- Prepare the space for your declutter: Make space to work in. Label bags ready to put in charity shop donations, recycling, rubbish and items to sell.
- Look at Pinterest or in magazines to get an image of what you want your room to look like eventually – it will give you ideas and provides motivation to finish the project. For inspiration look at my Pinterest board
- Choose a small area to start with, to build up your declutter muscles. Start with say a sock drawer or a small category like kitchen spatulas.
- Keep an ongoing charity bag in your wardrobe – if you come across something you are not sure about put in in your charity bag – when it’s full, if you’ve not needed/looked for the items in there, donate it. For a list of places to donate your pre-loved items see my Donation Directory
- Use it or lose it – any clothes you are not sure of during any declutter/edit wear them in then next 7 days (even if just around the house). Any items you don’t feel good in, re-home. It’s a great reason to wear a ball gown or suit around the house!
- Remember why you are doing a declutter? To make more space in your home. Think about what you actually use now (not because you used it a lot in the past)
- Ask yourself – DO (do i use it?) WHEN (when did I last use it?) WHY? (what purpose does it serve me to keep it?)
- Waste – is an item still wasted if it lives in your home and doesn’t get used? Put your efforts into re-homing it, rather than throwing it away. Consider if you are actually going to sell it or if donating the item to charity is a better use of your time.
- As you declutter start to group the same items together, ready to decide where they should live in each room or where in the house.
- Put most frequently used items in ‘prime storage’ (the most accessible cupboards in a room and the least used items (like seasonal items) put high or in hard-to-access storage.
- Before you buy containers or storage measure up to make sure it fits exactly.
- Make it easy to see where things are but using open containers, clear boxes are good and clearly labelled.
- Make the most of all space – use walls, and inside cupboards and hang things up. E.G. this works well for jewellery or for storage under stairs. Command hooks are great for quick and damage free hanging.
- Even if you don’t want to fold all your clothes, fold and put into containers clothes you dont use as often, it will help you find what you want easily, while not messing up a drawer or shelf when you look for it. It also looks good which will help with motivation to keep it that way.
- Discuss and communicate with everyone in the family where something should live – take in account everyone’s habits and needs.
A list of places for you to donate, sell or re-home your pre-loved belongings. My free Donation Directory
Especially the more unusual stuff…
