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Under stairs storage ideas

by with No Comment Home Organising

If you haven’t kicked off your January spring clean yet, the cupboard under the stairs is a great place to start.

Whether you use this space to store your ironing board, vacuum, coats or shoes this cupboard can get messy quickly. It is definitely one of those out of sight out of mind spaces!

But when creating an effective storage solution, the often awkward sloping ceilings in these cupboards means that you need to be savvy about how you use the space as there’s often not much to work with. Luckily, there are plenty of products out there that can help. I rounded up some of our favourite under-stairs storage ideas so you can turn this clutter hot-spot into a functional, stress-free zone.

Slim storage cart

Space can be tight under the stairs, but a slim storage cart is ideal for fitting into any awkward gaps. It can be wheeled in and out for easy access to your stuff, like cleaning supplies, shopping bags, art and crafts etc. Also great to use in other areas of your home such as your bathroom, garage, laundry room, office space or in-between your washer and dryer. 

Expandable shelves

If you find your cupboard narrows as it goes right under the stairs you may find this expandable shelves useful as they can fit into this small gap and give you some really good storage. Easy to install – No need to drill holes, using the principle of friction and tension they go tight against the wall, with no damage to your walls.

Over the door organisers

Over-the-door organisers are a great way to ensure you’re utilising every inch of space but sometimes the doors to under-stairs cupboards are slanted, so you can’t use them. so instead, use magic hooks as these are great for keeping your broom, mop and dustpan and brush neatly off the floor or for hanging coats and fold flat laundry baskets. Just remember that once you have position magic hooks they can’t be removed easily, and avoid sticking too walls.

Storage boxes with lids

Stack these storage boxes on top of each other to utilise space effectively. label them clearly this way you know exactly what is in each one.

Strip lights

Dread going in your dingy, dark under stairs cupboard? Then ensure you use some battery-powered strip lights these will keep everything illuminated so you can see exactly what you have to hand at all times.

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Declutter and organise your cleaning products

by with No Comment Home Organising

One of my favourite results of thinning out my cleaning products is being able to see and use what’s left after I’ve decluttered.

This is one category of items people rarely declutter. Decluttering them — scaling them down to the best and most useful — has a huge impact on your cleaning and in the long run will save you time and money.

Here are some cleaning products and tools you can get rid of right away:

Reduce the amount of cleaning products you have.

You don’t necessarily need a different cleaner for every little cleaning task.  Look for products that are versatile so they can be used for various cleaning tasks.  Not only does this take up less space, but it also makes it faster to switch between cleaning tasks.  Use the least amount of product as needed to get your cleaning task completed.  More is not necessarily better! Using too much product can actually increase your cleaning time and any residue left behind can attract more dirt and grime as well as unsightly streaks leading to more frequent cleaning.

Spray bottles that don’t work.

Whether you have a clogged nozzle, the spray comes out all over the place and leak, or the trigger works only half the time, no one wants to fight with a spray bottle as they’re cleaning. Get rid of any of these broken bottles. I like to add my homemade cleaners to glass bottles, this way I can see how much of the product I have left but it is important these bottles work and are labelled clearly.

Ripped holy cloths

Your rags don’t have to be perfect, but once your cloths begin to become worn through and holy, it might be time to get rid of them. You want to maximise the cleaning power of your cleaning cloths and getting a hole stuck on a faucet is frustrating and time consuming. It is so important to look after your cleaning cloths to get the full cleaning power from them, check out my how to guide.

Worn down brushes

Again, you want your cleaning power to be well spent. Scrubbing with flat brushes isn’t well-spent energy. Replace them or trim them down and consider whether it would be worthwhile to spend a bit more money for longer-lasting tools. Don’t forget through recycled toothbrushes always make a great cleaning brush, perfect for getting into those nook and crannies.

Old Magic Erasers.

