What is clutter?
To get you in the mindset, here are some examples of clutter that you may find about your home.
- Unfinished projects
- Clothing, shoes, bedding, appliances and anything that you haven’t worn or used for more than 2 years
- Hobby clutter, sentimental items and knick knacks
- Paperwork, children’s art, art projects, piles of books/magazines, disorganised photos, visible wires from electronics and boxes that you’ve kept in the loft for years
- Overflowing kitchen worktops
Plan for your unwanted items
Not all clutter needs to go straight into the bin. Here are some alternative routes to getting rid of your unwanted items.
- Charity shops (some local charities will also collect furniture that’s in good condition for free)
- Ebay
- Friends & family
- Local facebook groups
- Schools & nurseries
You will also need
- Rubbish bags
- Boxes
How do I know where to begin?
- Instead of trying to declutter the entire house at once, choose one space/area at a time. The bathroom will be the easiest and less daunting.
- Small spaces will allow you to see quicker progress which will encourage and motivate you to keep going. It can be a “junk” drawer, a set of drawers or a wardrobe.
- Set a timer for 20 minutes and tackle just one area. Increase the time as you become more efficient.
- Go through items, one by one. For sentimental items that you no longer need but have trouble getting rid of, put it to one side and look at it again the next day and make the decision to keep or chuck. You can always take a picture of it, then get rid of it!
- As you declutter, give each room a deep clean, therefore achieving two tasks at once.
- Don’t expect to finish in one day!
Good luck!
Helen offers a personalised de-cluttering and reorganisation service, primarily in the home. To get in touch with Helen about your decluttering click here.
