Tips from the expert

TORONTO — Jill Pollack has advice on how to start the decluttering process.

The organizational expert helps families clear the excess from their homes on Consumed, which premières Saturday on HGTV Canada. Here are three tips from Pollack. Stop procrastinating. Pollack says thinking and worrying about cleaning up a cluttered space takes a lot more energy than actually doing it.

Pollack recommended dedicating an allocated time — be it a few weekend sessions or an afternoon — to the work.

Taking a bite-sized approach — such as just tackling the closet or the drawers — can help make the process more manageable and less intimidating, she noted. Out with (most of) the old. Deciding which items to ditch versus those to keep can be difficult, particularly those which carry a strong sentimental attachment.

“If it’s something very special from your past and you really want to keep the physical object, then dedicate a large plastic bin, and put those objects in there,” said Pollack. “If you’re overflowing with three, four, five bins, you’re probably keeping too much.

Pollack said ill-fitting or outdated clothes should be tossed out, but not all unwanted items have to be put by the curb. Consider finding a specific place — like a charity — where such goods can be donated, she noted. Make frequently used items accessible — and keep the rest tucked away. How often do you bake cookies or mix blended drinks? If creating sweet treats is just an occasional habit, keep the appliances and other items used for such tasks out of your space when not required.