Welcome to the 
DECLUTTER HUB

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ROOM BY ROOM DECLUTTERING AND DECLUTTERING BY CATEGORY

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ROOM BY ROOM:

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Step 1.  Decide on the first area you want to declutter.

• Do not attempt to declutter sentimental items first

• Do not attempt to declutter your paperwork first

Both of these decluttering projects need to be done when you have already had some decluttering experience and you have become confident in your decision making process.

They are both especially draining projects to complete and both will take more time than you expect.

Begin in an area where you feel most confident. I find a bathroom cabinet or even the bathroom as a whole, if it is small, can be the easiest area to declutter. You can easily check dates and remove empty bottles.

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Step 2.  Schedule your decluttering.

This does depend on the amount of clutter you want to clear but it is essential that you give yourself enough time.  Schedule a time, block it out on your calendar and make sure any help you need is available at that time.

In order to estimate how much time you might need for a decluttering session - this is a bit like asking how long is a pice of string! -  tackle a small area, a junk drawer or medicine cabinet for example.  Empty it out, sort through the contents, decide on items you can get rid of and items to keep, donate or move to somewhere else. Then put back the items you are keeping in the drawer or cabinet.

Then ask yourself:  Was it an easy job for you? Could you make decisions quickly? Did it take more or less time than you expected?

 

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When you shedule and block out time to do some decluttering use this project to determine if you will need to be generous with your time on making decisions on what stays and what goes. Estimate the time and then increase it!

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Step 3. Create your boxes 

You will need:

DONATE, RECYCLE , TRASH, PUT AWAY AND UNSURE.

The first three boxes are for the items which will no longer have space in your home. They don't fit into your vision for where you want to be.

If they are functioning or unbroken addd them to the donate box. If it is packaging for example add to the recycle box. For items which are not fit to donate and are not recycleable then add to the trash box.

The put away box is for items which you want to keep but belong somewhere else. For example, you may have three identical hairbrushes, one will remain in the bathroom, one will go into the put away box to be taken to your bedroom and the other , if unused can go  to charity or depending on how it is made either recycle or trash.

Finally, the unsure box. This box is for those items where you really don't know what you want to do with them.  Put them in this box and revisit them when you have finished this section.  It may surprise you to fin it is easier to make decisions on these items second time around. Items left in this box can be 'quarantined' for a period of time. This means they are packed away for, say, 3 months. After the time has passed go back to the box and see how much easier it is to make your decisions!

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Step 4. Be Methodical.

You have a clear idea of why you want to do your decluttering.

You have planned ahead of time and know when you are doing your decluttering.

Your boxes are all ready!

LET'S GO!

• Empty the section / drawer / cupboard

• Go through the items methodically BUT do not take a lot of time making your decisions. Decide on which box and put it in. Check use by dates, is it empty?, can you decant all the last bits of shower gel into one bottle?, is it broken, damaged? Is it something you won't use? - do not feel guilty about donating something which was given to you, this is your space and guilt has no home here.

• Take breaks when you need to BUT don't get distracted. (If you feel overwhelmed put the remaining items back in the cupboard. You have made a great start on the journey to your vision! You now have a clearer idea of how much time you need to allocate in the future and whether you need more or less help)

• When the area has been sorted through give it a wipe down and put back the things which you want to keep in the cupboard. Everything you put back should be something you want to keep. Don't get too caught up in this  - you still have another step to do!

• Remove the other boxes from the area where you have been working.

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Step 5. Deal with the boxes.

If 10 minutes is all you can do, or if you do a couple of hours WELL DONE! You are on your way to your goal! You MUST make sure you remove your boxes AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. Don't be tempted to go through them again!

If you have things in your unsure box go through them again now and see if you can make a decision on them. Your decluttering muscles are in the zone and it may be easier than you thought!!

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DECLUTTER BY CATEGORY:

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Decluttering by category involves gathering all items of one category into one room and sorting through them. You still use the box method shown above.

For example, if you wanted to declutter your stationery you would go through every room in your house, all your bags and anywhere else you might keep stationery. You gather it all together and then begin your decluttering by sorting into the boxes. This is the same for clothes, books, bedding - whatever you decide is the category you want to work on.