As the days get longer, it's the perfect time to grab a few hours to clear our your wardrobe and donate those clothes you've been meaning to! Why not take your cue from our top tips to decluttering your home.
Tackle one room at a time
Decluttering a whole house can be an overwhelming prospect, but if you tackle just one room at a time, even dividing the room into manageable units, such as a wardrobe, or a chest of drawers, it can feel much more manageable.
Keep it tidy as you go - there’s nothing more demoralising than running out of time halfway through a room, and being surrounded by mess.
Set yourself goals, and limits
For example if you have a habit of keeping little knick-knacks in random places, limit yourself to one small drawer or box to keep them in. Same for books and shelves - if it doesn’t fit, it has to go.
Also, when you’re done, have one last look through the keepers. Often, the decluttering process has a snowballing effect - you may well change your mind on an item you previously decided to keep once a similar one has been chucked.
A place for everything, and everything in its place
Try to find specific places for every item in your home, where those items go when they aren’t being used, and encourage others in your home to do the same. But don’t be afraid to adapt those rules and find new homes for items if the need arises in the future.
Photograph your stuff
Got an item with an emotional attachment that you can’t decide whether to keep or not? Consider whether a photo of it would serve just as well as the item itself. Studies have shown that people who take photos of their sentimental possessions are up to a third more likely to feel happy to get rid of those items.
Sell or donate
Selling or auctioning items online is a great option for items of value, but it can also be time-consuming and often bring less profit than you might hope. Consider the benefits that charity shops would get from selling your donated items, and the feel-good factor from supporting a worthwhile cause.
If you have children, they can often accumulate huge amounts of books which they quickly outgrow. Consider donating them to Acorn Book Club, at any branch of Acorn, John Payne, or Langford Russell, to give them a second lease of life.