Planning to Declutter Your Home? Here’s How to Get Started
Follow this simple plan of action for a stress-free ‘spring clear’
As the lengthening spring days bring renewed energy, there’s something to be said for having a good clear-out. An annual review of your stuff has physical benefits, and can also boost your mental wellbeing. But if you feel you’re missing the ‘tidy gene’, or just don’t know where to start, you’re not alone. Here are some tips to help you get into your stride.
Flip your thinking
If you’re apprehensive about discarding items during a declutter, change your mindset by considering what you’re going to keep, instead of what you’re going to throw away.
Try this out by emptying a small drawer. Wipe it clean, then choose the items you want to store in this space. Place only these things back in the drawer. This should put you in a much more positive mindset than if you’d focused on the things you should discard.
Find a local professional for your home project and read reviews from other homeowners.
If you’re apprehensive about discarding items during a declutter, change your mindset by considering what you’re going to keep, instead of what you’re going to throw away.
Try this out by emptying a small drawer. Wipe it clean, then choose the items you want to store in this space. Place only these things back in the drawer. This should put you in a much more positive mindset than if you’d focused on the things you should discard.
Find a local professional for your home project and read reviews from other homeowners.
Get your team on side
Once you feel mentally prepared, it’s time to get your support team on board. You can do this even if you live alone: find a friend who’d also like to spring clear, and either help each other out or share your journey and encourage each other.
If you can’t convince anyone to be part of your team yet, you could get started and set the example of clearing your own items first. Sharing your experience of decluttering will often encourage others to join you.
Don’t forget to respect the possessions of others, and avoid forcing them to discard items unwillingly – this can end up being counter-productive.
Once you feel mentally prepared, it’s time to get your support team on board. You can do this even if you live alone: find a friend who’d also like to spring clear, and either help each other out or share your journey and encourage each other.
If you can’t convince anyone to be part of your team yet, you could get started and set the example of clearing your own items first. Sharing your experience of decluttering will often encourage others to join you.
Don’t forget to respect the possessions of others, and avoid forcing them to discard items unwillingly – this can end up being counter-productive.
Fix a date
A good declutter is far more likely to start and end well if you plan a date and time for it. Set a timer for an hour, and stay in the place you’re decluttering (have a box to hand where you can stash items that belong elsewhere). When the timer dings, it’s your cue to take a break.
Be kind to yourself and celebrate what you’ve achieved in that time. Relax in another room or take a walk outside to get a fresh perspective before returning for your next clear-out session.
A good declutter is far more likely to start and end well if you plan a date and time for it. Set a timer for an hour, and stay in the place you’re decluttering (have a box to hand where you can stash items that belong elsewhere). When the timer dings, it’s your cue to take a break.
Be kind to yourself and celebrate what you’ve achieved in that time. Relax in another room or take a walk outside to get a fresh perspective before returning for your next clear-out session.
Stay small
Once you start decluttering, it’s easy to get carried away and do too much. In order to avoid exhaustion, try to limit your sorting to a specific space or category. Choose a drawer, a corner of a room or a single surface, and sort until you’ve cleared it.
Sorting by category can be more time-consuming, as you’ll need to locate everything in that category – for example, books, cleaning products, make-up or pet equipment. The idea here is to gather like with like in one place, so you can assess how much you truly need.
Have a laugh as you consider how much you’ve accumulated and what you really need. It can be helpful to create a ‘not to shop for’ list.
Once you start decluttering, it’s easy to get carried away and do too much. In order to avoid exhaustion, try to limit your sorting to a specific space or category. Choose a drawer, a corner of a room or a single surface, and sort until you’ve cleared it.
Sorting by category can be more time-consuming, as you’ll need to locate everything in that category – for example, books, cleaning products, make-up or pet equipment. The idea here is to gather like with like in one place, so you can assess how much you truly need.
Have a laugh as you consider how much you’ve accumulated and what you really need. It can be helpful to create a ‘not to shop for’ list.
Show it the door
Many of us hang onto perfectly good stuff that we never use, as we think, “It’ll come in handy one day.” The trouble is, these things tend to languish for years until they’re no longer any use to anyone.
Instead, donate items that are in good condition sooner rather than later. Think positively about who might be able to use that item later that week, if only you’d allow it to go.
You’ll probably have loads of stuff to donate and throw away, so remember to schedule time to take your donations to the local charity shop, or your rubbish to the household recycling centre.
You can also book a bulky items collection with your local council, or schedule a charity collection if you have large items to donate.
Many of us hang onto perfectly good stuff that we never use, as we think, “It’ll come in handy one day.” The trouble is, these things tend to languish for years until they’re no longer any use to anyone.
Instead, donate items that are in good condition sooner rather than later. Think positively about who might be able to use that item later that week, if only you’d allow it to go.
You’ll probably have loads of stuff to donate and throw away, so remember to schedule time to take your donations to the local charity shop, or your rubbish to the household recycling centre.
You can also book a bulky items collection with your local council, or schedule a charity collection if you have large items to donate.
Hire some help
Decluttering even part of your house can be a daunting prospect, so sometimes hiring a professional can help immensely. Just as you’d ask a carpenter to design storage for you, it’s worth investing in an expert who can help to make the job less overwhelming.
Look for organisers who are part of a professional body as this will ensure they adhere to a code of ethics and have public liability insurance.
For more ideas, check out the Association of Professional Declutterers and Organisers’ (APDO) Spring Clearing Week, which runs from 1 to 7 April 2019.
Tell us…
Are you planning to declutter during Spring Clearing Week? Did these tips help you to feel less overwhelmed? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
Decluttering even part of your house can be a daunting prospect, so sometimes hiring a professional can help immensely. Just as you’d ask a carpenter to design storage for you, it’s worth investing in an expert who can help to make the job less overwhelming.
Look for organisers who are part of a professional body as this will ensure they adhere to a code of ethics and have public liability insurance.
For more ideas, check out the Association of Professional Declutterers and Organisers’ (APDO) Spring Clearing Week, which runs from 1 to 7 April 2019.
Tell us…
Are you planning to declutter during Spring Clearing Week? Did these tips help you to feel less overwhelmed? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
Considering your motivation for a good clear-out might be obvious – you want a neater and tidier home. However, everyone has their own reasons for decluttering, and by keeping this in mind, you’ll be able to stay focused.
It could be that a tidy home will make you feel less frantic in the morning, as you’ll know you can quickly locate the items you need. A safe, organised environment might also make you feel more confident as a parent, or feel able to relax in your home. It could even be something more specific, such as preparing for a house move.
Decluttering is unlikely to change your life overnight, but by taking time to consider your ‘why’, you’ll have begun to prepare yourself for the change ahead.