We've got these top tips to help you organise your home and your life!
Making time to declutter the home can do wonders for your mental health. Start organising your home and feeling better when you walk through the door with these top tips.
1. Invest in good storage
If you have one cupboard where everything gets stuffed when you don’t need it, you are not alone. But. let’s get it organised in there! You will need that bank statement or letter one day, so creating some order now will help you in the long run. Storage is key; invest in some good quality baskets or tubs to categorise your items and neaten up your space, whether it’s inside the cupboard, under the bed or in your home office.
2. Simple and steady
Don’t try and do too much at once; make this decluttering journey a relaxed and pleasurable one. Start in one room and finish it before you move onto the next. Don’t throw things out for the sake of it – we can all get a little trash-happy when we get into the swing of a tidy up – but do be realistic about what you do and don’t need. Make a list of things that are important to store and stick to it.
3. Make it interesting
Put on some music, tie your hair up and let loose on your clutter. Enjoy reminiscing over old photos and letters and relive happy memories once more. Don’t feel you have to get everything done in one day but feel the stress disappear with every drawer your sort and bin you empty. Invest in some colourful storage so you are not only cleaning up but adding to your decor as well!
4. Be cruel to be kind
Sometimes we avoid a decluttering job because we find it hard to say goodbye to things – even if they are not making our lives any better. In fact, we probably haven’t looked at some items for years but, when we are faced with clearing it out, we feel like we couldn’t live without it! “The key to successful decluttering is being strict with yourself,” says Gary Lyons, Managing Director at Plastic Box Shop. “Go through it one object at a time, and ask yourself: ‘have I needed this in the last six months and am I likely to need it again’? After a few weeks, you should see a real difference to your home – and your stress levels.”
5. Be systematic in your approach
“One of the most common reasons we put off decluttering our homes is that we feel overwhelmed by how much there is to do,” adds Gary. “If you’re surrounded by meaningless clutter and don’t know where to begin, try taking the 12-12-12 challenge. Grab a bin liner, do a sweep of the house and find 12 items to throw out, 12 items to donate to charity, and 12 things that need to be returned to their proper place. Before you know it, you will have decluttered and reorganised 36 items in a flash. It makes a great children’s game too, so get the kids involved.”
