The declutterer’s guide

Deciding what to keep and what to biff.

HOW TO HELP SOMEONE DOWNSIZE

Robin Zasio, author of The Hoarder in You: How to Live a Happier, Healthier, Uncluttered Life, advises against playing the blame game. Hoarding, he writes, tends to promote a lot of judgement, and with that comes anger. Show respect. Don’t just start throwing things away; it can feel like a betrayal. Start small – with a single room or with similar objects, like books or shoes. Organise items in piles for rubbish, recycling, donation or selling. Don’t discard things behind someone’s back and remember to ask why the object seemed important in the first place. Frame an item’s value in terms of the person’s life goals – perhaps moving, getting married or retiring. How does this item factor in – or perhaps serve as a barrier

– to those goals?

HOW TO HELP YOURSELF

Start by culling the least-personal items: clothes, linen, kitchen

utensils (three sets of mixing bowls probably aren’t necessary).

Select the items that are really important to you – the books, the artworks, the favourite chair

Take photos of larger, precious items that will not fit.

Ask family members if they want any of the items you don’t want – and to take away any of their goods cluttering up the attic or garage.

Get assistance from friends, neighbours and family to run a garage sale for things you don’t want, or ask them to start selling on Trade Me.

Ask charities if they want your unwanted items – some will happily come and pick up goods you don’t want

Look forward to buying smaller items to fit your new home.