You certainly don’t have to use a completely new Magic Eraser every time you use one to clean. But once your Magic Eraser is saturated, flat or crumbling then it is time to reach for a new one.

Duplicate tools.

If you have more than one dust pan and brush set, a cupboard full of mops or long dusters, then I bet you just have far too many cleaning tools and I bet you also reach for your favourite each time you clean. Keep those and only those that you use and love. The exception is if you have more than one kind of the same type of tool for specific jobs — and you use them all. For instance, it is good to have an outside broom and an inside broom and they both get used for their respective purposes regularly.

Keep your cleaning supplies where you are going to need them.

The less time it takes you to find your cleaning products, the more likely you’ll be to use them.  As much as possible, store your bathroom cleaning supplies in your bathroom, your kitchen cleaning supplies under the sink etc.  If you’re short on space, just store what you would need for a month’s worth of cleaning and keep the larger product bottles stored somewhere else in your home, maybe your garage or shed but if you only buy what you need you won’t need to find this extra space.

Optimise your storage space

If you’re short on space, look for better storage options to keep those cleaning supplies handy.  I am a big fan of magic hooks, these are great to hang cleaning cloths, brushes and dusters. Categorise products using storage boxes and look at tiered under the sink storage options.

Create a portable cleaning caddy.

Take a little time to put together a basic cleaning caddy then it is easy to carry your supplies to various spots around the house that you don’t have cleaning supplies stored.  Make sure everyone in the house knows where it’s stored so they don’t have any excuses for not cleaning up if they make a mess!  

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10 Mini-decluttering Challenges

by with No Comment Home Organising

Decluttering bursts are important to help us stay on top of clutter. It is important we love our homes and want to live in them, clutter can build up quickly so if we don’t stay on top, we can have a huge mountain of time-consuming clutter to wade through.

Add this simple 10-day declutter challenge into your planner a few times a year and along with my mega January declutter challenge you will stay on top.

I find decluttering my space a great stress buster and super soothing.

Do this challenge whenever it fits in with you and try to dedicate just 10 minutes a day, this way you are keeping it simple and quick.

Good luck!

Day 1: Mugs and Glasses

Really mugs and glasses should be dedicated to just one shelf in your kitchen cupboard, not the whole cupboard. Go through and throw out any that are chipped or cracked, and eliminate what is not being used. Use the two-cup rule for every person living in your home only two glasses/mugs are required. We are a family of 5 so we have 10 and a few spares for guests and tradespeople.

Day 2: Mail

Do you hang on and avoid throwing away mail? Well if that is you, today is the day for a mail sort out. Old bills that you have already paid, expired money off vouchers for the supermarket along with mail from the previous homeowner need to go.

Day 3: Books

I love books and hate giving them away but when you don’t have the room then once read, and you know you will not read again, there is no point in hanging onto them. The best thing about books is they can be easily swapped with a friend, gifted, or donated with ease as everyone loves a good book. Switch to reading digitally as it saves you so much space and eliminates the need for a book declutter.

Day 4: Wardrobe Clear Out

Now, we all know that this one will take you a lot longer than ten minutes, but no one has said you need to do it all at once. Open your wardrobe and just do a section, you could just do dresses today and plan in another ten minutes for another day to tackle trousers and so on. My best advice when tackling clothes is to literally get that whole section out, pop it on the bed and be ruthless. When did you last wear it? Does it still fit? Do you like it?  Is it damaged? Ask yourself a series of questions like this and this will make the process so much easier. Then bag them up and sell, donate or gift them.

Day 5: Baking Cupboard

Back in the kitchen for day 5 and it is time to open that baking cupboard, the one you don’t open much as you hardly have any time for baking. Chuck out those out-of-date bags of shredded coconut that you never got around to using and that bag of flour that has burst and is just making a mess in your cupboard.

