How to Decorate When You Hate Clutter

Some people adore a home that has character, but others do not necessarily. If you’re someone who needs space to breathe and finds clutter more overwhelming than poignant, don’t worry, you’re not alone. Decorating your home if you don’t like ‘stuff’ isn’t an impossible task that means living in an unadorned, sterile box. You can still design an environment that is warm, lived-in, and all your own, only without all the visual clutter.

Fewer Things, More Purpose

Clutter sneaks in stealthily. A candle here, a frame there, an assortment of bits by the door. Each one isn’t bad. But all at once, it begins to overwhelm the senses. If, for you, home style is more about peace and simplicity, the most important thing to realize is that less is not less—it’s more on purpose.

Keep What Really Counts

Begin by selecting items that bring you joy, not necessarily those that you feel obligated to keep. Quality over quantity. That vase from Portugal that puts a smile on your face every single time? That one remains. That one that your aunt gave to you that you moved six times without even loving it once? You’re allowed to let that one go.

Select Significant Art

Walls deserve a mention here. They can either soften a space or shout, depending on what you hang on them. Instead of scattering frames, quotes, and random holiday snaps, choose a single, stunning piece that stirs something in you. One framed photograph of Australian landscape photography can speak louder than a dozen little tokens. It adds depth without demanding attention.

Storage That Doesn’t Shout “Storage”

Storage is your best friend—but not in the kind that’s packed to bursting behind closed doors. Open shelving is fine if done sparsely, but in multiples for symmetry. Baskets offer an excellent means to stash clutter. Soft-close drawers, storage under beds, and concealed containers that make it easy to tidy will cut down on clutter.

A Glimpse of Life Without the Clutter

Now we get to the good stuff: adding life and warmth without making it feel cluttered. Plants are your best-kept secret. They bring softness, color, and motion, but don’t need to dominate. An individual leafy plant in an unobtrusive pot on a windowsill will animate a room.

Don’t Forget the Scent

Smell is important, too. A house that smells nice immediately feels more welcoming, even if there is hardly anything to see. One candle or one diffuser—ideally in an aroma that you personally like—is enough to transform an environment without cluttering it.

Embracing Empty Space

And surfaces. If you don’t like clutter, chances are you don’t like wiping constantly. Leave counters and tables unobstructed most of the time. Allow dining tables to breathe in between meals. Clear space on your bedside table for water, for a book, for a little more.

Style Without the Stuff

With an aversion to clutter, decorating is all about curating, not filling. Paying attention to light at a particular point in the day, selecting materials that feel nice to touch, and embracing empty space as part of the aesthetic. Walking into a space that is thoughtfully curated, not cluttered.

So if at some point you have thought that you “should” have more in your home but have been stopping short, don’t. Your aesthetic is not incomplete. Your aesthetic is simply clean, peaceful, and very, very thought-out. And honestly, that’s an aesthetic that more of us could learn from.”