14 Easy Decluttering Tips

“Why the hell have we still got this?!?” It’s probably the most common phrase in any house move, as home-owners sift through the archaeology of their lives, uncovering items they last used when Love Island was a tiny atoll.

There’s simply no point paying to move stuff you won’t need in your new property. Moving home is the perfect time to have a clear out, so here’s our top tips…

Stop staring, start doing!

The hardest step is simply getting started. “I’ll do it next Bank Holiday…”, “I just need a plan…”. “Maybe if I leave it long enough pixies will come and take it away for me?”. We all prevaricate but sometimes you just need to dive in and get it done.

Is it useful or Sentimental?

It’s natural to hold on to things of sentimental value. Sometimes we hold on too long for no purpose, so ask yourself are you going to display it, use it, repair it, upcycle it… If the answer’s ‘no’, let it go.

No More excuses 

“But ‘XXX’ gave me this…”, “But this reminds me of…”, “But it might be really useful in a zombie apocalypse…”. We all find reasons not to let go. Apply the rule above, sometimes, you have to say goodbye and move on.

90/90 Rule

Have you used that item in the last 90 days? Are you going to use it in the next 90 days? If the answer is ‘no’ then it may be best to send it somewhere else to be loved again.

Don’t dump it, store it

Some items are too precious/useful to let go and that’s fine, you may need them in the future. That’s what lofts/sheds are for. It lets you keep what really is going to be of use again without it taking up useful living space.

Reduce now, replace later

Some of that ‘stuff’ can probably be replaced with new items later on. It’s ok to let things go and enjoy the luxury of new and improved when the time comes.

One man’s junk…

Items not going into storage can still be valuable. Offering items on ebay, Freebay, Facebook Marketplace can give them a second lease of life without adding to landfill. You could even make a few pennies to redecorate your new home.

You don’t wear it well

Clothes and shoes can be a major cause of clutter. Simple test, if you haven’t worn something in the last year, there’s probably a reason. They can have a good life elsewhere with a new owner.

Room by room

If you have multiple cluttered rooms or areas, don’t try and tackle them all at once. Simplify the task by doing one room at a time. As the various mountains get smaller, you’ll have a more manageable amount of items to make final decisions about.

Set little goals

Decide what the end result should be. Once decluttered, you can redecorate or repurpose that reclaimed space by turning it into the studio/dressing room/home office you’ve always dreamed of.

Do the rubbish bag dash

Grab 5 rubbish bags. Your challenge is to stuff those bags with stuff that needs to go. No pausing, make quick, simple decisions; keep it/dump it. It can be easier than you think once you get started. That’s 5 bags done. Take a breather, have a well-earned cuppa, then grab the next 5 bags. Look at you go!

10, 10, 10

Another simple challenge if your spare room is overflowing. Choose 10 items to go, 10 items to donate, 10 items to keep. Keep repeating the process until you can see the carpet again.

Before & After Pics

To inspire yourself to stick at it, take before and after photos of the first room you declutter, then you can see just how great the difference is. “I’ve seen the future!”.

Bring in reinforcements

Get a friend to help. They don’t have the same emotional attachment, so can help you make clear decisions to lighten the load (of old junk).