8 Simple Rules For Decluttering

Simple Rules For Decluttering

Time to read: 6 min

Decluttering: Less Stuff = Less Headache

Decluttering your home can be a difficult and time consuming task. Not only do you need to find the motivation to sift through all your belongings, but you also need to have the heart to let go of old possessions, some of which may have sentimental value or may seem too good to throw away. While it’s normal to want to keep things which stir up old memories, holding onto things which serve you no purpose just adds to the mess and chaos of moving house.

For some, the idea of decluttering can seem overwhelming, however, it can actually be a very therapeutic activity. Organising and prioritising your belongings before you move house is the perfect opportunity to free up more space in your new house, leaving you with less to pack, less to clean and less to worry about. It will also help you simplify your life and give you the opportunity to make some extra cash along the way. Here we introduce 8 simple rules for decluttering.

Follow these eight simple tips to turn moving house into a dream rather than a nightmare:

Be Prepared

  • Before you start decluttering, make sure you have plenty of plastic bags, quality packing boxes, packing tape, labels, bubble wrap, packing paper and a couple of black marker pens (they like to go walkabout!)
  • Organise yourself so that you have four boxes in front of you, labelled KEEP, SELL, DONATE and THROW AWAY.
  • Items which are too good to be thrown away or donated can be sold at a garage sale or on eBay or Gumtree.

Pace Yourself

  • Rather than trying to declutter all at once, try one or two rooms a day. This is a much more efficient way to organise your belongings.
  • Aim to complete one space before moving on to the next so that you aren’t too overwhelmed by the process.

The One Year Itch

  • Get rid of anything you haven’t used or worn for a year.
  • If you can’t remember the last time you used an item or wore a piece of clothing, perhaps it’s time to get rid of it.
  • If you find clothes that are just taking up unnecessary space in your cupboard and haven’t been worn in a long time, ask yourself whether you really need them. If it doesn’t fit, is damaged or hasn’t been worn in over a year, it’s probably time to throw it away, sell or donate.
  • If you have items in your household which haven’t been used in over a year, such as dishes, appliances and sporting gear, there’s a good chance you will never use them.

Chuck And Clean

  • Use this opportunity to not only clean out your pantry, and get rid of expired items, but also give your fridge a good clean out too.

Leaving A Paper Trail

  • We all tend to hold onto paperwork, just in case we need it, especially if it has something to do with our taxes.
  • If you’re worried about getting rid of important paperwork, you can always scan it and keep it on file. Otherwise, get rid of it.

If It’s Broke, Fix It

  • If you have stashed something away for the last six months, waiting for the day to take it to go get repaired, get rid of it.
  • If you’re genuinely planning on getting it fixed, send it away and do it, rather than leaving it to gather more dust.

Reclaim The Office Space

  • It is well proven that cleaning up and decluttering your office space makes you more productive.
  • Use your move as the perfect opportunity to sort out your odds and ends, throw out old bills, and get rid of the clutter occupying your work space.

If In Doubt, Sleep On It

  • If you’ve decided to get rid of some junk in your house but can’t stop thinking about whether you made the right decision or not, sleep on it.
  • If you’re still thinking about it in the morning, just hold onto it. You can always throw it out another time.

The longer you have lived in a property, the more stuff you are likely to have accumulated, and the more you end up having to lug to your new house. Decluttering is a great way of prioritising what you want to move, versus what you don’t really need. Once you get on a roll of sorting through what you want to chuck, donate, fix and pack, you can start to look forward to the fresh start of moving into a new home, bringing with you the possessions you treasure and value the most.

Request a call back

Callback request
Skip to content