With Christmas now firmly behind us, and January well into the swing of things, it’s often a great opportunity to turn our attention to spring cleaning and decluttering the home. Often we find that we have an overflow of gifts, homeware, clothes and festive paraphernalia that we don’t know what to do with, but seem reluctant to throw out. However tempting it may be to let things pile up, we shouldn’t treat our homes like a warehouse, so what better way to celebrate the New Year than by taking out the clutter, and making our homes feel fresh and new, and ready for the warmer days ahead.
Clearing out the wardrobe:
Clothes can often be one of our biggest problems, and many people will simply keep an item of clothing just in case they might need it one day; you never know if those old jeans will come in handy if you decide to paint a wall, or whether you’ll finally be able to wear that dress to a fancy dinner party. However, a good rule of thumb is that if you’ve not worn something in over a year, then you’re probably not going to do so again, so why not get rid? Whether you’re using a wardrobe or clothes rail, or prefer wall hooks for those smaller spaces, using this rule is a great way of keeping on top of your clothing and making sure your storage isn’t bursting at the seams!
Boxing things up:
Keep a box or basket in your wardrobe and whenever you look at an item of clothing that you’re unsure of, or items that you’ll “wear eventually”, put them in the basket and leave it there. Once the basket is full, bag the contents up and take it to your local charity. If you haven’t missed it whilst it’s in the basket, then I’m sure you won’t once it’s gone. Also, why not try a “one in, one out” rule. Whenever you buy a new item of clothing, dispose of an old one as a replacement. That way you’ll never have more clothes than you need. This idea needn’t be confined to just clothes, and can be used for other homeware and electricals too.
Sorting out the sideboards:
When emptying sideboards or cupboards, be sure to empty everything out before you start sorting. It’s important to get to the very back of the space as it’s the items at the back that you’ll have likely used less, or not at all. Again if you’ve not used it, or even forgot you had it, then it’s probably best to get rid. Only put things back when you’re sure you want to keep them; you can always make piles on the floor until you’re sure! If you’re storing food, also treat your storage like you would a shop; place the items with shorter dates at the front so that they’re used first.
Into the bathroom:
The bathroom is another room that people often put off sorting and tidying, and there are plenty of ways that you can help beat the clutter without compromising on space. Why not use a bathroom unit with handy storage space to keep all your toiletries so that they are out of sight and not around the bath, shower and sink. There’s nothing worse than waking up in the morning, walking into the bathroom and finding a mess everywhere… Also consider bathroom storage such as towel rails or ladders to keep your towels handy but out of the way, and keep only enough in the house that you actually need. Baskets are also very useful for storing dirty linen and clothes.
Make the most of your space:
Keeping the home tidy is often a top priority for people, and bulky items can easily get in the way. A good way round this is to use a nest of tables that can be stacked when not in use, and placed in part of the room that’s out of the way, thereby giving you more room to live comfortably. In the same vein, side tables and our magazine racks with shelving are other handy space saving storage ideas to help minimise the mess and make your room feel fresher and less cluttered.
Whatever you do, remember that the idea of decluttering is to make your home easier to clean, have less to organise, and ultimately give you that little bit less stress in your life. When deciding whether to get rid, consider if the items are; practical or useful to have, do you have sentimental value, do they bring joy to the home or are you keeping it just for the sake of it? Consider these questions with each item you look at, and ultimately ask the question “would I buy that?” If you’re still unsure, then maybe that’s all the evidence you need to get rid and start again. You’ll feel better for it, and happy in the knowledge that you’ve achieved your New Year goals of decluttering…Then you may dare to consider that you could have also made some space for a special NEW item.
