The end of lockdown and warmer temperatures means this is the perfect time to think about decluttering your home. We have all been spending a lot more time at home over the past twelve months, and no matter how neat and tidy you are, it’s all too easy for clutter to pile up.
The best way to tackle a house declutter is to do it in stages – focus on one room at a time and complete the job there fully before moving onto the next room. If you are not sure where to start, follow these expert decluttering tips to help you get on top of your clutter.
Start with five separate bags/bins
These containers should be defined for five purposes:
- Put away – this container is for items that have crept out of their usual storage space, eg a mug in the home office or a sweatshirt in the kitchen
- Recycle – this bin is for items that are no longer needed and can be recycled
- Mend – use this container for items that you want to keep but need some maintenance eg a jacket that needs the zip repairing or kitchen knives that need sharpening
- Bin – these are items that can go straight into the bin
- Donate – any items that you can imagine someone else wanting or needing, then donate to a charity or another person
Think functional first
The best way to organise your space is to make it as functional as possible, and then you can think about making it look nice. Make sure that everything in your room is going to fit within your daily routine.
Follow the 80/20 rule
Everything you own takes up space within your home, but try and aim for at least 20 per cent of your available space to be free. Also make sure you are making the best use of each area, eg wall space is often forgotten about but can be utilised to create more room.
Everything has a home
Once you’ve streamlined what you own through the recycling, binning and donating in step one, then organise your belongings so that everything has a designated storage spot.
Get rid of the ‘just in case’ mindset
Most of us are guilty of keeping items that we might need one day, even if we have not used them for years, but in most cases ‘just in case’ means never, and it’s often a way of allowing us to hang onto something we don’t need. If you have not used an item in the last twelve months then it is highly unlikely you really need it or are ever going to use it, so take the plunge and get rid of it!
Rent a storage unit
Think of a storage unit as an extension or an alternative to a loft space, garage or wardrobes. A storage unit is where you can securely keep your spare items and things you don’t need on a daily basis, such as seasonal items and outdoor furniture.
Let us know your top tips for decluttering, and contact us at today if we can help with self-storage after you’ve decluttered.
