Whether you're thinking of selling your home or simply want to create a fresh and more ordered space, you’ll need to de-clutter. But what items are cluttering up the space in your home and what should you do about it?
1. Things that are not yours – simple but true, if you have items in your home that are not yours and are just taking up space and gathering dust, either return to the sender or find another home for them. From library books to furniture that friends are storing at your place, now is the time to move them on.
2. Thin out your bookcase – if you are an avid reader, you will possibly have hundreds of books. Thinning out your bookcase is part of the de-cluttering process as is investing in display units that match your interior design style to store your edited book collection. Pass your books forward to friends and family or give them to charity and you will not only create space for new tomes, but share the pleasure of a great read.
3. Small appliances that don’t work or you don’t use – heading into the kitchen, you’ll no doubt find an appliance or two that you either don’t use or are broken. Recycle them (many councils recycle at the kerbside) and free up kitchen cupboard space.
4. Containers that don’t do anything – from baskets to plastic boxes, we buy these containers assuming that they will be perfect for helping us de-clutter and store things. Ironically, the trouble is, they are often aren't and simply create more clutter! Get rid of these and replace them with other solutions, such as a coffee table with storage or a slimline console table with drawer for the hallway, so you still have places to store your belongings, but in a much more stylish way.
5. Toiletries in the bathroom – often the smallest room in the house, thinning out your toiletries will mean clearer surfaces. Easier to clean and keep clean, less clutter on tops and open shelving will work wonders for the appearance of the bathroom.
6. Spare bed linen, duvets, blankets… - from piling on top of the wardrobe to piling them in boxes under the bed, spare bed linen and the like are bulky and take up space. Consider a blanket box for the bedroom, which can also serve as an occasional seat or even update your bed to one with underbed storage drawers.
7. Magazines in the living room – there is something about reading a printed glossy mag that is a real treat, but you’ll soon find that they pile up in inconvenient places. The solution is to recycle or opt for storage solutions such as a coffee table with drawers.
8. Stationery and ‘stuff’ in the home office – it’s your work space which means you’ll be surrounded by the things you want and need, but if you're not careful, it can look messy and unappealing. Clear surfaces by recycling items you don’t want or need and opt for home office storage solutions that allow for easy storage of items.
9. Out of date technology – we all have them; phones from years ago or chargers that we are no longer sure what they are for… streamline these tech bits and bobs and consider adding something like an open shelving display unit for charging phones and other tech.
10. CDs and DVDs – like books, CD and DVD collections grow over the years, but with todays streaming services, how many times do you ever put a DVD or CD on? If they are now obsolete in your home, ask yourself if you need to keep them. If you can't bear to lose your favourite album or movie, consider sliming down your collection and how you are storing them. A reclaimed wood TV unit with cupboards and drawers is a perfect solution.