Day 6: Make Up

Today we need to toss out those dried-up old lipsticks and the off-smelling foundations that we simply hang onto because they are branded, costs a lot of money but you never actually wore them as the shade wasn’t quite right! Throwing away does feel like a real waste but it will remind you to make a better choice next time and choose a product that you will use and love.

Day 7: Junk Drawer

Let’s be honest we all have one, don’t we? Even I do and I call myself Little Miss Organised! Junk drawers normally consist of a little bit of everything, plasters, batteries, pens, lightbulbs, the list goes on but all these items need a home. 

Day 8: Paperwork

Do you just stuff your papers and important documents into a drawer or unmarked folder? Well, if that is you and the paperwork is building up, today is the day you dedicate ten minutes to getting your paperwork in order. Treat yourself to some colour-coded folders and mark them, then you will have an easy to use system.

Day 9: Medication

For safety reasons, it is important to declutter your medicine cabinet regularly. Medicines are medical compounds and over time they will break down. Check expiry dates and organise into categories.

Day 10: Socks

Do you have lots of odd socks just hanging around without their mates? Than a good first step is to pull them out and try to match them up as and when you do your laundry, if mates don’t appear then it is time to toss them. You need to decide what is a reasonable number of socks to have and stick to that amount. Have a few different types, such as trainer socks and dress socks.

Mini declutter challenge complete!

Recognising the problem areas in your home and starting to chip away at them, one-by-one will make you and your home feel better.

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Don’t forget to Declutter your digital life

by with No Comment Cleaning Tips

Digital decluttering has become as essential as brushing your teeth twice a day. Especially now, when the knowledge industry has mass moved to online and remote work. Our mental wellbeing and productivity can suffer great consequences unless we learn to keep our online spaces tidy and organised. Clutter can take up space on devices and slow them down.

The way you set up your desktop on your home computer, browser can easily be distracting you and slowing down your productivity.

Ask yourself

Which apps do you use most, and which do you rarely use? Which are distracting, and which are genuinely helpful? How much time do you spend on your devices? What do you spend most of your time doing? Are your phone and computer equally cluttered, or is one more organised than the other?

The better you understand your digital life, the more effectively you can declutter and simplify it. Get honest with yourself about what’s necessary to hold on to and what parts of your digital life you can let go.

Below are some practical simple tasks that don’t just declutter, but keep you better organised and keep your files safe.

Organise your photos

Organise your photos’s into folders. Kids, Holidays, Day out, Instagram. Work, etc.

Delete any photos that are of bad quality or unimportant.

Set up a drop box or one drive on your computer and store the good ones in here weekly.

Use photo apps like Chatbooks and create simple photo books for less than £8.00.  I love producing these and we store than in month order so we can look back at memories.

Clear out those Apps

There are so many great free apps out there that is hard not to resist downloading a few every so often and just having a play.  But how often do you actually use that app? Try and keep the ones that you actively use all the time and the ones that help you out in your day-to-day life. Apps can take up so much space so make sure you go through these and delete the ones you haven’t used or have maybe only clicked on twice in a month.

Inbox

First, put any important emails into folders. Think receipts, client-related emails, and anything you reference often. Even if you have to keep a lot of emails, it’s better to have them filed away than sitting opened in your inbox.

Next, delete the junk! Clean out your inbox, promotions folder, and junk mail. Then, enjoy your beautiful, empty inbox!

Delete Email accounts

Delete accounts that aren’t necessary and that you don’t use often.  Or at least remove them of your phones and tablets and keep access via your computer just in case something important may come through.

Unsubscribe to email marketing

Since the new GDPR rule has come in you should have been given the option to opt out of unwanted email marketing material.  If you’re getting lots of these emails a day and they are services you don’t require or maybe once did years a go now is the time to hit the unsubscribe button. Every time and an email with no real relevance to you hits your inbox scroll down to the bottom and hit unsubscribe.
If you haven’t already subscribed to my mailing list then please do as I send out regular tips and tricks,

Social Media

This may seem harsh but defriend, unfollow and clear out those social media feeds. Do you really need to be in touch with people who when you pass in the supermarket turn their head.  Social media can be a real numbers game a bit of a popularity contest amongst friends but stop seeing it as this and have the people on yours that really matter to you and start to enjoy your news feed.

