Mats made in heaven
Find your perfect doorstep style statement... they’re so nice you won’t want to wipe your feet on them
DECLUTTERING is one of those tasks that even the most decisive householder puts off tackling. A nebulous, bitty endeavour, the main trouble is knowing where to start, but tactically discarding even small, apparently unimportant items can make a big difference to how a home feels.
Here are a few items you can get rid of right now, to help your house or apartment feel roomier, and get the decluttering ball rolling...
1. OLD MAGAZINES
Yes, in theory you could read that interesting-looking article about the state of southeast Asian geopolitics you put aside for a dull moment. You won’t though, will you? It’s been sitting behind the loo for five years. Time to get rid.
2. SPARE HANGERS
Wire hangers just accrue, and we’re not even sure how. If you open your wardrobe to find that there are twice as many hangers as the clothes they’re hanging, then binning some can only make your life easier.
It also means you don’t have to wake your whole house with aggressive jangling every time you get dressed.
3. OLD SHOES
People can be strangely sentimental about their shoes. By the time they’re unusably tattered, you’ve probably been through a lot together, but there’s not really any way to repurpose them.
They will be discarded at some point – save yourself the bother and do it now.
4. CLOTHES THAT DON’T FIT
There’s no commodity more fit for the charity shop than clothes that don’t fit you.
You can’t reclaim a garment you’ve grown out of, however many memories it might contain, and a gift can be the wrong size regardless of who gave it to you. If you bought something erroneously, just cut your losses – don’t let it clog up your wardrobe in a stubborn refusal to admit your mistake.
5. ODD SOCKS
Do not throw these away too quickly. Socks end up in different washes and if you find sock two right after discarding sock one, the annoyance may be enough to stop you sleeping.
There is, however, a limit, and once a sock has spent a few months in the odd pile, it’s time for it to go.
6. YOUR TOOTHBRUSH
OK, so this isn’t really decluttering, but we would bet our life savings you don’t change toothbrushes as often as you should.
Dental and medical organisations almost universally urge switching it up every three to four months. If the bristles are frayed,
swap sooner. And if you have ‘spare’ old ones, bin them while you’re at it.
7. EXPIRED FOOD Have you ever even been to the darkest recesses of your cupboards?
A no man’s land filled with dusty bottles of unknown origin, and the canned food you’ll live on come the zombie apocalypse, long-lived kitchens invariably contain at least one item a good decade past its expiration date. You don’t see it, but it’s taking up space you might usefully repurpose.
8. DVDS AND VHS TAPES
It’s 2021. If you can digitise them, go for it; if not, one of your many streaming services will probably provide. Start with the movies you don’t like.
9. OLD BUSINESS CARDS
Clothes go in and out of fashion; old video games have replay value; and you might one day find a use for that spare bedside table. But you will never find yourself needing a business card for a position you no longer hold at a company you no longer work for. Same goes for old calendars. It’s not 2014, so...
10. DEFUNCT ELECTRONICS
In most modern houses, there somewhere sits a giant box of matted wires, which once charged this or connected that.
Electronics date quickly, and at least some of them will hail from the digital stone age, applicable only to ancient equipment that long since gave up the ghost.
11. EXPIRED MEDICATION
We sincerely hope you’re not drawn to your medicine cabinet too often, but the situation-specific nature of medications means they can sit there on the top shelf for years, and years, and years. Medicine expiration dates matter. If it’s past its prime by any margin, remove and replace.
12. OLD TOYS
Yes, toys can work as hand-medowns, but only some toys. The old hoop n’ stick struggles to find a place in today’s tech-savvy childhood, while completed or part-completed puzzle books are definitely singleuse.
You wouldn’t give someone a sudoku book with half the sudokus filled in, and that should include your future children.
13. DEAD BATTERIES
We don’t know how they do it, but dead batteries possess a near-unique ability to just turn up in random drawers.
Purge them. Purge them all.
14. BROKEN CLOCKS & WATCHES
There are plenty of professionals out there who have carved careers out of re-heeling defunct timepieces. Either contact one, or don’t. There is no in between.
15. TAKEAWAY MENUS
They’re all online. All of them.
The same goes for most catalogues, and a decent number of instruction manuals.
16. CARDS
Binning the heartfelt wishes of friends and relations feels faintly cruel, but it’s better to briefly sting your sensitivities than scotch your storage long term.
Birthdays and Christmases come around – spoiler alert – once a year, so it doesn’t take that long to amass enough cardboard to post and pack a small whale.
17. ORNAMENTS YOU DON’T LIKE
An impulse buy from IKEA, a remnant of a long-lost relationship, a knick-knack that ‘came with the house’ – there is almost certainly some piece of plaster or ceramic sitting around somewhere that you secretly despise. When it comes to ornaments we agree with Marie Kondo – if it doesn’t spark joy, it goes.
