Can’t afford a bigger home or downsizing to a smaller one? Reveal the tardis within by controlling your clutter.
If our homes were like a tardis, bigger on the inside than the outside, we would never have a space problem. However there is a more realistic way to create more room in the same space – control your clutter and prevent it from accumulating to the same levels again.
It’s a step by step process culminating in a feeling of control and getting the home you want and deserve. Clare Baker from The Clutter Clearing Consultancy: “There has been a three-fold increase in demand for help in the run up to the summer holidays - due in part perhaps to the current economic climate and the inability of people to move to bigger home with more space.”
Be realistic about what you can achieve. If you're downsizing and you don't want your new home to be chaotic you'll have to let go of some of your clutter. Although you can maximise the space you have you can't increase it so there will be a limit to how much you can keep. Here are some top tips to get you started:
1. Children’s clutter Do not to take on responsibility for other people's clutter. Sometimes our clutter isn't our own it's our children's - even when they left home years ago. Are you acting as a free storage company? Children set up on their own and leave a room full of belongings behind. These get forgotten about until you move or have a huge clear out.
If your children have settled in their own homes, and haven't come back to claim their clutter within five years: remind them you still have it, and that they can either come and collect it, or you'll donate it to the local charity shop so that it can be turned into cash for a good cause.
2. Kitchen clutter Just like anywhere in your home, de-cluttering starts with defining your space. Kitchens can generally be defined into six key areas:
• crockery and cutlery - plates, cups, knives, forks etc
• cooking utensils - pots, pans, bowls etc
• perishable storage - fridge
• non-perishable storage - freezer, tins, dried food, cereals etc
• cleaning - household cleaning materials, washing machines, dishwasher
• rubbish and recycling
Even in the smallest of kitchens these areas need to be clearly defined and as you de-clutter think about how much of each you have and how much space you have available for each. If you don't have enough storage space you'll need to be ruthless. Let go of anything you haven't used in eighteen months.
3. Clothes clutter Where do you keep your shoes? Do you keep them all in one place? When thinking about how to control your shoe clutter think about the frequency that you use them. It's easy to use the doorway, porch or hallway as the dumping ground for shoes, coats and wet weather gear. Divide your things into categories of how often you use it and decide where else you could store shoes that you only use weekly or occasionally. For outdoors shoes, coats and bags consider an outside store.
4. Bedroom clutter It might be a combination of traditional possessions such as clothes, shoes, makeup, as well as contemporary clutter if your bedroom is home to your computer. Your bedroom is the first and last place that you see every day so should be relaxing. If it has to serve two functions then make sure you clearly define the space before you think about storage and areas. Try to think about what clutter categories are in the room. Then, decide where in your home the categories belong so it'll be easier to decide what to keep in the bedroom. The rest you can let go or put elsewhere. Do it slowly but surely.
5. General clutter Sometimes it is hard to know where to start because it's all over the home. Remember - categorise comes before control. De-clutter in small chunks and reward yourself as you go along. Start small and achievable, maybe a cupboard or a drawer, and do no more than two hours at a time to avoid it becoming a weekend blitz. That way you'll build your confidence up to go onto the next cupboard, shelf or pile.
Good luck if you're planning on some de-cluttering this summer, but if you really can’t face it, then call in the professionals.
www.clutterclearing.net
