TOP TIPS FOR DECLUTTERING
As a new TV programme examines the UK’s hoarding habits, NATASHA WEALE reveals expert advice on keeping your home tidy
TONIGHT, a new TV documentary looks at why we’re hoarding things we don’t need including £30billion of unwanted clothing. According to the latest figures, there are now an estimated 1.2 million hoarders in the UK whose inability to throw anything out has seriously diminished their enjoyment of life. But as one expert points out, there are many simple ways you can cut the clutter.
Beverly Wade, founder of cluttergone.co.uk, shares her top 10 tips on how to clear your home of unused goods and live a more organised, tidy lifestyle.
It was 12 years ago when the notion of hoarding was still in its infancy that Beverly had a brainwave on how to help people lead more shipshape, manageable lives. “I’d met this professional organiser from New York while I was on holiday and her job sounded like something I could do,” she says. “I’ve always lived in an orderly household but I’d known people who had struggled to throw things away and felt overwhelmed at how to tackle the problem. That’s where I came in.”
After placing an advert in her local newspaper, Beverly was soon inundated with requests for help on how to declutter and now has a team of 12 organisers offering advice and practical solutions to households around the country.
“Clutter is a more common problem nowadays because you can pick up things such as clothes and cosmetics really cheaply,” she explains. “But all that happens is that we buy more without ever getting rid of the old stuff. Gradually our homes become crowded and the prospect of dealing with it is too daunting for many of us so we just avoid it.”
So here is Beverly’s advice to kick-start your clear-out. “Decluttering doesn’t need to be difficult,” she says. “But it is an ongoing process. The most important thing is to begin.” worn a particular item of clothing for a long time. “As soon as you have filled a bag take it to the charity shop straight away. It’s no good having things lying around because this will only lead to second thoughts about whether or not you have made the right decision.” up space. If you haven’t listened to a particular CD or watched a DVD for a long time, then it’s probably time to get rid of it. The same goes if you know you’re not going to finish a book or re-read it.”
When you’re choosing whether to keep an item or not, ask yourself if you will miss it when it’s gone. If the answer is “yes”, then keep it. If “no”, then get rid of it. If you can’t quite decide and it’s a “maybe”, then hold on to it. “It’s perfectly OK to have ‘maybe’ items,” says Beverly. “Chances are by the time you come back to it, you’ll realise you don’t actually want or need it and will dispose of it. It’s a process and by answering a simple yes or no you can keep the momentum going and avoid feeling anxious.” “Decluttering is about having the right amount of stuff for your lifestyle now,” explains Beverly. If you no longer entertain and host dinner parties for example, get rid of the extra dinner plates you once used and free up some storage space. Beverly says one of the best habits you can get into when decluttering is to be honest with yourself. If that jumper you started knitting a couple of years ago is sitting there unfinished ask yourself whether you’ll still want to wear it when it’s finally completed. Chances are the answer is no.
To avoid keeping collections of products in the bathroom, make sure you get out a new bottle of shampoo only once you’ve finished the old one and thrown it away.
However, if you already happen to have a collection of bottles opened, take a few moments to throw away those that are nearly empty and store the ones you aren’t using in a designated drawer or cupboard.
Categorising things as you go through them is essential when you’re organising your home. And it will make your life easier. Store similar items close to where you will use them and you’ll not only know where they are when you need them, but you’ll also reduce some of the little frustrations in your daily life.
This tip can also be applied to your wardrobe. If you have lots of pairs of jeans for example, line them all up together so you can decide which ones you like and want to keep, and which are destined for the charity shop. Keep, Chuck Or Clean? is on ITV tonight at 7.30pm