“Decluttering” – its just a fancy word for clearing up isn’t it ?

 

      

Its that time of year again when that seasonal urge to spring clean is starting to wake up and the phrases “lets clear out the garage” or “do you really need that many pairs of shoes” are being banded around.

“Decluttering”, don’t we just hate that word. As soon as I hear it mentioned my shoulders slump at the prospect of all the decisions that lie ahead…. aaggghhh what to keep, what to chuck and what’s really worth storing. I am a terrible hoarder, yes, yes, I hold my hand up and admit that I do have two extra large chinese bags full of unmatching tupaware and old plastic cream cartons in my basement that I feel I just can not live without. Even through I know I probably won’t ever use them again I just can’t bring myself to throw them away, I mean I may need to grow plants in them when I am living in an underground shelter after the world as we know it has been obliterated, they could be very useful then!), I digress… well lets be honest here, we probably all have a tardis-like bag or box somewhere full of bonkers bits we feel must stay with us no matter what, don’t we. Well come on now its time to get brutal and get decluttering.

See below my action steps that helped me disconnect from my old tupaware and start clearing out my rubbish this springtime and I thought if I wrote this before the weekend that you might feel inspired to set too once you have had a day or two to psych yourself up to it.

First

1. Take before pictures of each room (or disaster zone) that you are going to tackle and work out what needs to be cleared.
2. Decide where your clutter is ultimately going to go. Label up a Charity Shop Box, a Recycling Box, a Not Sure box and a box for the Tip for example and get a pile of heavy duty bin bags at the ready.

Kitchen

1. Throw out any food that is well past its expiry date, those opened packs of cream cheese that are lurking at the back of the fridge with a layer of blue/black mould on them are no longer your friend.
2. Safely dispose of outdated medicines.
3. Get decisive over unused gadgets – what rainy day are you really saving them for. Some charity shops are delighted to have electrical items, but check with them first.
4. Cut out favourite recipes from those piles of newspapers and magazines you have been keeping and store in a file or folder.
5. Banish those plastic bags – reusable bags will save you money and space, and are much greener. Once those plastic bags are out of your life you will soon get used to your reusables.
6. Stocktake your freezer – it is so satisfying to have a list of what exactly is living in there. We had a week (ok it was more like two) of living out of the freezer (lucky dip, I call it) in the holidays and it saved me several monster trips to the supermarket (who knew teenage girls ate so much).
7. Consolidate! Re-group lightbulbs, batteries and bin bags together so you know where to find them and when to buy more. I was staggered at how many half boxes of light bulbs and assorted batteries I had in different hidiholes around the house – no need to buy any more of those for at least a year.

General

1. Find new homes for books you have finished if you really think you will read them again or box up a load for the library or charity shop.
2. If you’ve joined the digital age, do you really need to keep all those CDs and videos? yup, they can go too.
3. Switch to paperless post and opt to receive bank statements electronically. And, going through your email inbox and unsubscribing to all those junk/sign-up emails you get sent and are no longer interested in is so cathartic too.
4. Add extra storage by putting up hooks on doors and on the backs of cupboards – you will thank yourself for them later.
5. Label storage boxes for those bits you just can’t part with and move them out of sight to a basement, attic or garage before you learn to live with them where they are. (old moving boxes serving as a TV stand are all well and good but come on girls we are not at Uni now ?!)

Wow, you are making progress, keep at it……

Bedroom

1. Put your past season’s clothing into storage, yes gals summer is on its way, yay hay.
2. If it doesn’t fit or you haven’t worn it in two cycles of that season then bin it or recycle it. You should feel great in every item you put on or it is just not worth having in your wardrobe (so says my 15 year old and she shops at charity shops and looks gorgeous, always!). Ultimately, if you don’t love it, wear or use it, it’s out.
3. Organise jewellery – I just got a wall hanger for all my necklaces and bits – hallelujah it has only taken me 6 years and I smile at it every morning, as I now remember what I have.
4. Invest in some attractive baskets for storage, ONLY if you absolutely can’t find anything else around the house to use. Check other rooms as I quite often find I can use containers/bags from my kitchen in my bathroom or from my bedroom to the office. I have even been know to drag in pots from our greenhouse and use them in the bathroom for tubes and brushes. When something has a change of use and location, it can feel new again.

Create a few House Rules to help you going forward

No. 1 – Assign a clutter-free zone such as the dining table, so there is at least one surface that always stays clear.

No. 2 – Schedule a time each day or each week for a routine tidy to your home to clear surfaces and floors and keep on top of things so the clutter triffid doesn’t take hold again.

FINALLY

Ask a friend to check out your Not Sure Box – it’s easier to be objective about someone else’s things and get a second opinion before these items get saved or chucked just so there are no tears later. I have been found, pyjama clad, head torch on, rummaging in the black bin in the dead of night trying to locate something that I just don’t have the heart to see go – save your marigolds ladies and ask a friend !

If you have read to the end of this post and done most of it, then I take my hat off to you, you are truly a domestic goddess so now take your, “after de-cluttering” photos, kick back with a glass of your favourite tipple and savour the fruits of your labour – doesn’t it look good…

Bravo you, you truly are a “Goodness Gal”. Let me know your successes and great tips, I always love to hear.

Have a fab end to the week. Be well. Sophie xo