Are you someone who is a victim of the evil clutter fairy? Do you hold onto everything “Just in case” ? If you are let us help you out with our TEN TOP TIPS of De-cluttering, to help you start to part with the unnescessary objects and clutter you keep - We promise you’ll feel better for it!
1) Don’t procastinate any longer – set a date for the decluttering to start and stick to it
2) Get someone you know and trust to help you, be that a friend or a professional service – another person with you will give you the motivation and confidence to be tough with your throwing out!
3) Pick one room and keep on that room until it is cleared in full – Clear out the cupboards, the drawers, the wardrobes, under beds, on top of wardrobes etc and don’t start on another room until that room is done
4) If you just cannot face a massive onslaught on your clutter, let’s start with nice, easy bite size chunks of 15 miniutes every day – little by little you will start to feel better as you see the light (and spacious worktops) at the end of the tunnel.. One room at a time though
5) When making a cup of tea, whilst waiting for the kettle to boil, spend those 3 minutes tidying the kitchen – start sorting through your “junk drawer” (every house is guilty of having one!) throw away old tupperware tubs with no lids, throw out the empty/almost empty bottles under your sink etc, remember little and easy!
6) The 1 In - 2 out rule. In order to not re-clutter, for every new item brought into the home/office, two items must leave… no cheating though, throwing out a piece of paper and empty toliet roll tube does not count! This rule will curb your spontanous buying and may even save you money too! Yay!
7) The clothing rule – If you have not worn it, or even looked at it, in the past 12 months, bag it and deliver it it to your local charity shop
8 ) The Twelve Month rule – If you just cannot face to throw certain items away as it plays on your mind that you may just wear it one day (acid house smiley tops are NEVER coming back trust me!) or you think you may use it, fix it, need it etc put all these “in case the world ends” items into a box, seal up the box and put the box in the loft… IF you get to 12 months and you have not opened the box, donate the whole box to a charity shop of your choice (without opening, as that would only tempt you again) If you didn’t need it in a year, you do not need it at all!
9) The “Do I really need it?” rule – Every time you are shopping or out and about and feel the urge to buy the latest gadget or gismo or yet another pair of shoes, write it down on a list. Not only will your list give you time to reflect on the descion rather than impluse buying but it will also give you time to think if you have a place for the new item to live within your home/office, will you even use/wear it and it may even stop you buying all togther, both saving you space in your home and keeping money in your bank – double yay!
10) For those of you that have problems detaching emotions from items and blackmail yourself into keeping items – i.e. “I can’t throw away that peach knitted toilet roll doll cover” (remember them?) as my Great Aunty Betty gave it to me, seven Christmas’ ago” I have this little system for you…
Ask yourself these 3 questions
1) Do I LOVE it? 2) Do I NEED it? 3) Is it ESSENTIAL?
The (honest) answers will lead you to the following
1) Yes you love it, can use it and it is in working order = you can keep it
2) No = Donate to charity or skip
3) No = Donate to charity or skip
We all get caught up in our possessions and ‘stuff’, its built into our I want it now consumer society but if you were hand-on-heart-honest, how much to your really use? A third of it? Less?
So in the season of the Spring Clean, make your job easier, free up the space, take the plunge, get tough and declare war on your junk drawers!
