Day 9 - The Dining Room - 10 Days to an Organized Home

We’re almost done with my 10 Days to an Organized Home Challenge, but I want to first make sure you guys are in my private Facebook group, Decor & DIY. If you aren’t, click the link to join. The “group” is a fun, non-stuffy place to share all your before and after photos. So, come check out the group – even if you just want to see what everyone else is posting.

The dining room may be the easiest room to organize, since it doesn’t usually get as much traffic as the other rooms. Or, for the same reason, you may find it even harder to organize this room, because it collects a lot of clutter, since it’s not used as often. We tend to throw things in a spot that doesn’t get seen really often. Sort of like when we clean our bedroom and just throw everything in the closet.

I know I’m not the only one that does that, right?

Here are your tasks for today:

Remove items that don’t belong in the dining room
Dust/clean your table and chairs
Dust/clean your hutch and/or buffet
Organize your hutch and/or buffet

If you’re just joining in on the challenge, check out Day 1: the Kitchen, Day 2: the Pantry, Day 3: the Bedroom, Day 4: the Closet, Day 5: the Bathroom, Day 6: the Living Room, Day 7: the Bookcase, and Day 8: the Catch up Day.

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If your dining room has become the catchall for your family’s daily lives, it could use a refresh and some organization. Here’s some helpful tips to help you organize and declutter your dining room:

First, you need to remove anything out your dining room that doesn’t belong. This has been my first step for each of the challenges, because it’s important. You must remove what doesn’t belong, so you see what does and have a clear understanding of what you have to work with.

Now is the time to take inventory to see what you really need and what you can give away in your hutch or buffet. Do you really need 12 sets of the exact same set of flatware? Should you hold on to items that you don’t really love, but keep because it was expensive, or a gift? The answer is no – to both of these questions. You’re not obligated to hold on to something just because someone bought it for you. You’re also not obligated to keep something just because YOU bought it or it was expensive. If it’s something that you really don’t want, either throw it away, give it away, or sell it. Here’s an awesome article on organizing and styling your china cabinet.

We tend to want to hold on to stuff that we don’t love, because it was gifted or was expensive. Stop doing that. Take your space back.

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Also, think about how you can use your dining room. If you DO love your china set, but know you will only use it once a year, why not pack it up and put it in storage? The space you would save could then be used for crafts, holiday decor, or could make room for a portable home office.

Use decorative storage baskets when needed to conceal items that you don’t want to see, like paper napkins, tablecloths, or chair covers.

Now, let’s see some photos of YOUR dining room. Make sure you share on social media with the hashtag #10DaysOH. If you have any questions, leave me a comment below or come join my Decor & DIY facebook group.

Let’s thank the sponsors from our #10DaysOH challenge. We’ve already given away 3 gifts and still have 2 more. Make sure you check out our sponsors’ shops below: Angioletti Designs, The Mad Platters, Gneiss Spice, & Sweet Water Decor. Today, I’ll share the winner of our next giveaway on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

If you’re looking for more tips to complete your assignment for today, check out our challenge Pinterest board below. There are lots of pins that can inspire you.

Follow Whitney J Decor – Interior Design & Event Styling’s board 10 Days to an Organized Home Challenge on Pinterest.And, if you’re not already signed up for the challenge, it’s not too late! Sign up below: