Our homes are where we keep our most treasured items and memories. However, we often lose sight of what we really need to hang on to, and without realising it, end up surrounded by clutter. A good spring clean (no matter the season) can always help to transform your home in unexpected ways.
Here, we suggest our top tips for an easy yet effective decluttering of your home. Before embarking on this, prepare yourself: you may have to do away with things you hadn’t realised weren’t being used, and your newly decluttered home may take some getting used to!
Make bin bags your best friend
First thing’s first – throw away what is obviously trash. Often an empty water bottle or old supermarket slip can sneakily become part of the furniture, so pick up a black bag and scour every room of your house – you may be surprised at the amount of unnecessary clutter that has made its way into your home.
Once this is done, try your best to fill this bag up (after all, it would be a waste if you didn’t). If your house needs a decluttering, chances are this won’t be difficult: look out for toiletries you don’t use anymore, expired bottles of pills, and old bottles of sauce that have made themselves comfortable at the back of your fridge.
Use a 3 pile system
Once you’ve filled up one (or five) black bags with trash, you can start sorting through everything that is left over – just because it isn’t trash doesn’t mean it isn’t clutter. Of course, it can be difficult to let go of your belongings, so approach every room keeping a 3 pile system in mind: sort what can be donated, what can be fixed, and what you use into 3 different piles.
By donating, you can make sure that the things you no longer find a use for will be used and loved by someone else. From your ‘needs attention’ pile, pick out what you need and plan on fixing, and throw the rest away. Everything you still use can now be sorted out and packed back neatly (and you may even find that sweater you borrowed a year ago and swore you had returned!)
Sort out your storage
For those things that you simply have to keep like photo albums, school certificates, and important files, make sure you have a clean and organised storage space. Mark your boxes to avoid confusion, or use the space at the top of your cupboard to store your special memories in plastic containers or storage baskets which are not only useful but also pleasing to the eye.
Choosing furniture that doubles as storage space can also help to transform your home and keep your possessions at an easy arms-reach. Again, go through your storage items and use the 3 pile system – what seemed necessary a year ago might not be necessary today.
Use files and envelopes to keep your important paperwork intact, and those with children can do the same with school workbooks.
Don’t just declutter, clean
Once you’ve gotten rid of everything you don’t use anymore, you may be tempted to stop there. One of the most important parts of decluttering, however, is properly cleaning the space your possessions take up.
Wipe down surfaces, get rid of dust, and use these unbelievably helpful cleaning tips – trust us, the sneezing fits and tackles with cobwebs will be worth it! Remember that a vacuum cleaner can do a world of difference in transforming your home, so check out All Great Vacuums to find the perfect fit for your floor. Getting rid of pet hair, dust, crumbs, and everything in between is decluttering too, no matter how small these unwanted items may appear.
Keeping these tips in mind can do wonders for your next spring clean or for whenever the clutter in your home starts feeling overwhelming. Take everything room by room, or even day by day – this way you can make sure you are doing a thorough job.
While it may be difficult letting go of your clutter, remember that a proper decluttering can help you to properly separate what is worth hanging on to from what has started hanging on to you.
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