Desktop

A clean and organised desk helps you focus and become more productive.

Clean up your files and folders and get rid of any unnecessary old files. Create folders to organise
and have a happy engaging wallpaper to keep focus.

Remember to allow yourself time to declutter your digital life.

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What do I need to do to my property to get it ready to sell?

by with No Comment Cleaning TipsFamily Organising

This is a question that I get asked all the time on social media, so I thought it was about time I did a blog on it. 

Moving house is one of the most stressful things you can do, and a big part of that comes from the process of preparing your property for sale and trying to find a buyer.
Most people will only sell a couple of homes in their lifetime, so it can feel like a minefield knowing where to start with preparing your property for potential buyers to come and view it.
If you’re thinking about moving, or if you’re in the process of trying to find a buyer for your property, my top tips will have your home sale-ready in no time at all!

Start with the simple things

When it comes to preparing your home to put it on the market, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed by the task ahead.  For this reason, when it comes to making a list of the jobs that need to be done, it’s important to break things down into bite-sized pieces and take it one room at a time.

Decluttering is one of the tasks that has the biggest impact on the saleability of your property.  A cluttered property is not only aesthetically unattractive to potential buyers, it will also communicate to your viewers that your home to too small for you, which may well then lead to the assumption that it will also be too small for them.

Deep clean

The approach of taking things ‘one room at a time’ should be continued when it comes to deep cleaning your property.

Start by trying to view each room objectively and make a list of the different tasks required.  Areas that are often neglected include carpets, upholstery and bathroom grout.

Don’t underestimate the impact of a fresh coat of paint

Although it can be time consuming when there is a seemingly endless list of tasks to complete, a fresh coat of paint throughout the house will have a big impact on the first impression your potential buyers have when they walk through your front door, and will undoubtedly pay off in the process of trying to sell your house.

Engage as many senses as possible

Choosing a new home is not just a practical decision for many people, it has a lot to do with how someone ‘feels’ when they walk into your property.  Help attract your perfect buyer by making your property viewings a multi-sensory experience.

Sight is, of course, the most obvious sense when it comes to a property viewing, so it’s important to be intentional about how to want to present your property to potential buyers.  Tidy and uncluttered shelves, clean and clear kitchen worktops and fresh flowers will all add to the feeling of a well-loved home.

Sight is not the only important sense when preparing your property for sale, however.  Smell will also play a big in role in your potential buyer’s feelings about your property. Make sure your property is well-aired before any viewings, and consider adding diffusers or candles for a homely, yet subtle fragrance.

 And if all that feels like a little too much work…

Of course, for many people time is of the essence when it comes to selling a property.  So, if you’re in a hurry to find a buyer, you’re worried about how long the house selling process will take and don’t want to miss out on your dream property, or you simply don’t have the time to spare carrying out work to your property before you sell, you may want to consider using a professional home buying company like Quick Move Now.  Because a genuine cash home buyer will purchase your property directly, with their own cash, the purchase is guaranteed, hassle-free and can be completed in as little as seven days!

I really hope this feature works if you are looking at moving I have put together a really simple video too CLICK HERE TO WATCH

Thank you for reading 
Lynsey Queen of Clean xoxo

This is a sponsored post with cash home buyers 

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Lets get prepared for the Big Spring Clean

by with One Comment Cleaning Tips

Spring cleaning is not just great for your home but it is so good for your mind and mood too.

Spring is an exciting time, full of hope and positivity and makes it the perfect season to get our homes in order. Getting your home ready for spring will ensure you will be ready to enjoy the warmer weather when it comes, after all who wants to be inside organising and tidying when it is glorious outside!

