When you start to declutter your home, some areas stand out as needing attention, like the clothes that are bulging out of your drawers or the overflowing hall closet that requires some quick maneuvering to successfully shut. However, other areas are easy to pass over as you are making your way around your home.
These are the areas that have remained untouched and unchanged in your home. These stagnant spaces can hide clutter in plain sight since they are so easy to overlook.
Examples of stagnant areas in your home
Walls
Take time to assess the wall decor that you have in each room. People tend to add decorations to wall space but rarely take anything down. Just because something has always been there, doesn’t justify it continuing to stay on your wall. Make sure the items you are displaying make you happy and reflect who you are now in your life.
China cabinet
Fancy dishes are often skipped during the decluttering process because they were inherited, were costly, or have become a staple display in the dining room. However, it is worth pulling everything out and going through these items piece by piece. Most of these sets contain unique items that you have never or rarely used. Don’t be afraid of breaking up a set. Having a smaller set of items that you use is much more practical than holding onto a complete set with useless items. No one is going to inventory your china cabinet or hutch.
Display cases
Collections and knick-knacks often are displayed on shelves or cabinets with glass doors. These areas can feel like a permanent part of the room because they stay stationary. Don’t overlook these spaces when decluttering. Many times you will find so much to let go of that you can even get rid of the shelf or cabinet that was holding the objects.
If you have already had some success decluttering other areas of your home, take a second look, room by room, and make sure you didn’t miss any stagnant spaces. You may be surprised by what you find.
Oh so true about the walls, I put up pictures years ago I always meant to “fix” and never have 🤨🤔
The first time I assessed everything on my walls, I found a few pictures that I had bought almost 12 years ago just so I had something to put in my first apartment. After that, they had traveled to 3 additional homes with me. When I paused and took a second to think about how I felt about them, I realized I didn’t even like them at all. It is so strange to me now that I moved them along with me and displayed them without any thought.
So funny to read this today. I just decluttered my china cabinet on the weekend in preparation for an upcoming blog post. It was an interesting experience. I was definitely able to get rid of a few things and it gave me a chance to think about why I still had some items. Stay tuned.
I can’t wait to read about your experience.😁
You are so practical, Suzanne, I love it! Before my dad died, he gave me a big box of china that had belonged to my grandmother. I knew if I kept it, it’d either stay in the box forever or set on a shelf & collect dust. So, I gave it to my mom! (They divorced when I was a kid.) I’m a lot like you – I don’t like being surrounded by stuff not being used! Thanks for this post – you made me smile! 🌞
Thanks for sharing your story! I’m glad you were able to quickly find a home for the china.