Decluttering Tips to Maximise Space in Small Singapore Flats

Living in a tiny flat in Singapore can sometimes feel like your belongings are taking over every inch of space. It might seem like there’s barely any room to walk, let alone relax! But don’t worry, there are simple ways to declutter your home and create some much-needed breathing room, even in a small space.

We’ll share expert tips tailored for decluttering and organising Singapore’s cosy apartments. From deciding what to toss, store, or keep to clever storage hacks, you’ll learn how to minimise your household clutter and make the most of your square footage. So get ready to say goodbye to the chaos and hello again to organised floors!

Why Is It Important to Declutter?

Think of decluttering as hitting the refresh button on your tiny Singapore flat, and you’ll see that many people could indeed use that button. Most folks in Singapore live in pretty snug apartments — about 4 in 5 people live in HDB (House Development Board) flats, which are sort of like public housing. With space at a premium, keeping things tidy isn’t just nice; it’s necessary!

When you declutter, you’re doing more than just tidying up; it’s more like giving yourself a mental high-five. Less mess equals less stress! Your mind feels clearer when your space isn’t jam-packed with stuff. And let’s be real, it’s way easier to chill out and enjoy your space when you’re not surrounded by piles of things you don’t need.

On the practical side, when you have less clutter, you have more room to move around. Cleaning becomes a breeze instead of a treasure hunt. Plus, with homes getting a tad smaller these days, making the best use of your space is a must, not just a maybe.

And there’s a bonus: when you get picky about what you keep, you buy less junk. That means less waste, which is a win for our planet in terms of sustainability.

So, decluttering is not just about making your home look good. It’s about feeling good in your space, simplifying life, and, yes, even doing a solid for Mother Earth. Let’s proceed with some tips on how to declutter your home.

Top 10 Decluttering Tips for Small Spaces

Consider the following tips to declutter and give yourself some breathing space in your small apartment:

1. Focus on one area at a time.

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and your entire home won’t be decluttered in 15 minutes. Pick one small space like a drawer or a shelf and spend 15 focused minutes decluttering that spot. Then, take a break and come back to another area. Slowly making progress will keep you from feeling overwhelmed.

2. Divide into three piles.

As you work through each area, divide items into three groups: keep, donate, and throw away. Have boxes or bags ready for each pile to make sorting efficient. Be ruthless — if you haven’t used something in a year, it’s probably time to let it go.

3. Use hidden storage.

In small spaces, look for hidden storage opportunities like storage beds, ottomans with trays, or cabinets built into the walls. Use vertical space for shelves and consider a loft bed to open up floor space that can accommodate more stuff.

4. Don’t throw away valuables.

If you want to keep important documents or heirlooms but don’t have space for them, consider using a self storage unit. Singapore has excellent self storage facilities where you can safely store boxes of items for an affordable monthly fee. This frees up your home without forcing you to throw away meaningful belongings.

5. Ask a friend for help.

Having an outside perspective can help motivate you and keep you accountable. Ask a friend or professional organiser to spend an hour helping you declutter and sort through your living space. Offer to return the favour in exchange — teamwork makes the dream work!

6. Get matching storage boxes.

For small items you want to keep, like documents, photos, or memorabilia, get matching storage bags or boxes to keep everything contained and organised. Label each box so you know exactly what’s inside and can easily find what you need. Matching boxes help make your entire house look organised with a solid design.

7. Keep only items that spark joy.

As you sort through your belongings, ask yourself if you’re happy retaining each item. If not, put it in the donate or throw-away pile. Keeping only items that you truly love and value will make your space feel lighter and more peaceful.

8. Stay on schedule.

Set a regular decluttering schedule to work on small areas of your home. Even dedicating just 15–30 minutes a week can make a big difference over time. Staying on a regular schedule will help make decluttering a habit and prevent your space from getting messy again.

9. Celebrate small wins.

Decluttering can feel overwhelming, so celebrate even small achievements to stay motivated. Give yourself rewards for meeting targets to keep yourself accountable. Staying positive will make the process feel more rewarding.

10. Make it a group effort.

For larger families living in small spaces, decluttering works best when everyone is on board. Have a family meeting to set collective goals and delegate tasks. Work together as a team to find solutions for shared spaces, and you’ll end up with enough space for everyone.

