Decluttering in January is norm for most Brits
'You'll fine more space in your home for the things that make you feel happier'.
It’s the end of another year and many people look at their wardrobe’s and household items that are surplus to requirements and decide now is the time to get rid of the things they don’t need. A total of 68 per cent of Britons say that they declutter the most in January compared to other times of the year.
The main reason for this is to “start the year with a tidy and organised home,” and to make a new beginning with the intention to carry on the way they start.
As part of this shedding of unwanted items, old and sometimes worn out clothes were found to be the most cleared out thing (78 per cent).
In addition to old clothes other items cleared were dead batteries, which many find laying around their homes, expired spices, which were well past their sell-by date and old children’s toys that youngsters no longer played with.
All these were items that were commonly decluttered and taken to the tip or passed on.
The team of interior experts at www.Hillarys.co.uk, conducted a survey as part of an ongoing study into decluttering within the home.
Around 2,150 homeowners from around the UK were asked about their cleaning and decluttering habits and here are the results.
One of the most significant findings showed that more than two thirds of Britons (68 per cent) declutter their homes most in the month of January, as opposed to other times of the year. March and April came out in the listings as well, with 41 per cent of respondents stating they have a large clear out of their homes then.
When asked why the month of January was the most chosen time to clear out the home, almost three quarters (73 per cent) of respondents said they want “to start the year with a tidy and organised home”.
Quizzed on the items they had decluttered from their homes, the top ten things to get rid of during the clear out were found to be:
1. Old clothes – 78 per cent
2. Old phones and cables – 77 per cent
3. Old takeaway menus – 72 per cent
4. Old product instruction manuals – 65 per cent
5. Expired spices – 57 per cent
6. Old children’s toys – 55 per cent
7. Containers without lids – 49 per cent
8. Old condiment sachets – 44 per cent
9. Dead batteries – 40 per cent
10. Old glasses with an outdated prescription – 30 per cent
Of the more interesting responses, some of those surveyed said they used the new year declutter to clear out ‘items belonging to or reminders of ex partners’ (13 per cent) and ‘unwanted gifts from other occasions’ (26 per cent).
Spokeswoman for www.Hillarys.co.uk, Rachel Fernie, said about the findings: “We are all guilty of holding onto household items we probably no longer need.”
She added: “I think if we all had a proper sort out of our homes, we would find some old clothes, dead batteries or expired spices lying around.
“The new year is the best time to do this, with many viewing January as a fresh start and a time to make better habits for ourselves.
“With many of us spending increasing amounts of time in our homes with hybrid working, we want the home to be a nice place to spend time in and decluttering will help to create this environment. It can take time, but results are worth it and you’ll find you have more space in your home for the things that make you feel happier.”