If you’re reading this post, there’s a good chance hidden clutter is quietly piling up somewhere, even if your counters look clear and your living room passes the ‘drop-in guest’ test. In fact, hidden clutter might not SEEM like a problem at all.
You tell yourself that nobody really sees it, so it’s not visual clutter that can be constantly distracting. However, even if we can keep a tidy common space, we often still feel a lingering sense of unease about our home.
That’s because those out-of-sight piles – stuffed into closets, tucked under beds, or hidden in the basement or a storage unit – can weigh on you more than you realize. This type of clutter is quietly but absolutely adding stress.
Let’s look at how this happens, why it matters, and – most importantly – how you can finally get a handle on it for a more clutter free home. It’s time to look past what’s right in front of you and address what’s hidden…
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Reasons for Hidden Clutter
You might have the best intentions for keeping a tidy home, but your brain can still trick you into stashing things away and postponing decisions. When you close a closet door on a pile or slide something under the bed, it feels like you’ve solved a problem… at least for now.
A big driver behind hidden clutter is emotional attachment. Some items are linked to memories or specific times in your life, and getting rid of them can feel like erasing a piece of yourself. Maybe you’re saving childhood toys for your own kids, or you’ve got a box of cards or letters from friends and relatives you rarely see. Letting go of these things might bring up guilt or sadness. The reality is, it’s completely normal to feel this way. Decluttering sentimental items can be incredibly difficult.
Secret hoarding often comes from a desire to be ultra-prepared, which I call ‘just in case’ thinking. You hang onto those spare cords, sort-of broken items, half-used notebooks, or out-of-style clothes because you might need them someday. This tendency is fueled by a bit of anxiety, and it keeps hidden clutter hanging around far longer than it needs to.
It’s also easy to develop decision fatigue around all your stuff. If you’re always making choices at work or with family, it’s tempting to push clutter decisions aside. When life is busy, dealing with unseen junk feels low on the priority list.
Perfectionism plays a huge role, too. If you feel like the only way to declutter is to do it perfectly, you’re much more likely to procrastinate. As contrary as it seems, letting clutter accumulate in out-of-sight areas is a completely normal thing for overwhelmed people who really, really WANT to live in a clutter free home.
But here’s the thing: clearing even a little bit of hidden mess has a powerful effect on your mindset. It’s not about getting rid of everything or doing a ‘perfect’ job. What we’re trying to do is GRADUALLY create a more peaceful, manageable living environment.
Places Hidden Clutter Accumulates
There are certain spots where hidden home clutter just loves to collect.
- Guest bedroom: It often becomes a landing pad for stashed possessions that don’t have a real home, especially when you’re cleaning in a hurry. Before you know it, the closet – and maybe the entire room – is packed with forgotten stuff you haven’t looked at in months or years.
- Under the bed: Maybe you’ve got under bed storage containers that were supposed to be for ‘out-of-season’ clothes, but now they’re stuffed with things you forgot you owned.
- Extra closets and cabinets: These can become black holes for unseen clutter.
- Attic and basement: I think of these as dangerous deep storage ideas. Sure, the concept of extra storage seems great. But nobody ever really wants to visit those spaces, and it’s all too easy to just throw stuff in there and forget about it.
- Kitchen cabinets or laundry room: We all know what happens with junk drawers and areas you think nobody will ever see.
- Outdoor storage spaces like garages, sheds, and barns outside your home also hide loads of unseen junk that at one time you put away with a vague promise to ‘deal with later.’
- Storage units: If you don’t have storage space on your property, you may have even resorted to renting a paid storage unit. You probably did this years ago – maybe even decades ago – and now you can’t even remember what’s in it.
Here’s the problem: You might not see the concealed mess every day, but it affects how you feel about your living environment, and maybe even your wallet. Although that out-of-sight out-of-mind approach might feel practical in the short run, it leads to anxiety and a nagging sense that something’s unfinished.
Now, let’s discuss what you can DO about those messy hidden areas…
3 Tips for Getting Started on Out-of-Sight Clutter
Here’s how to tackle hidden clutter that’s out of sight and (supposedly) out of mind.
1. Choose your space to declutter
What matters the most to you right now? If it’s money, then you absolutely MUST clear out and stop using paid storage units. If you want to feel more comfortable having guests, then you may want to start with the guest bedroom or closet. If you have low energy, then perhaps begin with under-bed storage or a small closet.
2. Get your decluttering mindset ready
It’s important to remember that YOU are in control of your stuff, not the other way around. Along with that, it’s vital to let go of the false idea that ‘better storage solutions’ (read: more bins) will solve the problem. It won’t, because that’s just adding another layer between you and the stuff.
Read some of these posts for more mindset tips:
- How I Decluttered My Home: Decluttered Home Inspiration And Tips From A Borderline Hoarder
- 4 Mindset Shifts to Help Clear Your Cluttered House
- Think Like A Minimalist: How To Simplify Without Extreme Minimalism
3. Prepare for the clutter-clearing project
Set aside time, as little as 10 minutes a day for a slow declutter or block out space on your calendar to declutter in a weekend.
Gather supplies, such as gloves, trash bags, dust mask, and boxes for donations. In some situations, you may need to rent a dumpster or a trailer.
Grab this 5-page quick-start mini declutter plan to get started and track your progress.