But before you get started you probably have some re-organising to do and one advantage of this is you are more than likely going to find something you have misplaced or even some money that you are hidden away to keep safe!

Spring cleaning usually involves getting rid of old clothing, furnishings, and odds and ends. So set aside before you start for a good decluttering session. Don’t forget to recycle, use charity shops and woman’s shelters who will be so grateful of any clothing you are no longer wearing.

Organise a car boot sale or garage sale to make yourself some money too.

National Spring Cleaning week usually starts early march but continues on well into May due to our very unpredictable weather.

Many of us start to feel so much more motivated by the sunshine and mild temperatures.

Essential items to get ready for your big Spring Clean:

  • Vacuum cleaner, give it a good clean before you start
  • Steam cleaner, the power of steam will break down dirt with ease
  • Flat headed mop with good microfibre pad
  • Microfibre cloths
  • Glass cleaning cloths
  • Paper towels
  • Heavy duty bin bags
  • soft bristle brushes
  • Large tubs for your organising
  • Versatile cleaning products
  • Carpet cleaner, if you don’t have one hire one

Follow a plan

Time

Set aside some time in your diary for Spring Cleaning.  Make sure you book nothing else in on these days or simply follow my 30 day spring cleaning challenge, this is so easy and is just one simple task a day. If you have been keeping on top of your housework this works really well.

Plan

Write down a list of what you want to achieve, plan room by room and stick to it.  Have a walk around your home with a pen and paper and write down those tasks that need doing. Involve other household members even kids there are always tasks they can safely help with.  Incentivise their work with a small reward. 

I have created a Spring Cleaning Checklist which may give you some ideas, there is nothing better than ticking off a task as it is completed such a satisfying feeling.

Create a fun playlist

Turn of distractions such as your phone and TV and instead create a fun motivational playlist with your favourite music. 

If you not expecting your door bell to go then don’t answer it, a simple distractions can set your back so just keep going.

Declutter

Freshen up your rooms by removing unnecessary objects from tabletops and shelves, store them accordingly or you don’t need sell or donate to charity.

Replace them with a single arrangement of fresh flowers. Flowers really can bring a room together and create a sense of happiness. House hold declutter can be a problem for many people, it can so easily build up into a huge mountain but this time of year is a great time to get working through that mountain.

Go for it

Be prepared, have all your tools to hand such as cleaning products, a full charged vacuum, apron, and rubber gloves.  If you are not sure what cleaning products to have download a copy of my cleaning caddy checklist.

Ensure you are wearing comfortable clothes and have a good breakfast, so you are full of energy. 

Throw open the windows for fresh air and to keep you motivated, nothing like a cold blast of wind to get you moving to warm you up.

Load up your cleaning caddy and go for it.

Some tasks to include in your big spring clean

Tackle cobwebs

Clean over the front door, sweep away leaves and bash the mat

Take down curtains and wash them or steam them

Have a clean and sort under beds

Wash and polish internal doors and handles

Wash out your dustbins

Remove dead leaves from indoor plants

Wash window seals and touch up any chipped paint

Move and clean under furniture such as sofas and tables.

Don’t forget you can easily lift a room by simply transitioning. Replace your winter candles and diffussers with spring fragranced ones.

Switch up winter throws and cushion covers for more spring like ones, use brighter more positive colours. Simple changes like this are much cheaper than decorating and gives a room a huge lift.

If you feel that having a big spring clean is a bit overwhelming for you then start small. Start in one corner of your home and you will be amazed at how satisfying it is to look at the tidy space, which would be a great motivation to go on and tackle another corner.

Don’t forget my book THE EASY LIFE breaks your cleaning down into seasonal tasks making your cleaning and tidying so much easier.

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Stop clutter coming into your home.

by with No Comment Home Organising

Are you fed up with the constant stream of clutter coming into your home? I hate having loose items on the side that really don’t have a home and I am sure you do too.

