10 top tips to help you declutter and stay tidy
1 First things first, write down all the jobs that need doing. Take time to number your tasks into priority order, with number one being the most urgent, and so on. Breaking things down into a list of smaller tasks will make spring cleaning feel less overwhelming. You’ll soon start to tick jobs off as you complete them, which will help your motivation and spur you on to do more.
2 When deciding on an area to declutter, think about how long it’ll take you. Try not to fit too much into too short a time. Be realistic about what you can achieve in the time you have – whether that’s an hour, or a full weekend. Working in smaller bursts is an efficient use of time and will help you to stay focused, while trying to do too much often leads to feelings of overwhelm, and you’ll end up achieving far less in the long-runfl
3 When you’re decluttering, make four different piles: the first pile is for items to go back into that space; the second pile is for items you want to give away or sell; the third is for items that need to go back to their rightful places in the home; and the fourth is for items that are no longer fit for purpose. Start by putting back the items that live in that area, then turn your attention to the other piles one by one.
4 When deciding what to keep and what to get rid of, don’t hesitate. Indecisiveness can derail the whole decluttering process, so if you’re unsure, don’t dwell on it – just come back to it later with a fresh focus. If you’re still finding it hard to let something go, create a ‘maybe box’ and store it away, then come back to it in three months’ time. If you haven’t used it in that time, get rid of it.
5 If you start to lose motivation or are feeling stressed out, take a break and do something else, then come back to it another time. When you’re in the right headspace for trying again, set aside 15-20 minutes to tackle a very small area, such as a crammed kitchen drawer, or an overflowing shoe cupboard. The satisfaction you’ll feel will quickly help bring your decluttering mojo backfl
6 Putting on uplifting music or listening to your favourite podcast can make tedious jobs like decluttering feel much more enjoyablefl The aim of tidying and organising your home is to create a happier space for you to live in, so keep reminding yourself of the ultimate goal.
When you’re feeling overwhelmed by your surroundings due to the amount of belongings around you – or the lack of order things seem to be in – it can be difficult to see how the situation can change. But having an order or process for things can make life so much easier, enabling you to enjoy life more. It can help to remember that life is a constant cycle of change, as is your home. It has to adapt as you change and grow, but it’s important for it to work for you in the now.
7 Create an organisational system that will make it easier to keep things tidy in future. There are storage baskets and boxes to fit every space, so measure up cupboards and drawers and work out how to make the most of the space you have. Think about stackable storage, see-through containers, tiered organisers, hooks, space-saving shelves, and drawer dividers – all useful additions to your home and a great way to reduce clutter.
8 Labelling your storage or creating a colour-coded system will also make tidying up easier, as it helps you and the rest of your household keep on top of what you have. Once you all know where things belong, you can take the labels away, but it’s a useful way to kick-start a more organised way of living.
9 Be mindful of the way you store things, so rather than stacking items on top of one another, organise them in an upright position so they’re easier to access and put away. Stacking can lead to things piling up, which means everything at the bottom gets crushed and forgotten about. If we’re talking wardrobes, folding is a more efficient use of space than hanging on a clothes rail, so always fold where possible.
10 Rather than leaving the jobs to mount up again, try to get into good tidying habits. For example, use labelled drawers to sort paperwork straight away; recycle envelopes as soon as you open letters; when you go to bed, relocate items from downstairs that need to go upstairs; try to always put your keys in the same place, and so on. Small, positive actions every day will help you to stay on top of the clutter for good.
With a good clear-out, some nifty organisation tricks and a little style, you can take your home from cluttered to calm. Get clever with hidden storage: an ottoman bed is the ultimate musthave. Under-bed storage boxes (clear, so you can see what’s in them at a glance) and a few hooks screwed into the back of cupboard doors will also work wonders, especially for those tight on space. Showcase sentimental items in clutter-free fashion – think shelving units with cupboards for hiding things away, and shelves to display a few cherished items.