Our guide on how you can declutter your home
Let’s be honest, sometimes we just don’t realise how many things can build up in the house over time. Decluttering is probably something we all need to do and there are all sorts of benefits that come with having a good clear out.
For most of us, it can be hard to know where to begin and how best to go about it. Here, we look at a few hints and tips on how you can declutter your home and keep on top of it going forward.
What are the benefits of decluttering your home?
At this point you’ve probably recognised that there is a build-up of things you can potentially don’t need anymore, but the task is stressing you out. But think of it this way, having a clearer living space can help to increase your focus and potentially even boost your mood, helping you to feel lighter and calmer. A tidier, more organised home can also be easier to clean and maintain, avoiding any long-term stress.
1. Start small
If you’ve a larger home or lots of clutter to sort through, starting to declutter can feel daunting. Rather than tackling the whole house in one go, why not start room by room? Start in the living room, work your way to the kitchen, the bathrooms and then the bedrooms. If that seems too much, then why start with just a press, or even a drawer or shelf and work through it that way.
It doesn’t matter where you start, but once you do, you’ll start to see the overall decluttering become more manageable. Once you’ve successfully cleared out one small drawer or press, it may motivate you to keep going and tackle the next thing and then the next thing after that.
2. Find the right time
Choose a time when you are in the mood to get going on the clutter and can dedicate enough time to your chosen task, without any distractions. It doesn’t have to be hours; you could just decide that you will take a half an hour here and there to sort through one area and just get it done. The last thing you want is to sort everything out of a drawer or cupboard, leave it in a pile on the floor, and then shove it all back in because you don’t have time to sort through it all.
3. Sort everything into categories
There could be items in your house from years ago that you’ve either forgotten you have, or just never got around to getting rid of them. As you begin to pull items out of an over-stuffed drawer, from under the bed, or even a press in the kitchen it can help to start to categorise them into different piles or into designated bags or boxes.
When sorting things into categories you just need to ask yourself:
- What can I throw away?
- What’s broken that I can repair?
- What can I donate?
- What can I keep?
If you’re struggling to work out which item should go in each category, there are different methods you can use to help you decide.
For example, if you’re not sure whether or not you should keep something, ask yourself: Have I used this in the last year? Am I likely to use it in the next year? These questions can be especially helpful when having a clear out of clothes in your bedroom. If you haven’t worn something for 5 years and it doesn’t fit you anymore, it may be time to either pass it on to a friend or family member, or donate it to charity. This is a win-win, you get to declutter your home and someone else benefits from it.
Or you could try the 10-second rule. For each item, you have 10 seconds to think about whether you can find a use or a place for it. If the answer is yes, then keep it. If you can’t decide within 10 seconds, then maybe it’s time to let it go.
These are all just ideas to help you sort through your clutter. If they don’t work for you, you may find other ways to help you decide what to keep and re-use, or what to donate or dispose of.
Of course, there may be clothes or items that you have an emotional attachment to and it’s good to acknowledge that you might feel sentimental about your possessions. This can make it hard to part with them and it’s perfectly okay to keep things for whatever reason, if you have enough room and somewhere to store them.
4. Make the most of your storage space
It might seem like the most obvious thing on this list, but trying maximising your storage space is a key part of decluttering different parts of your home. This might be as simple as installing hooks and racks on the walls and back of doors, fitting shelving inside cupboards and under the stairs, or using some under-bed storage boxes or baskets, to keep things tidily stored away.
In the kitchen, for example create more storage space in your presses by sorting through your spices, condiments, and other ingredients, and throwing out any that are past their sell-by date or unlikely to be used again. You can do the same with your cooking utensils like pots, pans and other utensils. Ask yourself how long ago something was used, is it just gathering dust and are you better off donating it or just getting rid of it.
You can then apply the same technique to your bathroom cabinets with old or unused toiletries or cosmetics. You might be surprised by how much extra storage space you can make.
When you have decided what you would like to keep, it can help to get into the habit of tidily storing it away, or finding a place for it, as soon as possible. There are plenty of ways you can get creative with how you organise and tidy your possessions. Whether you are simply reusing shoe boxes to store leads and chargers for your devices or investing in some smart storage baskets to make a nice feature in your bedroom.
5. Maintaining progress
Once you’ve successfully cleared one room, press or shelf, that sense of achievement can inspire you to move on to the next task, be it simply another drawer or onto the next room.
As you progress with clearing and organising your living space, it can begin to feel less daunting and more rewarding. And you’ll start to feel the benefits of a clearer and more organised living environment.
However, it’s true that over time, with the hustle and bustle of everyday life, clutter can begin to build up again. And before long, you can find yourself back where you started. To help you maintain the progress you have made, it can help to set aside a regular time when you do a bit of organising, tidying things away, clearing surfaces etc. Just little bite-sized chunks to help you keep everything within your control.
Regular home maintenance
Along with decluttering, it’s a good idea to keep your home regularly maintained and in good condition, take care to avoid wear and tear to the property. You can find out more about how to keep your home in top condition throughout the year and get some advice on regular checks to carry out here.
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