There are great uses for that space under your bed, but to use it, you may have to clean it out first. To help you get there, here are a few easy ways to declutter under the bed and get the most from that space!
How to Declutter & Get the Most from the Space Under Your Bed
As with any decluttering project, there are a few things to do first. One of those is to determine the purpose for the space. Will you be using it to store out-of-season clothing, shoes, books, or for other items?
The other pre-project task to do is to completely clean out the space. This means you’ll need to pull everything out from underneath your bed.
To get a better (and quicker) result, consider taking off the mattress (and boxspring if you use one) so you can easily get everything out. Once you have everything cleared, be sure to give the area a good cleaning.
With those tasks out of the way, you’re ready declutter under the bed and get more space!
5 Purging Tips for Under the Bed
Tip #1: Use the keep, purge, relocate method.
With this method, you’ll need to create three piles: one for items you plan to keep, one for items that need to be purged (or thrown away, donated, or sold), and a pile for items that need to be put in another place.
As you go through each item, don’t spend too much time on thinking what to do with it. Go with your gut, or first mind, and place it in the correct pile.
Oftentimes when you spend too much time thinking about what to do, you may end up talking yourself into keeping it. Follow the method until everything has been put in one of the three piles.
Tip #2: Clean the purge and relocate piles first.
Before you start to put things back underneath your bed, get rid of the items in the other two piles first.
For the purge pile, decide if you will throw away the items, donate, or try to sell them. Keep in mind that if you plan to sell them, you will be holding on to them until they are sold.
If you go this route, consider putting a time limit on how long you’ll keep the items and then donate them to a local consignment shop or thrift store.
For the items in the relocate pile, place them in their new home as quickly as possible. If other areas begin to get cluttered, reconsider if you need to keep them altogether. Or, that area of your home may need to be cleaned and decluttered, too!
Tip #3: Go through your keep pile again.
We suggest going through your keep pile one more time for two reasons:
- Make sure what is left are things you still want to keep. Sometimes we hang onto things that we really do want (or need) to get rid of.
- To see if you’ll want (or need) to incorporate any storage solutions to help keep things organized.
Once you’ve gone through your keep pile and determined that you want to keep everything, figure out if you’ll benefit from purchasing storage solutions.
Some ideal organizers to consider are: a drawer (can be repurposed from an old chest of drawers), plastic storage bin, vacuum-seal bags, and/or small baskets.
Tip #4: Organize your items.
Whether you’ve opted in to use some type of storage bin, bag, or basket, it’s now time to get your items organized.
Anything that’s already in a bag or box may not need to be placed inside of something, but it’s a good idea to put all loose items in one place to keep them from cluttering the area.
Another idea is to keep all like items together. Use the head of your bed to store shoes, the middle of underneath the bed for seasonal items, and the end of underneath the bed for things you may use often.
Of course you’ll want to do what works best for you, but these are ideas to give you inspiration.
Tip #5: Put your items back underneath the bed.
Give everything you have left a specific space and make every effort to keep it this way.
If there are items you’re storing that you use often, keep them in an easy to reach place. Save the middle and head of the bed spaces for things you use the least.
Keeping the space underneath your bed clean and decluttered can be easy peasy.
Once you’ve taken the time to declutter under the bed once, be sure to do spot cleans every few weeks. If you notice it getting dirty or re-cluttered, repeat the steps above again.
It’s also a good idea to rotate the items underneath your bed to make sure you’re using them.
Here’s to making the most of the space underneath you bed!
More on Decluttering
- 5 Things You Can Declutter This Week
- Declutter Your Bathroom: 5 Things to Declutter
- How to Easily Declutter and Organize Your Attic
Michelle is a freelance writer, blogger, and author of several Amazon best-selling nonfiction books. Her work has appeared on sites such as Yes I Can Help You, JustinaFord, Mom For All Seasons, Christian Marriage Adventures, and Proverbs 31 Mentor. She has worked side-by-side with well-known business women such as Wendi Schenkel, Carla Du Pont and Dr. Radisha Brown. It is Michelle’s desire to make your words become a reality through her gift of writing. You can share her passion on her blog, The Healing Life, and acquire information about working with her at Michelle Huddleston Services.