How to Declutter Book Shelves and Living Spaces

Clearing and managing your book shelves, desks, etc. is a great way to help declutter your overall living space.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Pen
• paper
• checklist
• excel program
• baskets
• book dividers

1. 
    

   To declutter a book shelf, start by clearing off everything on all your shelves and tables and grouping them in piles.

2. 
    

   Write down all the items on a checklist or make your own free checklist using your excel computer program. List the items under groupings of like items, colors, themes, and show pieces.

3. Start by picking a theme for each area and use the most appropriate centerpiece as a center piece. Lay other related pieces around your centerpiece by color texture or theme.

4. 
    

   Decide first where to put your show piece in your area and build your theme around it. Try to use the same numbers of items on each book shelf and have them mirror each other on opposite sides.

5. Declutter your book shelf with items such as odds and ends, photos, and unrelated theme pieces. Use only pieces that relate to your areas theme.

6. 
    

   Use some books on opposite shelves and have them mirror each other as well. Do not use more than 3 or 4 types of each book grouping together and stack like color books side by side.

7. 
    

   Try to utilize some larger items like a plant or basket in offset areas of book shelf to also help declutter your area and add visual interest to your theme as well.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a book or two laying horizontally to prop up other stacked books as a divider.
• Use smaller pieces on top corner shelves and use larger ones inside more toward the center.
• Declutter tables and desks the same way as the book shelves by theme.

Resources

• Declutter fast!-Get your home in order
• Declutter books on Ebay