Line up help if it’s a big project or you need emotional support. Choose your people wisely… you’re looking for help and support, not drama or arguments.
Clearing the 6 Most Common Hidden Clutter Areas
These are listed according to my personal idea of importance. Your ideas may be different, and that’s totally okay. If hidden clutter is affecting your life at all, then the MOST important thing is just get started with what you can handle right now to begin decluttering spaces with hidden mess.
1. Storage Units
Honestly, I could rant about these for far too long. Of course, there are some situations when temporarily paying for a storage unit is a smart choice, but that’s simply not the case most of the time. This is especially true when paying for that ‘temporary’ storage turns into year and years of draining your wallet to hold on to items you will most likely never use again.
PLEASE do yourself a favor if you have a paid storage unit: Set a date in the near future and contact the storage facility to let them know you will no longer need the unit after that date. Then, get busy and get the stuff GONE.
This isn’t a time for a slow declutter. This is when you decide QUICKLY what to do with those items. Rent or borrow a trailer, block out a day or two for working, and get your brain ready to let things go.
In the very rare case that you’re storing anything of real value, either bring it home to use or arrange for an appraisal and sell it immediately. Paying to keep those types of things in a storage unit isn’t helping you, and being in a storage unit with rodents and insects just might ruin whatever value those items used to hold.
For everything else, give it away or haul it away for trash pickup. If you’ve had this facility for years and done nothing but add to the pile, then it’s very likely there’s not much in there worth taking the time and effort to try to sell.
Of course, you CAN attempt to sell things if you’re in a situation to quickly and safely do so. But a storage unit full of stuff? That can get overwhelming, and it’s usually better for your mind and you wallet to just have the things gone and not be paying that monthly fee any longer.
2. Guest Bedroom
Unlike paid storage units, an extra room that’s been turned into a catch-all room is the perfect candidate for a slow declutter or decluttering in layers.
Find extra motivation by thinking about how you would REALLY like to use the room. A craft room? Space for the grandkids to stay overnight? A mini library? Any of those sound a lot more fun than ‘junk room,’ don’t they?
3. Kitchen Cabinets and Drawers
You might not even think of these as having hidden clutter, since it always seems like there’s never enough kitchen storage. However, I can almost guarantee there are areas in those cabinets where you’ve just shoved things months or years ago and never thought about them again.
You’ve probably got several small appliances or kitchen gadgets that you no longer use, and they’re just taking up space. Most of us also have far too many different types of glasses, mugs, and water bottles. And do we really need to mention the junk drawer?
Decluttering these out-of-sight spaces means you can probably clear a few things off your crowded counters, because now you have space to store them. That makes cleaning – and life – so much easier!
Related: 25 Things To Declutter In The Kitchen (And 3 Unexpected Items To Keep)
4. Attic and Basement
Although basements are very common here in Michigan, we don’t have one. Most of the time I’m actually glad about that, because for most people I know, the basement is the place where all.the.things end up being stored in a hidden mess… forever. If we had a basement, I’m sure that we would not be the exception. 🫣
So if a messy basement (or attic) is so common, and if you’ve got one, then why should you bother dealing with it?
Floods, mice, spiders and other insects, mold, mildew, snakes… do I need to go on?
In addition to that, a packed basement or attic can make you feel trapped and unable to move on with your life. If you’re thinking about downsizing or moving to a new location, the thought of having to clear out those hidden storage areas before listing your home can be far too overwhelming, leaving you stuck and frustrated. This can be true even if the main areas of your home are clutter-free and comfortable.
Attics and basements usually have years of accumulated stuff, some of which can be full of memories. They can also be difficult to access if you have mobility issues. For this reason, I recommend asking someone you trust to help you with the process.
If you can afford it, calling in a professional for clearing out attics and basements is a great option. They are usually empathetic, but can also help you see the realistic side of what you want to keep versus what makes sense for your lifestyle. Be sure to check references before hiring anyone.
5. Outdoor Storage Spaces
Much like attics and basements, spaces like detached garages, sheds, and barns tend to become packed with clutter to the point of being mostly unusable. And because they’re away from the house, it’s even easier to ignore them. But also like basements, the mental load of this unseen clutter can really mess with your life goals of moving or downsizing.
Depending on the weather where you live, it can be difficult to find a good time for decluttering these outdoor spaces. Cooler spring or autumn days are usually easier for working. But you can still make progress during the summer if you’re careful and only work for a little while at a time.
To get started, take pictures of your outdoor storage spaces. Then you can prioritize where to begin and whether or not you need to hire help, rent a dumpster, etc.
6. Under the Bed, Extra Closets
These are last on my list because they’re usually the easiest to tackle. For under-bed storage, you can always go through just one bin at a time, And for extra closets, just set a timer and declutter for about 10 minutes or so.
These areas might be really full, but this type of decluttering goes pretty quickly, especially once you get into the groove of asking yourself some simple decluttering questions for making decisions.
Simpler Living Starts With What You Don’t See
I’ve had my own moments (okay… YEARS) of feeling stuck by clutter – both visual and hidden – and I know that it’s never just about the stuff itself.
Giving yourself permission to let go without guilt or pressure can be a turning point. When you change your mindset and let go of the need for perfection, you create space for something better than a packed closet: real peace of mind.
You’ve got this!
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