Joanna Gaines Sheds Light On A Decorating Mistake That Makes Homes Feel Cluttered

If we had to point to one aspect that is the absolute bane of interior design, we would point to clutter. Too much of anything is never a good thing. And designer/author/host of HGTV's "Fixer Upper," Joanna Gaines, indicates clutter is the major decorating mistake she sees over and over. "Sometimes people can't see what they need a space to be, because there's just so much stuff, she told Domino. "Or, they move in and have to hurry up and fill the home, and it feels like it was thrown together." Gaines says when you rush to decorate your space, there's a layer of real life missing, like that authentic story of who you are. "It doesn't feel meaningful."

Is it clutter or design? We suppose it's who you ask. For some, layering treasured items and grouping them intentionally to tell a story is a style of interior decorating called Maximalism. But for others, too many items, no matter how thoughtfully displayed, are just extra things that negatively impact the room's décor. Maximalism maintains order and balance. It's aesthetically pleasing and still allows the room to function. While we love flowers, fruit, and candles, having multiple samples of these on the kitchen counter or island edges toward clutter. But when you use a special vase with flowers and one candle, visually, the room looks curated and designed.

In Joanna Gaines' book, "Homebody: A Guide to Creating Spaces You Never Want to Leave," she describes various styles of decorating and how to achieve a particular look, from Farmhouse to Modern. "You can make a room feel both beautiful and complete without filling every corner and surface with a bunch of random stuff," she says. Clutter can have a negative impact on you and your health, and taking small steps such as micro-decluttering on a regular basis is a good place to start your reorganizing in order to reclaim your space. While Gaines is talking about decluttering your overall décor, we can't help but think the two concepts go hand in hand: Remove the junk so that your own personal, eclectic style is the focus.

Gaines agrees with many designers who say curation is the key to Maximalist design. But as Gaines and others mention, it's not a matter of finding something — anything — to decorate your room. Instead, it's a way to build a collection, to gather a group of important, valued items together to make the space come alive with rhythm and variation, in order to make the room comfortable, inviting, and visually exciting in a very personal way.

If you'd like to try working this style in your home, start small. Use one or two bold colors, an heirloom piece or something else unusual that you love and want to build around. As you experiment, consider tips on adding Maximalism to your home successfully, and implement the ones that make sense for you.