Decluttering can be time-consuming, but the reward of a simpler, free life is worth it. When you have valuables that you don’t want to discard, consider renting self-storage and creating hidden spaces in your apartment to store other essential items. Let’s now examine tips for maximising space in specific sections of your home; we’ll start with how to declutter a room closet.

4 Strategies for Decluttering Your Home Closet

Over time, you might realise that your closet has been overwhelmed with clothing. But you aren’t wearing them all, so it’s essential to declutter.

Here are some laundry room/closet decluttering tips:

1. Use the reverse hanger technique.

Go through your closet and turn all the hangers backwards. As you wear each item, return the hanger to the normal position. After 6–12 months, any clothing still on a reversed hanger can likely be donated or thrown out. This helps identify clothes you don’t actually wear so you can make space for what you do need.

2. Separate by clothing type.

Group similar garments together, like T-shirts, dresses, pants, and jackets. Then, sort each pile into the three categories we mentioned earlier: Keep, Donate, Discard.

Keep only well-fitting clothes in good condition that you actually wear. Donate or throw away anything too small, stained, torn or that you haven’t worn in over a year. Box up the “donate” pile and schedule a pickup or drop-off. Throw away any unsalvageable items.

3. Schedule decluttering time.

Don’t feel overwhelmed by tackling your entire closet at once. Set aside 30–60 minutes a week to focus on one area or clothing type, starting with out-of-season clothing you won’t need for several months.

Start decluttering and work your way through each pile systematically. Having a regular schedule will make the decluttering process feel more manageable and help build momentum that keeps you going. Within a month or two, you can achieve a clutter-free closet.

4. Get matching hangers.

Invest in uniform hangers to store your hanging clothes properly. Matching hangers make flipping through clothing on a rod much easier.

You should also consider padded hangers, which prevent creasing for silk or knit pieces. Group clothing on the rod by length and type for the most efficient use of space.

With some time and the right techniques, you can turn your cluttered closet into an organised oasis. Start implementing these strategies one area at a time, and before you know it, you’ll have a closet you’re excited to open each day! For those who work from home, one other home area that’s prone to cluttering is your workspace. Read on as we explore tips for decluttering paperwork.

Decluttering Paperwork: What to Keep and What to Toss

When tackling the paperwork clutter in your home or office, it can be hard to know what’s important to keep and what you can safely shred or recycle.

Here are some guidelines to help you identify unwanted items and declutter your documents:

1. Keep financial and legal records.

Retain tax returns, bank statements, insurance policies, and bills for at least a year. Indefinitely keep records of major purchases, investments, and other financial transactions. Also, keep legal documents like birth/death certificates, marriage licenses, passports, and property deeds permanently.

2. Shred sensitive info.

Anything with personal information, such as credit card statements, medical records or utility bills, should be shredded before recycling. Get a good-quality shredder and shred these documents into confetti-sized pieces.

3. Toss junk mail and receipts.

Throw away or recycle newspapers, magazines, junk mail, receipts, flyers, and duplicate copies of documents you don’t need. Keep receipts only for major purchases if needed for returns or warranties.

4. Digitise what you can.

Scan paper records and save them to the cloud or an external hard drive. This frees up physical space and ensures you have a backup. You can then shred the paper documents, except for important legal documents.

5. Create a filing system.

For paperwork you decide to keep, set up clearly labelled folders to make things easy to find. Have separate folders for financial records, insurance, medical information, vehicle records, home records, legal documents, etc. Don’t forget to purge and re-organise your files regularly.

6. Consider self-storage.

If you have a lot of paperwork you need to keep long-term, self storage is an affordable option. Look for a storage facility with climate control to protect documents. Make sure any sensitive information is locked up in a secured container before putting it into storage.

Decluttering paperwork may seem tedious, but taking the time to sort through what you have and set up a simple system will give you peace of mind and free up much-needed space in your home office. Tackle one folder or one drawer at a time, and soon, you’ll have a leaner, more organised paper collection and more room for living and working.

For the items you’ll be keeping at home, you want to build a storage space that takes up as much space as possible without making your space feel cluttered. Let’s explore some innovative storage ideas to maximise space in your home.

3 Creative Decluttering Storage Solutions for Small Homes

Maximising storage is essential when living in a small space. The key is to think creatively about how to efficiently use every inch of space in your home.

Here are some ideas:

1. Wall-Mounted Seating

Installing wall-mounted seating, such as folding chairs, benches, or stools, is a great way to free up floor space while still providing extra seating when needed. Look for options with built-in storage underneath for items like books, linens or shoes. When not in use, simply fold up the seating to reclaim your wall space.

