Inspired by Marie Kondo’s life changing philosophy of ‘tidying up’, more and more of us are realising the benefits of decluttering and living a more minimalist life. Her method seems simple, it encourages you to declutter and only keep things that ‘spark joy’. But where do you start?
Decluttering doesn’t need to be painful; in fact, it can be fun, so here are some creative ways to declutter your home:
Start small: If the idea of getting rid of things makes you feel anxious then start by giving away one item each day - before you know it, you will have cleared out plenty of space and rehomed lots of unused items. Another tip from Marie Kondo is to sincerely thank each item for serving its purpose before getting rid of it.
Donate: What better incentive than knowing you could be helping someone else. Grab a large bin bag and see how quickly you can fill it, while much of what is collected may well be rubbish, there is also a chance it contains items of value that can be donated to charity.
Think back to front: Hang all the clothes in your wardrobe with the hangers in the reverse direction. After you wear an item, return it to the closet with the hanger facing the correct direction. After six months, you’ll have a clear picture of which clothes you have worn and which you haven’t. If they haven’t left your wardrobe in 6 months do you really need them?
Take the 10-10-10 Challenge: Try locating 10 items to throw away, 10 items to donate, and 10 items to be returned to their proper home - before you know it you will have organised 30 things in your house.
Make a list: Create a list of areas in your home to declutter, sometimes writing things down on paper helps to remove the emotional attachment and allows you to see them as items. Try starting with the easiest areas first, perhaps the junk drawer with all the pens and loose bits of paper!
