How to Make Space for the Things You Love: A Guide to Creating an Intentional Home
This month we sat down with Sarah from Simply Sarah E (while she was organizing my home) to get her insight on creating an intentional home. Sarah suggests organizing your home in a way that prioritizes things you truly love. By surrounding yourself with things that reflect your passions, memories, and lifestyle, and eliminating excess, you can reduce stress and create a harmonious space.
Start By Setting Goals for your Space
The first step in creating a space that reflects what you love is to set clear goals for the area you're working on. Begin by sorting through sentimental items. Ask yourself if each item truly represents a cherished memory, and avoid holding on to things out of guilt or obligation. Be honest with yourself—if an item no longer brings you joy, it’s okay to let it go.
When it comes to sentimental items, set boundaries. Consider designating a keepsake box for these items. This way, your home won’t end up feeling like a cluttered antique shop, and you can still preserve meaningful treasures without overwhelming your space.
Get Organized and Hire an Expert!
Hiring a professional organizer can be a great way to clearly define your goals for your space and visualize the outcome. If you feel overwhelmed, an expert can help you identify the pain points—what drives you crazy about your current setup—and develop a strategy to tackle them.
Set a time limit for the process to avoid burnout. If you get overwhelmed, take a break and continue the next day. Organizing doesn’t need to be a marathon—it’s about steady progress.
Break it Down into Manageable Tasks
Start small to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Try setting a timer for 25 minutes to focus on decluttering a specific area or make a quick 10-minute tidy-up part of your every day to maintain a clutter-free home.
The "one in, one out" rule is a simple yet effective way to prevent things from piling up. For instance, when you buy a new item, make sure to donate, sell, or recycle something you no longer need. This habit will help you keep your space feeling fresh and intentional.
A seasonal declutter is especially useful for things like children’s wardrobes, as they grow out of clothes quickly. Spring and fall are great times to go through their items and donate or store anything they’ve outgrown.
Customize Your Space with Purpose
Make your space truly yours by investing in dual-purpose furniture. Furniture that serves multiple functions, like a storage ottoman or a sofa bed, can help you maximize your space while adding style. Organize your belongings using bins, baskets, and shelves to keep everything in its place. Cabinets and shelving units are excellent investments for creating a tidy and functional environment.
Be Kind to Yourself and Take Your Time
Creating space for the things you love is a process, and it's important not to be too hard on yourself. If you're struggling to let go of something, consider putting a date on the box of items you can’t face yet. This simple trick helps your brain detach from the idea of holding on to things forever. You can revisit these items at a later date.
Start with the items that bring you the least joy and gradually work your way up to the more valuable pieces. Create a “maybe bin” for things you’re unsure about—leave it aside and if you don’t think about it again, you can feel more confident in letting it go.
Donating your items can be a fulfilling way to part with things, knowing that your treasures will be appreciated and put to good use.
Celebrate the Things you Love
Once you’ve created space for what you love, it’s time to display your cherished items. Create a gallery wall with photos, artwork, or mementos that make you happy. Rotate displays seasonally to keep things fresh and meaningful.
For larger collections, like children’s artwork or family memories, create a special bin to store everything. You can go through it annually—perhaps on Mother's Day, your wedding anniversary, or a milestone birthday. This tradition allows you to revisit memories without feeling overwhelmed by clutter.
About Victoria
I’m Victoria Grace, Owner and Principal Designer at MGD. I’m the face behind-the-scenes designing your new space or staging your home for sale. I’ve always believed that a home should be a space that makes you feel not only calm and happy, but also proud. Working with Sarah to bring more organization to my home so I could showcase the things I love more was a wonderful experience.
About Sarah
Sarah has dedicated 15 years to creating a healthy, productive life for her family full of simple pleasures. With a gift for organizing, Sarah found her calling to help other busy people manage their chaos.