2. Transforming Stairs into Storage

If you have a staircase in your home, consider transforming the space underneath into a closet or cabinet. Install doors or drawers to keep items hidden yet easily accessible. This area is often wasted space in small homes, so using it as a closet or pantry can provide valuable extra storage.

3. Under-Bed Storage

Another area that’s frequently underutilised in small homes is the space under beds. You can find under-bed storage boxes, bins and drawers that slide or roll out easily. Use them to store clothing, linens, books or toys.

Some beds even have built-in under-bed storage drawers as an option. Pulling your bed away from the wall a few inches will make accessing under-bed storage much easier.

By efficiently utilising existing areas and strategically adding smart storage furniture, you’ll gain a refreshing sense of spaciousness in your cosy home. The ultimate goal of decluttering is to create a space that doesn’t get littered easily. To help you achieve this, we’ll wrap up with some tips on maintaining a decluttered home.

Maintaining a Decluttered Home: Developing New Habits

Once you’ve decluttered your space, the real work begins — keeping it that way. Developing new habits and routines is key to a long-term decluttered home.

Here are some helpful tips:

1. Create a donation station.

Set up a bag or box in an out-of-the-way spot for all the clutter you want to donate. As you come across clutter each day, toss it in the bag. Once full, seal it up and drop it off at a local charity shop. This makes decluttering an ongoing habit and prevents items from accumulating again.

2. Designate spots for everything.

Go room by room and determine spots for all your belongings. Install extra shelving or drawer dividers if needed. A place for everything means everything in its place.

Make it a habit to put items back in their designated spots each time you use them. This simple act prevents clutter buildup and makes it easy to find things when you need them.

3. Do regular purges.

Schedule time each month to do a quick purge of problem areas like the kitchen, bedroom, and entryway. Get rid of anything you do not need or use. Have bags or boxes on hand to make donating and throwing away simple. A regular purge, even if just 15–30 minutes a month, will keep your space from getting out of control again.

4. Maintain daily tidy routines.

Little habits like making your bed each morning, doing dishes after each meal, and quick tidy before bed can make a big impact. Start by choosing just one routine to focus on, like making your bed each day. Once that’s a habit, add another, like a quick kitchen wipe-down after dinner.

Slowly build up your collection of daily tidy routines. These habits will become second nature and keep clutter at bay in the long run.

Keeping your home decluttered is really about changing your mindset and habits. Staying on top of small tasks and dedicating just a few minutes a day to maintaining an uncluttered space can prevent you from accumulating excess stuff. Focus on progress, not perfection, and be patient with yourself as new routines become habits. With regular practice, you’ll be living clutter-free in no time.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does declutter mean?

Decluttering means sifting through your belongings and keeping only what’s necessary to create more space. It’s about organising your home, getting rid of excess items, and creating a tidy, functional living environment where everything has its spot. It’s simplifying life, one drawer at a time!

What is the rule of 5 decluttering?

The rule of 5 in decluttering is a quick decision-making process. When you pick up an item, you decide within 5 seconds if it’s a keeper or if it’s time to say goodbye. It’s all about trusting your gut to make fast, confident choices about your stuff.

What is the 12-12-12 rule for decluttering?

The 12-12-12 rule is a decluttering challenge that tackles clutter in bite-sized chunks. Find 12 items to toss, 12 to donate and 12 to put back where they belong. It’s a structured yet simple way to clear out the unnecessary and organise your space while helping others with your donations.

What is the 20/20/20 rule for decluttering?

The 20/20/20 rule for decluttering suggests that if you can replace an item for less than $20 in less than 20 minutes from your current location, you can let go of it. This principle helps people part with those “just-in-case” items, assuring them that they can easily and affordably replace them if needed.

Conclusion

Learning how to declutter can help you create some breathing space in your small apartment. With a little effort, you can transform your small Singapore flat into a clutter-free space.

Start by sorting through your belongings and getting rid of anything you don’t need. Make the most of vertical storage with shelves, racks and hanging organisers. Consider off site self storage facilities for seasonal items or memorabilia you want to keep but don’t need daily access to. Don’t forget to practise mental decluttering, too — taking time to relax and appreciate your newly organised space.

Decluttering takes work, but the payoff is huge. You’ll be amazed at how much lighter and brighter your home feels when you’re no longer tripping over stuff. So take the plunge and declutter everything today!