Professional organisers reveal the clutter hotspots they come across in every home – and how they tackle them

No matter how good our intentions are, there are some areas of the home which seem destined to be a mess. If this rings true, you're not alone: it turns out there are certain areas in the home that seem to attract clutter like a magnet, no matter what home you're in.

The best decluttering methods will help you tackle them, but the first step is knowing what the most cluttered places in the home are. Knowledge is power after all, and if we know the clutter hotspots in our home, we can take preventative measures to stop them getting quite so cluttered in the future.

I asked professional declutterers to share the most cluttered places they see in their work. The wardrobe topped the list, closely followed by the garage, but they're not the only problem spots they identified. Here is the top list of the most cluttered spots in the house, plus their best tips on how to work through each area.

1. Wardrobes

'If there’s one space that tops the clutter charts, it’s the wardrobe,' Ingrid Jansen and Lesley Spellamn, founders of The Declutter Hub say. 'Clothes we no longer wear, one day outfits, handbags, scarves, shoes and sentimental pieces all compete for space.'

Wardrobes can be deceptive when it comes to clutter, because we can simply close the door and their contents don't affect the rest of the house. But this is exactly why they're top of the list of most cluttered places in the home: wardrobes hide delayed decisions, meaning they fill up fast.

To organise your wardrobe, try and be strict with yourself. The 90/90 decluttering rule can help, where you ask yourself if you've worn something in the last 90 days or if you'll wear it in the next 90. If the answer's no, it's time to get rid.

You can also try some smart wardrobe storage hacks to create more space. These trouser hangers, £14.99 for a pack of 3 on Amazon, are great for maximising vertical space, and swapping to matching slimline velvet hangers like this Amazon pack of 50, for £18 will instantly double the available hanging space.

2. Garage

The garage is another place that accumulates clutter, even if we might not notice it thanks to its spacious capacity. 'Garages are especially cluttered because many people no longer use them for their cars,' Shannon Murphy, founder of Simpl Living Co explains. 'Instead, they become a dumping ground for items we don’t have space for indoors, things we intend to sell, broken items, or “just in case” spares.'

The best way to declutter a garage is to ideally wait for a dry day so you can take everything out and organise it into categories. This might feel a bit overwhelming at first, but sometimes, you've simply got to power through.

'While everything is out, install racking and storage boxes so items can be stored off the floor and properly organised,' Shannon says. 'When putting everything back, keep frequently used items near the front and less-used items at the back.'

This 4 shelf steel shelving unit is a good option, only £21 at B&Q, and I also recommend the Really Useful Boxes. You can get 3x 62L boxes for £33 at Argos, which should give you plenty of storage space.

3. Hallway

We might want our hallways to look as tidy as possible when guests arrive, but the experts agree that they're a nightmare for collecting clutter – especially if you've only got small hallway storage ideas to work with.

'The hallway catches everything as you walk through the door – coats, bags, shoes, post and keys,' Lesley and Ingrid say. 'Give each of these a designated home: hooks, a shoe rack or basket, a tray for post and a key bowl.'

This affordable shoe storage solution is a gamechanger, and only costs £16.99 on Amazon. It helps to keep on top of hallway clutter by doing a quick reset at the end of day, so you can avoid storing any items that don't belong there.

4. Kids' rooms

Unsurprisingly, children's rooms are one of the most cluttered places in the home. 'Children's spaces – whether it's a separate playroom or not – are subject to constant movement,' pro organiser Rebecca Crayford says. 'New things can arrive daily, and there's often very little “reset” time.'

Upgrading your toy storage ideas is the best thing you can do when decluttering toys. Opt for closed storage solutions to reduce visual clutter, such as the Jax Wooden Toy Box Bench, £39 at Dunelm, or choose fun basket designs that the children will enjoy keeping their toys in, like this cute Rope Bear Storage Basket, £12 at Argos.

Decluttering toys can be tricky, but start with the easy wins: broken toys, anything with missing parts, or items that have long been outgrown. It will become easier to build momentum from there.

5. Kitchen cupboards

Last but definitely not least, our kitchen cabinets are a common clutter hotspot, and similarly to the wardrobe, we can usually take an 'ignorance is bliss' approach by shutting the cupboard door – literally and figuratively.

'Because the clutter can be hidden behind doors, it rarely gets properly decluttered or reorganised,' Shannon agrees.

But organising the kitchen cupboards can make a huge difference to how smoothly life in the kitchen runs. If the prospect is daunting, try the 1-3-5 decluttering method, which encourages us to break the task down into medium- and micro-sized actions. The aim is to create more space, so do try and let go of items you don't need.

There are some easy ways you can upgrade your kitchen storage ideas too. Try a pan lid organiser, like this £17.99 expandable rack from Amazon. I'm also a fan of under-shelf storage, and use the Joseph Joseph Cupboard Store, £11 at Dunelm, to hold various miscellaneous items.

Decluttering essentials

Knowing the most cluttered places in the home can be a real gamechanger if you use the knowledge wisely. It should make it much easier to keep on top of things going forward.