I don’t know about you but I’ve been itching to have a declutter for weeks.  Ever since the beginning of March when we started to have slightly warmer weather and sporadic days of sunshine.  All Winter I’ve felt a heavy weight of unwanted items in my home that I desperately wanted to clear.  But whenever I started to think about it I felt overwhelmed.  I’ve never been one of those people who can just grab a bag and throw things in, that is up until now. I’d seriously started to question why was I holding onto so much stuff that I didn’t use, need, that’s too big or isn’t my style now.  This weekend I did grab a bag, well several actually, to start the declutter process and boy was I ruthless.  First to be tackled were my wardrobes and I’ve cleared out all the clothes that are now too big, are no longer my style, I don’t like anymore etc.  I’ve also started on my accessories, including shoes, handbags and fashion jewelry.  As well as a few household items such as china sets I no longer like. I haven’t quite finished and it will take another couple of sessions before I’ve completed decluttered all my rooms, but I certainly do feel like the weight is slowly being lifted.

Here are my 10 Tips for Decluttering

1. Room by room – you’ll know where you store your unwanted items so tackle a room at a time
2. Do it in stages – it can be a big job depending on how much you want to de-clutter, so give yourself a few weeks
3. Be ruthless  – throw away anything that no longer fits, isn’t your style, is past its best or isn’t usable
4. Don’t hold onto objects – throw away empty phone boxes, shoe boxes, broken items etc
5. Don’t be nostalgic – if you haven’t used an item for a number of years, or have never used it, then it goes
6. Tackle one area at a time – be prepared that you will create a mess as you clear out
7. Make room – ensure you have room to work so that you can place your filled bags as you go
8. Borrowed items – return to the owners if you have finished using the item
9. Hang pictures and photos – no one can see them if they are hidden away
10. Invest in new storage solutions – whether jars, boxes or furniture buy what you need to stay organised

What to do with items that are still usable

1. Recycle – if you’ve got magazines or books take them to the local doctors or hospital waiting rooms
2. Donate to charity – if the items are still in a good state then your chosen charity will be grateful for donations
3. Give away  – larger items can be placed on websites that offer items for free to collectors
4. Sell – either through online auctions, dress agencies, car boots etc

 

I can’t wait to tackle more of my clutter and once it’s gone I don’t intend to replace it unnecessarily.  I’m definitely going to be more choosy about what I buy in the future.  Going forward I’d rather invest in new experiences then buy something I don’t need.

 

Are you ready for a de-clutter?