An expert guide to decluttering your home
Decluttering your home has many benefits, so why is it so hard?
If you were brought up with the mantra ‘waste not, want not’, then you may have a house full of things you can’t throw away because they ‘might come in useful one day’.
‘The idea of “waste not, want not” does not sit easily with today’s consumerist, disposable society,’ explains home styling and interiors specialist Clare Parrack from the UK Association of Professional Declutterers & Organisers. ‘We have more stuff because it’s cheaper. But we don’t want to get rid of it because we’ve been taught not to throw things out. It’s the perfect storm.’
Cluttering is a growing problem
Research suggests that we have a growing problem with clutter in the UK. The average British person has 3,370 cubic feet of their home stuffed with items they rarely or never use – that’s twice as much clutter as 30 years ago. So, what can we do about it?
‘Most of us cite lack of time as the reason we don’t declutter, the real reason may be more deep-seated,’ says Clare. ‘There’s a large psychological component. Clutter is actually about postponing decisions. And, of course, the longer you put it off, the harder it gets.’
What are the benefits of decluttering your home?
It’s not just about freeing up space, decluttering frees up your mind, especially if you are feeling overwhelmed and clutter has become a nagging concern. Clutter might even be holding you back from taking positive steps in life - like downsizing to a new home.
‘Declutter and you’ll reap the rewards, both practically and psychologically,’ Clare remarks, ‘Remember, when it’s taking up physical space, it’s also taking up mental space in your head. Imagine how much lighter you’ll feel without it!’
9 tips for decluttering your home
- Plan your day
Choose a room, cupboard or wardrobe to declutter and stick to it. Don't be tempted to move from room to room as you won’t feel like you’ve achieved anything. - Be realistic
Decluttering is emotionally and physically tiring, so plan to do a couple of hours at a time. It's taken years and years for the clutter to build up and it will take time and effort to sort it out. - Use, it, need it, love it?
Most objectives fall into one of these three categories. If you use an item regularly, need it sometimes, or love it all the time, then it’s probably a keeper. If not, it can go. - Try the 90/90 rule
Consider whether you have used an item within 90 days or are likely to use it within the next 90 days. If the answer is no, you probably won’t miss it. This rule can work well for decluttering your wardrobe or even things like kitchen gadgets. - Get started
Firstly, clear clutter on surfaces or the floor, to give yourself space to work. Then work clockwise around the room until it’s done. - Keep. Sell. Donate. Recycle.
Divide items into clear piles to keep or get rid of. While you want to minimise items going into landfill, try be honest about their value to others. Charity shops will be grateful for good quality books, clothes and bric a brac. There are also plenty of ways to turn your stuff into extra cash - see our money-making tips below. - Colour code
Use different-coloured bags or boxes so you can easily tell which items you are donating and which you are binning - it can get confusing! - Get the children to help
If your grown-up children have used your home as a storage facility, it’s time for them to collect their stuff. If there are special family items around that you can’t fit into your new home, offer them to your children. - Preserve memories
Downsizing is emotional. Give yourself time to enjoy the memories items can evoke and, perhaps, take photos to preserve them.
A guide to turning clutter into cash
Here are some ways you can capitalise on all that clutter. But give yourself a deadline - if an item hasn’t sold within say three months it might be time to donate it instead.
- If your home is a treasure trove of antiques then you should get them valued by a professional antique dealer and you can consider selling at an auction.
- For less valuable items, car boot sales can be a fun and financially rewarding experience. Garage sales are another alternative.
- All sorts of items from clothes and gadgets can be turned into cash using online marketplaces such as eBay or Facebook Marketplace.
- Vinted has made selling clothes even easier with their intuitive app.
- Electronic devices and book and CD collections can be sold in bulk on websites like Music Magpie.
- Vinyl is very popular at the moment. Contact specialists like Vinyl Wanted to sell.
You might also like to read our advice on 8 ways to save money in retirement.
Garage sale makes nearly £4,000 for Sandra and Kevin
When Sandra and Kevin Czachur from Manchester sold their six-bedroom Victorian home, they held a garage sale.
For 15 years their gorgeous, detached house had been home to their five children (now grown up) and it was filled with possessions and memories that were very hard to let go of.
The garage sale raised other difficult emotions for Sandra. ‘When I saw all the clothes I’d managed to accumulate – some still with their labels on because I’d forgotten about them – I felt very guilty. But I honestly thought half the stuff we were selling was rubbish and was astonished when we made nearly £4,000.’
Decluttering for her mum led to Clare’s new career
‘Passing my 50th birthday was a wake-up call. I had a stressful management job and wanted to do something completely different, so I took early retirement,’ says Clare. ‘I’m not naturally tidy and I realised I needed to tackle the clutter around me if I was going to clear my head. I bought a book called No More Clutter by Sue Kay, followed her advice – and began to feel so much better.’
It was then Clare received a phone call from her mum. ‘She was really distressed because her partner had health problems and had to go into a care home,’ she recalls. ‘She needed to downsize but it was upsetting. So, we did it together.
‘Once we’d finished decluttering and Mum was happily resettled in a lovely new retirement flat, I realised I’d found my new career.’
Both Sandra and Clare agree that the benefits of decluttering are immense. Sandra says, ‘It was hard leaving the family home but getting rid of all that stuff was liberating. I also feel more conscious now about buying things I don’t need, especially clothes. I definitely feel more energised and positive about the future.’
Thinking of downsizing? McCarthy Stone can help you to declutter
McCarthy Stone’s specialist removals service can help you declutter, pack up your belongings and take them to your new property before carefully unpacking them again. They can even hang your pictures and mirrors, put up shelving and do any other small tasks that’ll make your new retirement apartment feel like home.
Not found the perfect place yet? Browse McCarthy Stone retirement apartments for sale or rent or contact our friendly team online or call 0800 201 4811.
