5 ways to help declutter your home

Decluttering your home is great, not only to free up your space but also as a way of relaxing and mentally clearing out the old - ready for the new. If you have been considering decluttering your home in the future but aren’t quite sure where to start, follow the tips below.

1. Decide what you want to do with the clutter

It’s a good idea to have a system in place whereby you separate things into keep, sell, donate, and throw-away piles. The keep pile is reserved for things that you need or have sentimental value - and your next job is to find a permanent home for them. The donate pile can be gathered together and taken down to the local charity shop or donation bin to benefit those who need it.

The sell pile can either be listed on eBay or, for bigger items, consider storing it away before you decide how to sell it. Storage units are a good idea for any awkward larger items such as exercise machines and furniture, with locations up and down the country - from lockers in Edinburgh to storage in Southampton. The throw-away pile can either be added to your dustbin or taken down to the local tip.

2. Go room by room

Don’t try and declutter the whole house at once, make a plan to work room by room and cupboard by cupboard. In the kitchen, start under the sink and work your way around the counters until you come full circle. In the bedroom, decluttering your wardrobe is a satisfying starting point before you move on to drawers and dressers.

If you’re decluttering the garage, it’s a good idea to kill two birds with one stone and rearrange everything in there at the same time. Reserve a space for the car cleaning kit and accessories, find a shelf just for your bicycle pump, lights, and helmet, and keep drawers clear for tools, nails, and screws to access easily later. Check out this awesome Pinterest board, featuring lots of inspiration for garage organization to keep things neat and in order.

3. Understand why you’re decluttering

There are many reasons why we decided to have a big decluttering session. Do you need more space? Want to make a little extra cash from things around your home that you can sell? Or perhaps you’re simply moving house and want to remove any unnecessary items so they don’t need to be packed and lugged along to that new location. Understanding your reasons behind decluttering makes a big difference in how you decide what to do with your belongings.

4. Make the time for it

No one wants to be distracted while decluttering and when looking through your belongings try to resist flicking through photo albums or playing with any items you find. Set aside a full day at the weekend, don’t make any plans, and stick some loud music on to keep you focused on the task at hand.

5. Keep the cleaning products close by

Safe to say, if you’re clearing off bookshelves or emptying a cupboard there’s going to be some cleaning involved. Don’t let this put you off, by ensuring you have the right cleaning products to hand such as dusting cloths, anti-bacterial spray, and a hoover to clean up any spills or messes.

Now you’re ready to declutter, adopt these five ways to help you get through your belongings to free up space in your home.