Our eight top tips for starting the decluttering process.
- Start with something simple like one room or a cupboard. Create a work station and arm yourself with the right tools to declutter – storage receptacles, cardboard boxes, rubbish bags, packing tape, knife, scissors, reading glasses, ziplock bags, step ladder, pillow for the knees, pad and pen, packing paper, bubblewrap.
- Get a helper, put on the radio, listen to music, a podcast or an audiobook. Soon you’ll be wanting to pack so you can listen to the next chapter or episode.
- Look at each object or piece of furniture and really assess it. Touch it. Hold it in your hand. Make a decision.
- Do you love it? Does it add beauty form or function to your life? Do you have a place to put it? If you ‘love it and it serves an ‘actual’ purpose and you have a place to keep it safe in your next home… then yes, by all means, keep it. Treasure it and use it with gusto.
- If you don’t ‘love it’?... then thank the object for its service, send it off to another home by donating it or gifting it to someone else or disposing of it, wisely. This will also make you feel great and less burdened.
- Create your own systems. Being organised is all about… organising ‘like with like’. For example, put all your new and used batteries in labelled ziplock bags or a box. It just makes sense to only have one spot for a group of pesky things. Don’t forget to dispose of used batteries properly (supermarkets have battery disposal bins).
- Don’t feel bad about throwing the items away that don’t serve your new and next purpose. Let’s face it, it’s a new opportunity to try something different. Look at it from a fresh perspective. Let it go mindfully.
- Make sure you get help to distribute items identified for sale, donating and dumping.
We’d love to hear your creative decluttering ideas. We are here to help if you want us to help you start this process.Cheers, Leah
Care to Move team x
