Mind, body and home: How to declutter in five steps

Ever heard of the phrase tidy house, tidy mind? It’s true! Having a clean and tidy home can do wonders for improving your headspace. It can be an overwhelming task, so that’s why we’re here to help. Check out these five useful steps on how to declutter.

Step 1: Write things down

Putting pen to paper (or finger to phone) is guaranteed to make the overwhelming task of decluttering feel much more manageable.

Create a checklist of what needs to be done and revel in that sweet satisfaction when you start ticking things off.

Step 2: Set realistic goals

Setting yourself unachievable goals isn’t going to make you feel better. So, start small. Set aside an amount of time each week to tackle one manageable task.

For example, if you’re clearing out your kitchen, take baby steps and start with the pots and pans. Next time, focus on your appliances.

You can do this in other aspects of your life too, such as work tasks and chores. This can turn what once seemed like a mammoth task to easily achievable goals.

Step 3: Let go of the past

Now you need to start sorting through things. Can’t bear to throw anything away? This is probably why you need to declutter in the first place. Aside from items of sentimental value, if you haven’t used something in over a year, it’s time for it to go.

This goes for mind clutter, too. Lots of us tend to spend a lot of time thinking about things that have happened in the past. It’s hard, but try to let go of these and focus on the future instead.

Step 4: Divide your clutter into sections

Now you have an idea of what is staying and going, you can begin to decide what you’re going to do with it. To be as sustainable as possible, we recommend the following:

• Keep – This section is for items you want to keep. However, you must create a permanent home for it, otherwise it will continue to clutter your house.
• Store – Who needs summer dresses out in winter? This section is for things you want to keep, but don’t need all of the time. Store these things away so they’re not out in the open but are accessible if you need them.
  • TOP TIP: A great way to store items efficiently is by using vacuum storage bags. These handy products can fit clothes, toys and even bedding in without taking up loads of room. A must have for storage.

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• Sell or donate – By now, you might have found a few things that you don’t want to keep. If this is the case, why not try to sell it or donate to charity? Millions of perfectly good items end up in landfill every year, so try and do your bit by giving them a second home.
• Recycle – There will be some items that aren’t in a good enough condition to give away. Luckily, there may be the option to recycle it rather than send it to landfill.
  • TOP TIP: Head to the internet to see whether you can recycle your goods nearby. Some stores offer free recycling of certain products. Head to your local Savers where you can recycle batteries for free! Just pop in and drop them off and we’ll do the hard work for you.
• Trash – Throwing things away should be a last resort if you’re looking to declutter sustainably. However, sometimes it is the only option. Get rid of everything you cannot donate or recycle.

Step 5: Be strict

Once you’ve taken the plunge and your home is looking clean and tidy, it’s time to be strict. If you’re not, you’ll only end up with a cluttered house again. For example, only accept freebies if you’ll use them and avoid unnecessary purchases.

Top tip – Be strategic with your spending and opt for multi-use products to save room. Multi-purpose cleaning products, 2-in-1 shampoos and make-up palettes are all great examples and do the job just as well.

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Now you’ve decluttered your home, take some of these steps onboard to further declutter your mind. Clear out your busy calendar if you need some downtime, or use steps one and two to organise an overwhelming workload.

Decluttering physically and mentally is extremely satisfying and you won’t regret it. When you’ve finished, treat yourself to a scrumptiously smelling wax melt with a hot bubble bath – you deserve it!