it should be a functional home that makes your life easier.
As you’re tidying up, observe your emotions as you interact with your furniture. Are you frustrated every time you use that one table? Why? Consider how you might improve the experience while keeping the piece, like moving it to a different spot. If there aren’t any good options, consider if it’s time to replace the piece.
At JOHI, we even practice these observations in our workshop, because every small improvement in our living and workspace compounds to make our everyday lives more enjoyable.
If it is time to replace or get rid of a household piece, try to avoid sending things to the landfill. In 2023, the New York Times covered the United States’ fast furniture landfill problem, and the EPA found that Americans throw away over 12 million tons of furniture each year.
Instead, consider reselling or donating your furniture. One of the quickest options to sell furniture you’re looking to get rid of quickly is to simply post it for free on Facebook Marketplace or another local market. There are also local “Buy Nothing” groups that support community sharing and the flow of resources like this. Someone will likely come pick up the piece, allowing you to make the space you need.
Aesthetic storage solutions to stay organized
A big part of learning how to declutter your home is finding the right storage solutions. When everything has a place, it’s easier to interact with your home and feel more comfortable.
There are a lot of mass-market options out there, but consider storage that will last and can also serve as an aesthetic conversation piece in your home. Functional, high-quality furniture is usually the best option to ensure your home stays organized yet well-lived-in throughout the years.
3-Cubby Storage Bench
The 3-Cubby Storage Bench is one of our newer offerings, offering seating with open-style storage that’s perfect for entryways, walk-in closets, living rooms, and more. It’s a premium hardwood bench designed to last generations, with a truly sturdy feel, solid construction, and fixed dividers that create equally spaced compartments.
It’s customizable to unique spaces in both home and boutique retail environments, and you can choose from the following dimensions:
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Length range: 3’ - 6’
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Width range: 12” - 20”
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Height range: 14” - 20”
Our customers have used the 3-Cubby Bench for organizing shoes, books for their at-home library or reading nook, clothing, toys, supplies, and more. The image below features an example of three similar benches in a U formation that we made to serve as the base of a custom residential library nook, dreamt up by interior designer Anne Poon.
Entry Console
The Entry Console is one of our original designs from the very beginning of JOHI–a solid wood, free-standing, bar-height cabinet that offers versatile use throughout the home. At 42” high, it’s a comfortable standing height to use as a serving console & bar cabinet for wine and entertainment storage, entryway table, or living room storage.
We typically have some versions of the Entry Console in stock and ready to ship, but you can also order a custom version to choose the aesthetic you prefer on the bottom shelf: woven cord, or matching wood.
We designed this piece for compatibility with a variety of home styles, including midcentury modern, Scandinavian, Japandi, mountain modern, and contemporary coastal interiors.
To help organize your home, you can use the Entry Console to store keys, watches, sunglasses, hats, and other daily items in the drawers. As a bar or as dining storage, it’s great for holding wine bottles, glassware, extra servingware, placemats, and more. And in the living room, it’s ideal for keeping books, games, puzzles, and even blankets and pillows.
Maintaining an organized home
Once you’ve finished a deep clean and organized your home how you like it, always remember that it can (and should) still evolve over time. The way you live now might not be exactly how you live a couple of years down the road, so maintaining flexibility is important. You can always rearrange, upgrade your furniture, and make way for new pieces that you love.
At JOHI, we’re dedicated to creating intentional pieces that can evolve with you over time. We also offer custom interior design services if you’re interested in a deeper evolution of your home. Contact us today to learn more!