I read recently that owning less is better than organising more and that principle makes sense. However if you're anything like me, you'll often find yourself looking through the kitchen cupboard and trying to decide which of the 5 salad bowls to use for lunch. Clutter can be overwhelming, not to mention it can make a home feel cramped and chaotic.
We have all watched Marie Kondo and thought, wow that looks easy, just roll a few shirts and voila! But the reality is, decluttering your house can be a daunting task, especially if you have accumulated a lot of cherished belongings over the years, and yes I am talking about those Covid purchases that were a great idea at the time. Never fear, I'm here to tell you that decluttering doesn't have to be a painful process and certainly doesn't necessarily mean getting rid of everything so your home looks like a showroom. Here are some tips to help you get started.
- Start with a plan
Before you start decluttering, it's important to have a plan in place. Decide which areas of your home, or specific rooms you want to focus on first and tackle each space at a time. Start small, with the wardrobe or bathroom. Allocate a few hours each weekend to a different room and involved the family. Check when your council has a local clean-up scheduled or book one in, and reach out to your local charity store to see if they are collecting and plan the clean-up around those dates.
- Sort items into categories
I find it helpful to sort items into categories, I have four hypothetical piles 1). a to keep pile, 2). a pile for items to donate 3). a pile to sell, and 4). a pile for items to throw away. This will make it easier to categorise what you really need and what can be let go. Ideally your throw away pile would be the smallest and I'd suggest you keep your to throw away pile for a few days and go through it again, if you still don't want it or can't donate it or sell it, you can let it go with confidence. Marketplace is a great option for selling those unused items that are still in good condition, otherwise you can drop off old clothes and homewares to your local charity or women's shelter. You can even consider calling the local vet or pound to see if they need any of your old towels.
- Determine what brings you joy
When deciding what to keep and what to let go, consider what brings you joy. Our good friend MK recommends only keeping items that spark joy and I think this is a great principle to have in the back of your mind when decluttering. This means letting go of items that you no longer need or use, and keep items that you truly love. However beware, just because you haven't used that cupcake tray in 6 months and it doesn't bring your joy right now, doesn't mean it is time to let it go, there is nothing more wasteful than throwing away an item only having to buy it again for your nieces next birthday.
- Consider storage solutions to organise
If you have items that you want to keep but don't have a place for, consider investing in functional and stylish storage solutions. This might mean purchasing shelving with cute straw storage bins, or even furniture with built-in storage. Having a designated place for each item can help keep your home organized and clutter-free.
- Digitize items
If you have a lot of paper clutter or old photos, consider digitizing important documents. This can include scanning important papers like bills, receipts, and tax documents. Having digital copies of these items can not only reduce paper clutter, but it can also make it easier to find and access important information. Keep in mind that digital clutter is also possible, when digitising documents use a structure filing system and make sure that you can find and access the files in the future.
- Practice the "one in, one out" rule
The "one in, one out" rule is a simple way to reduce clutter in your house and can be something the whole family gets onboard with. It's simple, for every item you bring into your house, you should get rid of one comparable item. If you buy a new jacket this winter, donate your old coat to charity. If you buy your child a new toy, sell or donate an old toy. This will help you stay on top of clutter and prevent it from building up over time. It's a good idea to implement this rule in every area of your house, from your closet to your kitchen.
- Be mindful of future purchases
It's important to be mindful of future purchases. When shopping, consider whether the item is something you truly need and will use, hold off on those quick purchases when you're out and about and think about it for 24 hours. If after a day or two it's still something you need, you can jump online and buy it. This helps you from accumulating too many impulse purchases and being mindful of your purchases helps prevent clutter from building up in the future and undoing all your good work.
Finally, don't stress and don't compare. We all lead such busy lives and the Instagram effect puts a lot of unnecessary pressure on individuals and families to have perfect houses with no mess or clutter. The reality is like most families ,your house will be messy, there will be clutter and you will be constantly tripping over shoes in the hallway that could have been put in the shoe bucket on that perfectly placed shelf at the door.
Decluttering your home doesn't mean your home ends up looking like a model house, and it certainly doesn't mean throwing everything away. By creating a plan and locking in time, sorting items into categories, determining what brings you joy, considering storage solutions, donating or selling items, digitizing items, and being mindful of future purchases, you can declutter your home while still keeping the items that bring you joy and serve a purpose in your life.