Often, it won’t be until you decide to sell your home that you realise just how much stuff you’ve collected over the years. It can be quite the eye-opener! Once you start to analyse all your belongings, you’ll likely find that you can make do without a fair chunk of it.
Whether you’ve just started to get your home prepared for the market, or you’re on schedule to move out in the near future – or maybe you just fancy a bit of a fresh start – the end of winter can only mean one thing: a good old spring clean. In this article, we’ve got 5 tips to help you to clear out and declutter your home.
Form an action plan
No matter how many rooms you’re clearing out, or how much stuff you have, it’s always handy to plan your decluttering strategy. First, figure out what the most clutter-intensive rooms are and put them right at the top of your list.
Decluttering your house doesn’t have to be ‘one and done’, it’s actually better to spread it out over a period of time. So set aside a day to clear one or two rooms, then move on to the others once you’ve gotten rid of the bulk of your excess belongings. Doing it this more systematic way means you won’t be constantly inundated with piles of clutter. In fact, you’ll gradually see your space open up over time – which is immensely satisfying.
Categorise
A key part of your strategy should be categorising what you do need and what you don’t need – and how you plan to get rid of the latter. You should be able to cover everything with just three simple categories:
- Keep
- Throw away
- Donate or sell
The groups are self-explanatory, but as a general rule of thumb we like to recommend this: if you haven’t used something for a year – be it a piece of clothing, a toy, appliance or anything else – get rid of it. Whether you throw it away or find a better home for it, that’s down to you!
Get the family involved
Clearing out the house on your own is a bit of an ask – even if it’s only a few rooms you need to free up. It’s also a lot of responsibility – throw away something that another family member cherishes will cause avoidable arguments – so try to involve them as much as you can.
Sharing the workload is great practice for moving day, and it lets your kids and partner choose what’s important to them. For younger children, you can even make decluttering into a game; let them have a bit of fun helping you sort through old clothes and trinkets, and by the end of the day the whole process will have flown by painlessly.
Get online
In a world where we have a constant connection to each other via the internet, you don’t have to rely on a garage sale to get rid of your old belongings – although, who says garage sales aren’t fun?
There are loads of websites and social media groups dedicated to swapping, selling and donating disused possessions, so take your pick.
From local Facebook groups to popular trading sites such as Freecycle and Gumtree, there’s bound to be someone out there who’ll be happy to take some old toys, clothes or electronics off your hands. It’s a quick and easy way to clear your clutter – and it helps the environment, too; it’s always better to recycle your things instead of just throwing them out straight away.
Take advantage of storage
Not everything you find during your spring clean will be something you’re happy to dispose of. Whether they’re sentimental, useful or just plain valuable, there will be a few things at least you’ll want to keep hold of no matter what. But, what do you do with them if you don’t have the space for them anymore? You might be downsizing, or be in desperate need of space in your current home, either way, you need to find a space-saving solution.
Storage is an easy way to maintain ownership of important items without having them clutter up your home. Finding an affordable storage option can be the difference between an emotional goodbye and a smooth ‘see you later’. Secure storage with a reputable company means your important belongings are kept safe, secure and conveniently accessible for as long as you desire. It’s the best of both worlds.
If you’re in need of reliable self–storage solutions on a short or long term basis, look no further than TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®. We provide a prompt and efficient service to help you store your belongings without any fuss. We also perform full domestic removals – complete with packing services if you require. For more information, simply contact us today.