Clutter, unfortunately, is a very real prospect for many people. It’s surprisingly easy for a home to become cluttered and, once it takes hold, it can be very difficult to get rid of.
Not only that, but having clutter around you can be very draining emotionally. You might feel overwhelmed and unable to concentrate, or you might be too embarrassed to invite visitors over.
It’s easier to tackle clutter before it starts – you can carry out regular clear-outs and try to avoid buying unnecessary items. However, this is easier said than done.
Anyone who’s lived in the same property for years will know how easy it is for things to mount up and, before you know it, you’re surrounded with useless junk.
Thankfully, there are ways to tackle the problem once it takes hold.
Start small
The thought of clearing out an entire home full of clutter can be extremely overwhelming, especially if you’re a hoarder, so it’s a good idea to start small.
Consider clearing out junk drawers, one or two at a time. You’ll be surprised at how much stuff you’ve managed to accumulate that is totally useless – elastic bands, dead batteries, old receipts, and other random items.
As these items have no emotional attachment, they should be easier for you to throw away. This will help get you in the swing of clearing things before you tackle the bigger jobs.
Sort and store
When you’re clearing out your stuff, place everything in one of three separate piles each marked ‘keep’, ‘donate’, and ‘bin’. This will ensure you get rid of any unnecessities whilst retaining what you really need.
However, the practicalities of this could be difficult – not to mention potentially dangerous – while the space is still cluttered. An ideal solution to this is placing your possessions in storage while you sort everything out.
Box everything up, place it in a secure storage unit, and bring a few back into the property at a time in order for you to sift through. Safestore have a list of storage prices, which is definitely worth checking out.
Be ruthless
It’ll be hard but try your best to be ruthless with what you part with – make a rule that anything you haven’t worn or used in six months, for instance, is donated or binned.
You want to make sure that you have everything you need, but not be bogged down with lots of useless or unessential possessions. It’s a good idea to adopt this mindset for the future because it’ll help prevent you from buying pointless unessentials later on and starting the clutter all over again.
Of course, you’ll want to keep anything that’s sentimental or holds particular emotional memories for you, and that’s important, so don’t be too ruthless.
However, if you’re struggling to find places for all your treasured mementos, then get creative with your solutions. Family photos, for instance, can be made into a nice wall collage, rather than clogging up drawers; whilst souvenir gig t-shirts can be framed and hung up.
There are lots of inventive ways you can incorporate your much-loved belongings into your home, without worrying about them cluttering up the place.
Seek help
Decluttering your home will be a big task, but that doesn’t mean you have to do it alone. A trusted friend or relative can not only support you with the physical demands of the task, they can help you decide what to keep and what to part with.
You might also want to seek out a professional. There are organisations that can help you with clearing a cluttered home, as well as services that offer emotional support targeted at hoarding behaviours.
Conclusion
Follow our advice and reduce the clutter in your home while ensuring you still have everything you need.
