Out with the old, in with the new: a guide to decluttering your life

Let’s be honest: most of us have too many unimportant things in our lives. Somehow, in the last few years, I’ve managed to fill an entire house plus garage, loft and spare bedrooms with… clutter!

Whether we live in a sprawling mansion, 2-bedroom flat or a shared house, human beings have a habit of hoarding things we don’t need. Most of us are guilty of holding onto things which have sentimental value and filling the spare room (or shed/kitchen drawer/under the bed) with things that ‘might come in useful one day’. We all have a few things in our homes that we don’t need… and some of us (okay, me) have rather more than a few.

At various points in our lives - particularly during times of change - we may be faced with a pressing need to declutter. And with an impending house move, I’ve arrived at one of those points.

Although decluttering is often motivated by necessity such as moving house (particularly downsizing), it can be a great way to get rid of the things we don’t need, give ourselves more space (physically and mentally) and help us to leave the past behind. The result is often that we feel more organised, in control and ready to deal with whatever challenges life throws at us!

Unfortunately - and I speak from experience here - decluttering isn’t as easy as it sounds. We often have an emotional attachment to our belongings which can make it hard to get rid of stuff we no longer need. With this in mind, I’m going to share five tips for decluttering which have really helped me, and I hope will make decluttering your home a little bit easier.

• Ask a friend to help

One of the reasons we sometimes find it hard to let go of things is because they represent something important - and personal - to us. A possession may have its own story to tell, or it may represent an important change that has occurred in our lives. By asking a friend to help us with a decluttering project, it becomes easier to view our possessions more objectively - through their eyes - and from a less emotional standpoint. Luckily, I’ve been able to enlist the help of my two sisters, who have been very strict and helped me massively!

• Set a timer

Decluttering can be an enormous task, particularly when downsizing from a larger to a smaller property, so whatever you do, don’t set unrealistic goals or try to do it all in one go.

I find it really helps to approach overwhelming tasks in small doses: it’s amazing what you can accomplish in a short space of time. Set a timer for 15 minutes. Then set aside a box or a bag for things bound for the charity shop; another one for rubbish; and one for things you intend to keep. When 15 minutes are up, get rid of the rubbish and charity shop items straight away (don’t give yourself the opportunity to change your mind!). It really helps me to break the task down into ‘bite size chunks’ and get a little done each day.

• This or that?

This is a great way to make yourself choose what’s really important, and also a great game to play with children if you need them to collaborate in the decluttering project. Select any two items (it works really well with books or toys) and simply ask, “this one, or that one?”

I used the ‘this or that’ method with my daughter when she was little, to keep her ever-increasing book collection under control. It worked really well, as it taught her how to prioritise and take control of her own choices. But it’s a good method for adults too!

Keep going until you end up with a manageable pile (of whatever it is you’re sorting through), and take the rest straight to the charity shop.

• Take photographs of things and create a scrapbook

This is an innovative solution for getting rid of things with emotional significance. It works particularly well for things like soft toys, which children are often emotionally attached to, but may find it difficult to part with as they get older. Taking a photo of an important toy and writing something alongside it in a scrapbook can serve as an excellent memento.

This approach also works really well with clothes. We all have items of clothing that we love because we wore them on a special occasion (think: wedding… christening… that party!), even if we know we’ll probably never wear them again. But a photo is an equally good reminder, and think of all the wardrobe space you’ll have for new things!

I plan to create scrapbooks with photos of sentimental items that I won’t have room for in my new place. I love scrapbooking, so as a creative project it’s an added bonus really!

• Ask yourself: if I had to fit all my belongings into a backpack, what would I keep?

This is a great question for working out which things really matter. For me, it’s only the photographs, artwork and gifts from loved ones that count, and not much more. Once I start seeing a decluttering project in terms of what can’t be replaced, it gets easier to get rid of all that useless stationery and spare Tupperwares…

Organising your home - or room, or office - might be a necessity sometimes, but it’s also a great way to relieve stress and feel more in control, particularly during times of change. As I prepare for moving house, decluttering is really helping me to stay focused and restore order during what could otherwise be an unsettling time.

Taking stock of what really matters in life gives us more space to breathe, think and grow. Personally, I can’t wait to get rid of all this old clutter before I move. It will give me so much more room for my new clutter…