Living amongst clutter can be irritating – and even affect well-being in some cases – so if the clutter is taking over, get busy and get rid!
It’s so easy to hang onto possessions, telling yourself you might need them someday or neglecting to throw away items that you replace, to the point where clutter builds up gradually until all of a sudden, you notice you don’t have any space left in which to store anything!
Here are six ways to declutter effectively without becoming overwhelmed (but don’t be afraid to call in an expert like KwikSweep if you need to!)
1.Alternative storage
You may need to keep certain items that don’t require storing around the house, such as extra bedding for the colder months or sporadically used camping equipment.
In these cases, external storage using metal kit garages is a good option. You get a secure, weatherproof storage facility that can keep ‘occasional use’ items in good condition until they’re needed, without infringing upon space in your home. If you’re living in a big UK city, you certainly won’t struggle to find self storage solutions; there are loads of rental opportunities for self storage in London, for example.
2. Room by room
Trying to tackle extreme clutter in one go could prove overwhelming, so as with other large tasks, the key is to do it bit-by-bit. Alternatively, renting a dumpster at www.eagledumpsterrental.com is also an ideal option, so you no longer have to pack in plastic bags all the stuff you’re about to throw away. You can just toss it directly into the container and a collector will pick it up within the set date.–
Choose one room to focus on decluttering to begin with. Refining this approach further, you could focus on one aspect of the room, like the drawers or shelving, and only move on to the rest of the space once these are decluttered.
3. Sorting clutter for disposal
One problem when decluttering is categorising your unwanted belongings for disposal; it’s easy to fall into the trap of leaving it all in one large pile somewhere with a resolve to ‘get rid’ soon.
Far better to get some boxes or large plastic bags and label them ‘throw away,’ ‘give away,’ ‘recycle’ so each piece of clutter is channelled for appropriate removal. If you choose a reliable waste disposal company like Liverpool bin collection, luton bin collection, or wigan bin collection, you may even find that they’ll provide the boxes, bags and labels for you.
Each bag, box or container should be on hand throughout your decluttering; don’t pull items off shelves and out of drawers and then resolve to ‘categorise them later’ – do it as you go. Having ideas as to where you can donate items in advance of your decluttering can help.
4. Clothing clutter
It’s easy to get paranoid with clothes thinking, “I may need that one day,” even though you haven’t worn a particular item for months.
The best approach is to declutter clothes by category; for example, when it comes to shoes, it’s easier to ascertain what footwear could usefully be thrown away when you survey other pairs you have. The same applies to other clothing such as t-shirts, shirts and different kinds of trousers. Be ruthless; if anything hasn’t been worn in the last six months, dispose of it.
5. Small steps yield great results
You may feel it’s easier to have one large decluttering session sweeping from room to room as you build up momentum to get the job done.
This may work, but bear in mind you’ll likely need to build the motivation for the next session unless you manage to complete the whole task in one go – not an easy objective to meet.
It’s better to do it in small stages; pick a room, and maybe focus on a part of it as suggested in ‘room by room’ earlier. Decluttering in this way is easier to manage, and you’re likely to be more thorough as you’re focusing on smaller elements of the task at any one time.
Once you’ve gathered together any possessions you’re keen to dispose of, consider hiring a skip from the likes of skip hire bury so you can get rid of everything in one go, without having to make constant trips back-and-forth to the rubbish tip.
6. Resolve to keep things tidy
Once you’ve decluttered, don’t let the mess creep back in again; along with being more ruthless over what gets thrown away, aim to remedy the areas where your clutter was rife.
For example, if you find yourself throwing away a mountain of paper, you might wish to think about setting up an efficient home filing system.
What are your top tips for clearing up clutter in the home? Share your ideas below.
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