Haunted by Clutter? Here’s Your Guide to Intentional Decorating

You found the perfect decor piece for your home, and you simply could not pass it up. Unfortunately, you’ve done this a dozen times too many. If you love to decorate to the point of over-decorating, you may have unintentionally created a cluttered space overwhelmed with trinkets, throw pillows, and festive seasonal decor.

Tired of feeling haunted by clutter? Here are some of the spookiest decorating faux pas you may have made, and, most importantly, how to decorate without looking cluttered.

Frightening Decorating Faux Pas

Too Many Knickknacks

Maybe you pick up a souvenir trinket from every place you visit, or perhaps you’ve been holding on to numerous childhood heirlooms. Regardless of why your collection has grown, too many small knickknacks and baubles will quickly make a house look cluttered and messy. When it comes to these, less is truly more.

Pillow Pile-Up

Throw pillows can make a space look cozy and inviting, but adding too many can have the opposite effect. After all, how are you — or your guests — supposed to get comfy when decorative pillows overrun your couch?

Chaotic Colors

A colorful home is often a happy home, but sometimes, too many colors can feel like chaos. If your space feels disorganized and scattered no matter how you arrange it, this may be due to your color scheme (or lack thereof)!

Overloaded Shelves and Surfaces

Storage space is often a scarce resource, so it makes sense that you want to use every square inch. However, when it comes to decorating, practice restraint and create a balance between empty space and decor. Filling your shelves and covering your coffee table with plants, photos, trinkets, and books is a fast track to an over-decorated house.

Endless open storage

Open storage can be done beautifully, and it’s a great way to incorporate functional decoration. However, too much open storage can become a nightmare unless you keep it meticulously organized and tidy at all times. In certain rooms, opt for covered storage where you can store items that are less aesthetically pleasing. If you have a lot of open shelving to work with, consider using decorative baskets to minimize clutter.

Helter-skelter wall art

Haphazardly hanging up photos, paintings, and other pieces of wall decor can make your home look cluttered and out of balance in no time. Like the rest of your decor, wall art should feel harmonious and cohesive.

Tips for Clutter-Free Decorating

You know what not to do, but that’s only half the battle. Here’s how to decorate without clutter.

Decorate with intention.

It’s tempting to buy everything that catches your eye and find a place to squeeze it in, but that’s a recipe for cluttered decor. Decorate slowly and curate your shelves, tabletops, and walls with intention. Have we mentioned that less is more?

Rotate decor items.

You may have a hefty collection of decoration items that you simply cannot pare down. Instead of facing heartbreaking decor decisions, consider rotating pieces in and out so you don’t create a messy living room. Plus, you can make your space feel refreshed and new with just a few swaps!

Decorate table tops with one or two item groupings.

A good rule of thumb for tabletops is to display decor in one or two groupings. For example, you may have a cluster of candles next to a stack of books on your coffee table. Creating these clusters or groups will make your surfaces look polished and thought-out, rather than cluttered and slapdash.

Leave open space on shelves, and tuck small items into cabinets or baskets.

Open shelf space is just as important as the pieces you’ve carefully selected to display. Treat the empty space like another design element and strive for balance. Give your decor some room to breathe! In general, smaller items should go into baskets or get tucked away into cabinets to minimize visual clutter.

View furniture as part of your decor.

Gorgeous, high-quality furniture and rugs are just as much decor as the ornamentations and accents you throw on top. There’s no need to cover that luxurious sectional in throw pillows and blankets. That stunning bookshelf doesn’t need to be crammed to the brink with doodads. When you love your furniture and embrace its beauty as part of your decor, you’ll find that decorating restraint comes much easier.

Stick to a general color scheme.

Choosing a color palette will help ensure your room doesn’t devolve into color overload. A general rule is to stick to one dominant color for about 60 percent of the room, while 30 percent should be a secondary color, and 10 percent should be an accent color. That doesn’t mean banishing all other colors, but strive for this overall balance.

Limit yourself to two or three accent pillows on each end of the couch.

Excess pillows and throw blankets will make a space look cluttered frighteningly fast. A general rule of thumb is to put two, maybe three, small throw pillows on either end of the couch. If you’ve got more that you’re desperate to use, put them in storage and let them shine another time.

Create a cohesive gallery wall.

If you’ve got a wide variety of wall decor, you don’t need to toss them in favor of matchy-matchy pieces. Instead, you can create a tidy, cohesive look by neatly arranging them on the wall. Instead of placing them randomly throughout the space, cluster them together for a striking gallery wall.

Embrace Intentional Decorating with Rent-A-Center

Are you ready to bid farewell to clutter and welcome a new, inspired living space? Rent-A-Center’s range of furniture and rugs effortlessly elevate your home without the need for excess. Experience budget-friendly style with free delivery options online or in-store today.