It might be that the longer days are putting a spring in your step, maybe you’re trying to recapture that New Year’s resolution, or perhaps you’re just ready to freshen things up. Whatever the reason, spring is a great time to declutter your home.
The prospect of starting to declutter can be a little overwhelming and we often build it up to be a bigger job than it is. So, to help you get started we’ve put together a list of simple tips to keep in mind.
1) Organise First, Buy Second
It can be tempting to start your decluttering by buying lots of boxes, folders and everything else. Beware though, if you start buying before you’ve done some organising you could end up adding clutter not reducing it.
2) Sort As You Go
Each day when you’re getting ready for work and deciding what to wear, take a couple of minutes to pull out clothes you haven’t worn in a few months. For things like winter jackets, put them in a box until you’ll need them again. For everything else, sell or donate.
3) The Maybe Box
Sometimes it is obvious what you want to get rid of and what you want to keep. But then there are the things you think you might need or you’re reluctant to get rid of. The answer is a “maybe” box. Put your maybes in the box and store it somewhere out of the way. Put a note on your calendar for a few months down the line and when the time comes around you can pull it out and see if it’s anything you really needed. Chances are if you didn’t miss it then it’s time to get rid of it.
4) Don’t Drown In Paper
Letters, forms and general paperwork has a nasty habit of spreading across your tables, drawers and surfaces. The solution is to stop it at the door. With a folder and a paper basket near the door, you can file what needs kept and recycle what doesn’t before it takes over your house.
5) The Donation Box
We’ve all sorted through things and made a mental note that something isn’t needed and should go to a charity shop, then never got around to doing it. By having a donation box in your house it is easy to pop your unwanted items in there and give them away when the box gets full.
6) Duplicate Kitchen Clutter
Do you really need all those spatulas, spoons and colanders? To quickly declutter your kitchen select just your favourites of each item and the ones you always go to use when you’re cooking. The rest can go.
7) The ‘What If?’ Hardware
That extra screw from the sofa you built when you moved in? That can probably go. The instruction manual from the kettle you bought two years ago? That can go too. In the rare situation that you need something like that they’re easy to find and often available at the click of a button.
8) Use Hidden Space
From seasonal clothes to spare linen the space under your bed is a great place to store things you don’t need every day. We often don’t use the floor space under the bed but a few labelled boxes go a long way and keep your room looking nice and tidy.
9) The 30 Day Rule
Not sure whether to keep something? The 30 day rule is often the answer. If you haven’t used something, or even thought about it, in the last 30 days then it is time to get rid of it. Although it is definitely okay to make exceptions for seasonal items like swimwear and Christmas decorations.
10) Rome Wasn’t Built In A Day
The last thing to keep in mind is that you don’t have to do everything at once. Decluttering doesn’t have to be one massive ordeal, even just a few minutes every day will go a lot further than you think.