A few ideas

I have put together a simple list if ideas to hopefully stop clutter clogging up your home.

Make sure you have plenty of bins so you can put rubbish in them straight away rather than leave lying around.

Empty your bag or coat pocket as soon as you come home so the rubbish is dealt with straight away.

When you receive items through the post that come in big packaging break the boxes up straight away and take straight out to the recycling bin.  You don’t want these lying around taking up room.

Have a recycling box by the back door and empty this daily.

Do one extra organising job each day on top of normal cleaning. For example clean out a drawer or cupboard that’s become cluttered this way it doesn’t get so out of control.

Cancel any magazine subscriptions that you no longer need,  stopping the need of unwanted magazines and leaflets coming in.

Register with MPS online to stop receiving junk mail. https://www.mpsonline.org.uk. alternatively add a note to your front door alerting people not to put junk mail through.

Only purchase what you need.  Stop buying on impulse and bringing items into the home that you don’t really need.  When you visit the shops list the items you need and stick to it.  Don’t be tempted with offers.

Say NO to useless freebies that you pick up at exhibitions and trade fairs  How many branded pens do you really need.

Ask for receipts via email.  Most shops are offering this service these days and it is such a great idea.

Don’t pick up takeaway and restaurant menus as most are available online.

When the children bring in letters from school with important dates on, add into your phone calendar or dairy and disregard the letter.

Avoid going to sales, most of the time you impulse buy for the sake of it.

Buy a good mesh shopping bag that easily fits into your hand bag rather than having a store cupboard full of empty carrier bags.

Reducing filing by scanning and saving copies of warranty documents, important receipts, letters etc. One back up hard drive or flash drive takes up far less space than piles of paper.

Put things away. You quickly see whether you have room or not and if you don’t, something has to go.

Follow this rule. If something comes in, then something goes out.

If you need a bit more motivation check out my 50 things you need to throw guide.

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5 Top Tips for a Sparkling Clean Christmas

by with No Comment Christmas

It’s a really good idea to prepare for Christmas in advance. I find that if you split your house into sections and plan to tackle one section at a time at the lead up to Christmas.

For example.  The children’s bedrooms can be week one as you probably need to make room in these for new toys that are coming in for Christmas, dinning area week 2 so you can stock check table decorations and so on.

Make sure you declutter as you go.  Clear out wardrobes, cupboards, check underneath beds and in drawers.  If you haven’t used it recently and it has no real purpose then it really needs to go.

There are 5 things you can do in advance to make sure your home is sparkling clean this christmas.

Clean your carpets

If you are fortunate enough to own a carpet cleaner  this is the time to give them a really good clean. Move as much of the furniture as you can to get that freshly cleaned look.

Don’t panic if you don’t own a carpet cleaner many local Companies will probably be offering a few Christmas cleaning packages for the festive season or there is also the option of hiring one or borrowing one of a friend.

Clean the Oven

You may be like me and clean the oven pretty much after every usage but if you not and it has a build up of dirt and grim then its time to get your oven clean on. There are some fantastic oven cleaning products on the markets so you can quite easily do its yourself but always take care and use good cleaning gloves.

Clean the Fridge 

Have a really good fridge clean, take all the items out and the shelves. Soak the shelves in warm soapy water and clean all the sides using a good antibacterial fridge cleaner.  Check all sell by dates on the food and wash over jars and bottles so everything you are putting back into the fridge is very clean. Add in a fridge deodoriser to help keep it smelling fresh and make sure you leave enough space for all the extra Christmas food.

Clean the silverware

If you are doing Christmas Day at your house then make sure you have plenty of cutely and its sparking clean. Most of us have a nice set of cutlery or dining set that only makes an appearance on special occasions. So get this prepared.  Just wash in warm soapy water, towel dry and if your silver has become slightly tarnished use a metal cleaner and buff to dry.  You can also try this amazing silver polishing gloves. I have these and use them all the time I must have my silver as shiny as I can get it.