18. OLD TOWELS
Often accumulated over time, old towels tend to get faded, dog-eared, and just a little bit weird-smelling. If you wouldn’t be happy offering it to a guest, get rid of it or use it as a rag.
19. BOOKS
OK, before you yell at us, books take up a lot of space, and some houses are positively rammed with them.
Some advise removing the ones you’ve already read, but you may want them for reference, rereading or loaning to friends. We’re more interested in the ones which, if you’re honest with yourself, you haven’t read and never will.
20. OLD CRAFT SUPPLIES
Paints, glues, markers – once they dry out, they’re dead. We’re not saying you won’t use them – we’re saying you physically can’t.
AS A cloud of uncertainty still hangs over foreign holidays this summer, the UK looks set for another bumper year of staycations. Once again, camping looks likely to be popular, as travellers seek to explore nature and re-discover a sense of adventure.
According to a new report by website Cool Camping, which sells a variety of campsite holidays, treehouse accommodation is set to be a big trend. By studying page views, they estimated a whopping 1,624 interested customers to every one treehouse. Unsurprisingly, given booking habits last summer, glampsites are also likely to sell out fast. The website says almost 50% of enquiries request a hot tub.
Other anticipated trends for 2021 include a rise in ‘en-pitch’ accommodations, offering private toilet facilities, plus an increase in pop-up campsites, which were also popular last year.
Keen to book but don’t know where to start? Here are some of the spots likely to sell out fast.
TREETOP ADVENTURES Where: Melin Mabes, Pembrokeshire
THE quirky Templar Treehouse has its own private hot tub, plus a slide to take you down to the ground. The property features a combination of rustic charm and first-class amenities, with underfloor heating, a modern bathroom, antique kitchen, suspended loungers and veranda with a view to the river. ■ From £152 per night, sleeping two people.
NATURE CALLING Where:
Culdees Castle Estate, Perthshire
THIS pretty Scottish glampsite offers five woodland cabins, each tucked away within the five-acre forest. The huts have been designed to be incorporated into the nature of the site, and all have hot tubs available. There are plenty of options for walking, cycling, horse riding, fishing and golf nearby.
■ Cabins from £120, sleeping two.
FAMILY NOSTALGIA Where:
Fisherground Campsite, Cumbria
FOR those looking for a more traditional grass pitch option,
Fisherground Campsite in Eskdale is a popular choice.
It’s a great choice for families, as there is plenty for the kids to enjoy, including campfires, a paddling pond and the nearby steam railways line, which can transport you to and from the campsite.
■ Pitches from £24 per night.
GLAM OPTIONS Where:
Redwood Valley, Powys THIS family-run, eco-friendly campsite is set among 25 acres of
FANTASY STAY Where:
woodland on the Welsh borders.
The site features two yurts and one woodland cabin styled to give a treehouse feel. The stilted abode provides a view over the brook through floor to ceiling windows.
■ Treetop cabin from £130 per night; yurts from £110.
Mad Hatters, Cambridgeshire A FUN-PACKED campsite featuring all the magic of a ‘mad hatters’ tea party in camping form.
Following an Alice in Wonderland theme, pitches are named after characters from the tale. The Queen of Hearts glamping cabin is straight out of a fairy-tale.
■ Pitches from £18 per night.
PITCHES FOR A POOCH Where:
Howgills Hideaway,
North Yorkshire
THIS North Yorkshire site offers pitches with incredible mountain views.
The site has a relaxed atmosphere with both campfires and dogs welcome, and a mix of walkers and families taking up the pitches.
The location is easily accessible for the beautiful Bolton Abbey, while the 80-mile long Dales Way is a popular walking route nearby.
■ Pitches from £24 per night.
CUTE FOR COUPLES Where:
Nightsky Glamping, Gwynedd
TENTED glamping with en-suite toilet facilities and private hot tubs for those looking for the romantic option.
Aptly named, the campsite is in a location famed for its stunning sunsets and starry nights, while animal lovers will enjoy the on-site alpaca trekking options.
There are also two beaches within walking distance.
■ Bell tent from £70 per night; safari tent from £90 per night.
DESERT ISLAND ESCAPE Where:
Ye Olde Swan, Oxfordshire FOR something truly different, try Ye Olde Swan in Oxfordshire. The campsite is located on Thames
Island, making it feel like an exotic escape.
Fortunately, civilisation isn’t too far away, however. A traditional pub just over the bridge provides pizza and prosecco to the campsite.
■ Weekend (2 nights) £120 - £155
■ All sites can be booked through Cool Camping. Visit coolcamping.com