Moving home is a good time to get rid of unwanted items and decluttering makes the process a million times easier. We’ve compiled a list of our top decluttering tips to help anyone who doesn’t know where to begin.
First of all:
What is clutter?
Clutter is anything that you’ve been meaning to sort out for a long time, but have somehow never quite got around to. If you spend too much time looking for things or buying duplicates, you know it’s time to organise or de-clutter your home.
Clutter Hot Spots:
Look around your home and identify the rooms in your home that are the most cluttered. Find the areas that aren’t working, maybe it’s the hallway, your wardrobe or the attic. Write a list in order of their importance and then tackle each room in that order.
Be Realistic:
De-cluttering can be a slow job. If it took several years for the clutter to build up, then you probably won’t be finished in a few hours. Don’t be discouraged, accept that it will take time and focus on getting it done.
Start with the Easy Stuff:
People often think that de-cluttering is difficult and that it’s going to be a painful process. It doesn’t have to be!
When you start to de-clutter, begin with the straightforward items that don’t require a difficult decision. It might be that any newspapers go in the recycling bin, or the clothes you KNOW don’t fit. The most important thing is to start!
Choose whether you are going to keep the item – a “yes”, a “no” or if you can’t
quite make a decision it’s a “maybe”. It’s perfectly OK to have “maybe” items.
The Four Box Method:
A popular method for de-cluttering is to apply the four box method, (well 3 boxes and a bin liner) which forces you to make a decision.
Take three boxes and label them: Keep, Donate or Sell, Recycle. Use the bin liner to throw away any broken or damaged items. Go around your house and place each clutter item into the appropriate box.
At the end of your session take the ‘Donate or Sell’ box straight to the charity shop or round to a friends or family member’s house. This way you won’t procrastinate and end up with more clutter. Take your throw away items straight out to the bins to prevent any second thoughts.
The Most Important Thing is to START!
Don’t forget your loft space, a haven for unwanted items.
Selling unwanted items can also give you some cash which could help pay
for your removal expenses.
Here are some essentials before you start:
- Plenty of bin liners or boxes
- Sticky tape
- Labels
- A paper shredder
- Newspaper for packing up items or bubble wrap
We hope you find these tips useful in helping with the decluttering process. Just remember, as we said before, the most important thing is to start!
Also, don’t forget to contact us for your free quote on a 5-star move!
