In Grandmas day spring cleaning was a big thing. I happened every year religiously. The whole family was either roped in or knew to steer clear once it had started. But we don’t seem to follow the old traditions anymore and spring cleaning seems to be on the no list. If your anything like me your home is probably fit to burst. It’s straining at the seams and is in desperate need of a good declutter as well as a clean.
What got me onto this was last week I found a carrier bag full of odds and sods complete with a few ‘I’ll never use that Christmas Presents’. According to eBay, we open roughly 115 million unwanted gifts each year which is worth an eye-watering £2.2 billion. So anything you have in a pile hiding since Christmas, get them put on eBay, Free papers or whatever you prefer to sell items.
Before you start on a decluttering spree make sure you have a box or area for stuff that will be donated, another for selling and lastly lots of black bags for the throwing away stuff.
Start with whichever room needs it most as putting it off to last is a sure way of it never getting done. For me, it’s my bedroom. It doubles up as my office space and really could do with a good declutter…again.
Bedroom
The obvious bit is the wardrobe and draws. What do you really wear, what will you never wear and if you’re holding on to clothes because you might fit into them again one day, just let them go. Be really ruthless, don’t go at half heartedly and if you say or think once that you might just keep that as it seems a shame to get rid of it STOP right there. You’re not going to declutter if you hold on to everything, that’s why you’re decluttering in the first place.
You need the same approach in your draws and cupboards. Do you need 8 lots of odd socks who have no hope of finding their mate? Those bras you don’t wear as they are uncomfortable, why keep them?
Bathroom and MakeUp
Are you really going to go back and use up all those half finished bottles that have more dust than product left in it? Or use that foundation that isn’t the right colour? If you are good for you but if not get adding to the rubbish pile. Whilst you sorting the bathroom its a time to go on to the airing cupboard. I keep my spare bedding in mine and I know I have sets that don’t match and I am keeping just in case. Just in case what? I need to escape from a window and need to tie sheets together? Or sudden unexpected guests? Like I’d give them unmatching bedding in the first place.
Kitchen
The kitchen is the supposed to be the heart of the home. It can’t do much beating if its doors don’t shut properly as the contents are trying to escape. When I did my last declutter I took everything off the sides and put in the hallway. Took most of the stuff out of the cupboards too. Cleaned everything and then slowly brought stuff back in that I would use or wasn’t out of date. The stuff left in the hall just got donated. It was brutal and admittedly a bit more hard work but it worked.
When putting stuff back don’t just stuff it back as it came out. Think if you need all those plastic containers? Are they all used? Could they be stored in a better way? I have 3 garlic presses. Why I am unsure as I don’t even use garlic much and if I don’t I have no stamina to use a garlic press.
Other Rooms and Areas
I have a craft room, ok it’s actually a cupboard that I can stand in, which needs constant decluttering and also a cupboard in the front porch that attracts stuff on daily bases. Up to you also if you do the kids rooms or bribe them to do their own.
The whole thing with the decluttering is to do it completely and not half-heartedly. Either do it or don’t. Only keep things you need, use or make you happy. And no not everything makes you happy.
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