From cult books such as the Life Changing Magic of Tidying up, to documentaries like Minimalism, decluttering has been on the rise in recent years. But for good reason. Clearing out has been shown to be a powerful process, which can result in much more than just a tidier house. With research even suggesting that a tidy home can actually help to improve your health.

So, spring cleaning should no longer just be reserved for spring. In fact, as we approach the period of excess that is Christmas, there couldn’t be a better time to get decluttering! It can be a daunting task, and the thought of parting with treasured possessions often deters people from hiring that skip. But it needn’t be, here at Willshee’s we have devised a list of steps to help those of you that are scared to take the decluttering plunge.

Where to Begin:

Follow the rule of three. Restrict all non-book items to a maximum of three per shelf. This will immediately cut back the number of unnecessary items in your home.

Purge the plastic and the paper. Odd bits and bobs soon add up and before you know it that Chinese takeaway menu you meant to throw away has been there for six months. You’ll be surprised at how much space pieces of junk mail and out-of-date magazines are currently taking up in your home.

Try the ten-minute challenge. Grab two black sacks and set a timer for ten minutes. During the time go through as many belongings as you can and decide as quickly as possible whether to bin, recycle or keep it. This makes clearing out fun rather scary and helps you to make quick decisions about what you really want to keep.

Complete the cardboard box test. Place everything from your kitchen into a cardboard box and leave it there until you come to use it. By the end of a month, anything which is still in the box should be rehomed or recycled. This can easily be repeated with different rooms in your home.

De-junk drawers of shame. We all have them, those drawers filled with mysterious items that you haven’t used in years. It doesn’t take long to empty their contents and as soon as you have, both your home and your mind will be clearer.

Once You’ve Got the Hang of It:

Introduce new habits. Making clearing out a regular occurrence will help you to get used to the process of tidying up and make parting with items less difficult.

Dare to be spare. Though it may seem hard at first, you’ll soon realise that less really is more and that the unnecessary items that you currently have are hindering rather than helping.

Go back to basics. Consider the things that you actually need in each room and get rid of the things which are not there for a reason.

Wave goodbye to just-in-case items. Chances are, you will never need them. When creator of hit documentary, Minimalism, did this he found he had to replace just 3 items in a 12-month period.

These are just some of the ways in which you can make decluttering easier. With Christmas around the corner, it’s the perfect time to have a tidy up; whether you’re hosting a party, welcoming family or simply making room for all the presents, decluttering is the perfect way to prepare! Once you have decided to ditch the junk, get in touch with us here at Willshee’s for all of your domestic skip needs.

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