Are you looking to simplify your life? Here are some of our favourite decluttering tips.
Use a timer
Some people recommend 15 minutes, while others think five are enough. Either way, set a timer and work as hard as you can for that amount of time. You’ll be surprised what you can achieve.
Be generous
Give away one item a day. You can put something in a charity bag and leave it on the doorstep or gift it to a friend, but only if they’ll genuinely use it. Don’t make your clutter someone else’s problem.
Fill a bag
Grab a bag, such as a bin bag or a charity bag, and don’t stop until it’s full. Before you throw anything out, make sure it doesn’t hold valuable memories. You can read more about the psychology of decluttering on The Guardian.
Motivation
If you don’t want to declutter, chances are you won’t do a great job. Find your motivation and keep that in mind. If there are things that you need to keep but you’re about to rent out your flat, for example, it is worth talking to experts like http://clients1st.ie/ who excel in property management in Dublin. They may be able to recommend an alternative, such as long-term storage.
Hangers
Make sure all the hangers in your wardrobe are facing the same direction. Over the course of a year, put everything you’ve worn back with the hangers facing the opposite way. At the end of that time, you’ll know what you aren’t reaching for; find a new home for those garments.
Set Challenges
Can you find five things to throw away, five things to donate and five things that belong somewhere else? This is one way to make decluttering a bit more fun. Break it down into smaller, more manageable tasks.
Think like an estate agent
Clutter can often be hiding in plain sight. As Sherlock Holmes would say, we see, but we do not observe. You can change perspective by taking a photograph and looking at the background, by putting yourself into someone else’s mindset, or asking a friend to come over and help you question things.
This should be enough to help you get started. There are plenty more tips around and lots of books on the subject; just pass them on when you’re finished!