I often feel amazed at how a dining room ends up catching clutter. Half of my family members don’t even dine in the dining room and yet it is the most cluttered area in my house. I literally have to put things away from my dining room multiple times a day despite knowing that it would go back to being a clutter-catcher in no time.
The story is quite simple. We bring in many bags of fruits and vegetables and dump it all on the dining table. They sit there until cooked or eaten only to make way for new bags of groceries. The cutlery stand has way more spoons and forks than needed, and the floor is always full of visual clutter that doesn’t even belong in the dining room to begin with.
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While your dining room isn’t the most used area of the house, it carries the power to project you as a tidy and messy human being in front of the guests that may visit you. Also, like in many homes, it might just be the place where your kids do their homework making it all the more important to keep it decluttered throughout the day.
It took me a while, years to be precise, to understand the importance of keeping my dining room clutter-free. But you don’t have to waste as much time as I did. Here’s a few tips to declutter your dining room that I am sharing from my personal experience:
1. Start With The China Cabinet
I’m extremely possessive about my China cabinet which is why I rarely leave it to be tackled later. Whenever you think about decluttering your dining room, it’s always a good idea to start with the China cabinet because it has items that are delicate and sentimental in nature. This is probably going to be the biggest part of decluttering your dining area and you will want to get it done with as soon as possible.
If your China cabinet has a lot of drawers and shelves, start by emptying the items from the top shelf first. Use this opportunity to wipe clean the inside of the shelf using a damp microfiber cloth. Now start rearranging the pieces back into the shelf using the ‘One Touch Rule’, which states that you must touch or hold every item individually before deciding whether it stays or goes.
Try not to hold on to the serveware that you don’t love or use. If you have trouble deciding which pieces you should let go of, answer a simple question – If you were to spot this piece on display at a store, will you care to buy it again? If yes, keep it. If not, donate or gift it away. While sorting through the chinaware, you must only display the items that are either used for serving guests or were passed down as a family heirloom. The rest of the pieces can be packed away in a sturdy underbed storage box.
2. Sort Through The Daily Serveware
Now that you’ve sorted through your China cabinet, it’s time to sift through your daily utensils and serveware. You may have dozens of plates, bowls, spoons, forks, trays and serving dishes in your utensil rack which are required on a daily basis. Get rid of the pieces that are barely used including the ones that are misshapen or unloved. Make sure that you keep only a certain number of items from each category and pack away the rest.
Ideally, the number of utensils you must keep shouldn’t be more than thrice the number of members in your family. For instance, if yours is a family of four, you can have 12 plates, 12 bowls, 12 spoons and 12 forks. While having 3 or 4 serving dishes would be great, keep no more than 2 serving trays.
Setting a limit on the number of utensils will ensure that you don’t have a hard time cleaning the cabinets.
3. The Linen Drawer
It’s time to go through the drawer that houses your tablecloths and napkins. While going through the tablecloths and napkins, you’ll find pieces that are way too stained or torn or worn out. You’ll also find pieces that are either too small or too large for your dining table and hence haven’t been used for years. It’s best if you get rid of these pieces at the soonest because they are simply occupying valuable space in your home.
4. Glassware Cabinet
Your glassware cabinet might be housing some sets that you find too precious to take out. While it’s alright to have some glassware that you only wish to use on special occasions, make sure that you don’t keep more than two of these sets. The rest can be shifted to the minibar.
In order to maximize the space in your glassware closet, get rid of the pieces that are chipped or even slightly broken. Glassware pieces that have lost their matches can be shifted to your daily serveware cabinet.
5. Cut Down On The Décor
If you have too many décor items sitting on your dining table, get rid of them all but two. Too much décor can make it difficult for your family and guests to move their hands around while eating.
I usually just keep a fruit bowl and a centerpiece on my dining table. I also have a vase that I only take out on special occasions and gatherings. If you want, you can do away with the décor and keep only a fruit bowl and a cutlery stand as many people do.
6. Indoor Plants
Plants can be a great addition to make your dining room look lively but make sure that you don’t have too many of them. Also, try not to have any plants that are dead or struggling to live. I recently shifted all the plants from my dining room to my kitchen window and I love it that way. While you don’t have to do the same, try not to clutter your dining room with too many plants.
Being an area that will see you building beautiful memories for life, your dining room deserves to be as welcoming as possible. And the best part is that you don’t have to spend an entire day decluttering it. It only takes a few minutes and a strong intent to make your dining room look tidy and mess-free.