Organise and clean the Christmas Decorations

Christmas decorations spend a long time living in dusty confined spaces until they are brought out again but how many of us actually think about cleaning them.  You would have seen me a few years on Obsessive compulsive Cleaners bleaching my baubles and still to this day I am stopped in the street and asked If I really do this and YES of Course I do.  But you don’t have to be as full on as me. A quick wipe over with a damp cloth will be enough. Make sure you test the lights before you put them on the tree and plan your christmas theme making sure it matches well with the room you are displaying your tree in. If threads on baubles are looking bear and the odd decoration is looking a little tatty then hide at the back or better still don’t hang at all.Over the years my children have made me various tree hanging decorations so we have a special tree on the middle floor for all their bits and pieces and they get to decorate this just the way they wish.

I have designed a christmas cleaning and organising calendar that starts on November 25th it gives you a daily task to do to help keep you organised on the lead up to christmas.  Click here to get yours.

 

This post contains affiliate links

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Decluttering

by with 3 Comments Home Organising

Household clutter can be a problem for many people, clutter can build up and up to a stage where you just don’t know where to start.  

Clutter can cause people stress which can potentially lead to weight gain, anxiety and depression. Which can then head towards to hoarding.  Hoarding a house can create a fire hazard and lead to other health problems with the build up of dust and dirt.

Learning to cut clutter in your home is a process you have to be intentional about until it becomes a set habit.  For some of us it may never come 100% naturally but the good news is that by creating a routine you can keep control over the clutter in your house without a huge time investment.

If you tidy up on a regular basis you will find that you clutter is very minimal and can be dealt with quickly but if you have let it get quite bad over a long period of time then you need to follow these simple steps.

Recognise the Problem: Acknowledge that clutter can lead to stress, anxiety, and depression, which may even progress to hoarding if left unaddressed.

Motivation to Declutter: Understand the benefits of decluttering, such as creating an open and clean space, which can contribute to a more organised and focused mind.

Establish a Routine: Make decluttering a habitual part of your life. Regular tidying up can prevent clutter from becoming overwhelming.

Start with a Plan: Begin by setting realistic goals and identifying areas in your home that need decluttering. Create a roadmap for tackling each space.

Step-by-Step Approach: Take it one room or space at a time. Don’t feel pressured to do everything in one day; consistency is key.

Work from Top to Bottom: Start with the smallest room or space, and declutter from top to bottom. This approach prevents clutter from accumulating downward.

Set End Goals: Define what you want to achieve in each space so you have a clear target to work toward.

Dispose of Unwanted Items: Arrange for proper disposal of clutter, whether it’s hiring a skip, donating to charity, or visiting a local dump.

Sorting System: Use a system to categorise items into boxes (keep, throw away, donate, sell, or store) to facilitate decision-making.

Categorise and Organise: Organise the items you’re keeping by category and create dedicated spaces for them. Use storage solutions like boxes, shelves, or drawer dividers.

Purge Unused Items: Be honest with yourself about the necessity of items you haven’t used in a year. Donate or discard them.

Digitise Documents: Scan important documents and receipts to create digital copies, reducing physical clutter while maintaining records.

Drawer and Cupboard Cleaning: Empty drawers and cupboards completely before reorganising. Remove unused or unnecessary items and if you have limited time just do one a day or when you have a spare 15 minutes.

Minimal Surfaces: Keep surfaces clear by only leaving out items that are frequently used or necessary for the specific area.

Check Expiry Dates: Regularly review and discard expired items, such as cosmetics, medications, and pantry items.

By following these tips and maintaining a decluttering routine, you can create a more organised and stress-free living environment. Remember that decluttering is an ongoing process, and it’s essential to make it a part of your lifestyle to reap the long-term benefits.

  • Check expiring dates on cosmetics, shampoos, medication etc and if out of date throw away