There is a fine line between an eclectic home and a cluttered home. While eclectic (or ‘maximalist’) homes are filled to the brim with a wide range of furniture and décor, cluttered homes are filled to the brim with furniture, décor, piles of washing, and junk which can lead to frustration, procrastination, and a constant feeling of being overwhelmed. (This isn’t a hunch; it’s just science.)
Unfortunately, even the best intentions can result in clutter. If you’re interested in creating an eclectic vibe, here are our top tips to ensure your home stays uncluttered:
FIRSTLY, MAKE SURE YOUR HOUSE IS CLEAN.
At least half the time a home feels cluttered the cause is simply untidiness. And don’t worry, we’re all untidy in some way or another: leaving washed (or worse, unwashed) clothes in a heap on the fabric chair, not being bothered to dust cobwebs, not vacuuming the floor frequently, or not doing the dishes every day. But making the effort to keep your home clean and tidy will not only bring the most out of your eclectic interiors, it will also be better for your health.
SECONDLY, ENSURE YOUR DÉCOR IS ORGANISED THEMATICALLY.
Anarchy might be a fun idea when you’re a disillusioned university student, but when you’re a disillusioned adult it’s just exhausting. Placing homewares ad hoc may be convenient at the time—seeing as you’re not having to think too hard about what you’re doing with the piece and why—but doing so will confuse your guests and detract from your vibe.
Instead, go for thematically arranged eclecticism. For travel bugs, organising rooms according to your trips can be great (a road trip room, an outback holiday room, a big international city room [think Paris, London, NYC, etc], a local room, and so on). You could try different colour palettes too. Or, you could organise your room by furniture style: for example, you may have a mid-century living room, country-style dining room, contemporary entryway, and so on.
THIRDLY, DON’T CRAM TOO MUCH INTO THE SPACE.
It’s tempting to keep filling a room with more and more stuff as you see it in-store and online. You often see it in grandparents’ homes: the curtains have to be floral, the sofas have to be upholstered with different florals, the wallpaper has to be “jazzy”, every bowl and plate has to be on display, and so on.
But all rooms have a limit; plus, such mindless consumption is totally not environmentally friendly. You’ll probably get a gut feeling when there’s too much in your room, but if you’re unsure then invite one of your friends over and ask for their opinion. Make sure you invite someone who’s not afraid to be honest!
FOURTHLY, KEEP EDITING YOUR COLLECTIONS.
Maximalist interiors really benefit from one of the precepts of minimalist design: keep only that which you love. If something is only there to fill a space, then ditch it. If you’ve fallen out of love with something you’ve bought on your travels, then don’t feel obliged to keep it.
Editing your collections takes time, but the decluttering effect will make your efforts 100% worthwhile.
FINALLY, REMEMBER YOUR STORAGE SOLUTIONS!
Sometimes we just have so much stuff, or such a variety of stuff, that we don’t know where to put it all. And we don’t always want to ditch it, either. If you find yourself in this position, the best option is to find some clever storage solutions. Try under-bed storage drawers, cute lowboys, and stackable cubes and crates to maximise your space.
This blog topic was suggested by Tracey Lynch in our My Family Home Facebook group. Check it out!