When the daffodils start popping up all over the UK, it’s a sign that spring is on its way! When we think of spring, we think of longer, brighter days, flowers blossoming and of course, love it or hate it – spring cleaning. Spring cleaning dusts away the cobwebs of winter and helps us prepare for the upcoming summer BBQs, welcoming friends and family into our homes and happy days relaxing in the sun. It is a time for renewal and refreshing and is the perfect time to tackle some of the dreaded clutter that may be lurking in your home.
It can be difficult to know where to start, how to keep motivated, and how to truly create habits that will keep your home organised and tidy. So, how should you start your decluttering journey? The answer is simple: adopt an approach of mindfulness. Be mindful of the items that you choose to keep in your home. Don’t hold onto things that really don’t make you happy or aren’t useful to you anymore. Toss broken things in the bin, donate things that you don’t use anymore so that someone else may find some use in them and be picky of the items that you surround yourself with. Curate an environment in your home that makes you and your family feel happy and peaceful. No matter which decluttering method you choose, always adopt an attitude of mindfulness.
This blog post will guide you on how to get started with your decluttering journey and will help you decide which decluttering method is right for you and your family.
1. The KonMari Method
The KonMari Method is one of the most well-known methods of decluttering. Marie Kondo’s method of getting organised has the simple goal of your home being filled with things that ‘spark joy’ by the end of the process. Start by imagining your ideal lifestyle and home – this is where mindfulness comes in. Anything that doesn’t align to that ideal lifestyle isn’t deserving of your space or time and should be discarded. Go through your items, one category at a time, and get rid of what you no longer need or cherish, but do so with gratitude in mind – the item was once of some use to you, after all. Categories include clothes, books, papers, sentimental items and miscellaneous. By asking yourself if each item ‘sparks joy’ to you, you can create an environment of happiness in your home.
2. Oosouji
In Japan, at the end of each year, the negative energy of the past is cleaned away through a practice called oosouji. This helps people declutter their homes, hearts and minds, ready for the year ahead. The practice involves starting at the entrance of each room and working your way clockwise to end off where you started. Clean the dust and stains from furniture and homeware to clear away the past and donate items that are no longer needed. Immediately remove any rubbish, including items that are broken, when you have completed each room. This decluttering method will help you to develop a habit of mindful decluttering as it becomes your yearly spring-cleaning practice.
3. FlyLady
The FlyLady Technique involves breaking all household to-dos into small, manageable tasks. It’s also thought of as a self-love exercise, bringing mindfulness into the practice. Breaking things down into smaller tasks that are easy to accomplish makes things more manageable and contributes to the sense of peace you feel in your life and home. For this decluttering method, you need to separate your home into five different zones and for each week of the month, dedicate your time to one of these zones. Set aside 15 to 20 minutes per day to eliminate any clutter that has accumulated in the zone for that week. Be sure to use a timer to keep you on track and mindful throughout your 15 minute daily declutter and remember that the process should be seen as self-love and self-care.
4. Swedish Death Cleaning
Swedish Death Cleaning is designed to help us declutter and organise our possessions in hopes that our families won’t be burdened with trying to deal with our belongings after we have passed away. A good starting point for this decluttering method is to gift, donate or recycle items that you may have stashed away because you don’t want to deal with them. You can then move onto other items in your home by sorting through everything thoughtfully and gradually. Gift what you can in a loving way and donate or throw away the rest. If you have sentimental items, such as cards from loved ones, photographs, trinkets or gifts, keep these in their own box, dedicated to the special moments of your life. If you choose this decluttering method, it’s important to be mindful of what, and how much of it, you’d like to leave behind for your loved ones to sort out when you are no longer here.
5. Relook, Rehome, Restore
Restored Home Organising has a room-by-room approach to decluttering. Start in the room that frustrates you the most and think deeply about how you want the space to look and feel. By restoring the tranquillity back into the space that used to cause you the most frustration, you will be inspired and motivated to keep your decluttering habit going strong. Visualise a relaxing space that is easy to tidy and allows you to easily complete any tasks that you need to in this room. From this mindful visualisation, create a plan of action of what you can do to get the space looking and feeling the way you’d like. Once you have your action plan sorted, declutter and get rid of anything that doesn’t align to your plan and vision. The process starts with removing all the items from the storage spaces in the room and evaluating whether each item is needed for the main activities of that space. It’s important to sort the items into 4 different piles: items to keep in the space, items to re-home to another room in the house, items to donate and items to throw away. Throw away any broken or expired items and consider donating anything that no longer brings you happiness and peace. Once you have decided which items belong in the space, sort them into categories and re-store them in the room by using storage containers that are functional and aesthetically pleasing. Label the containers so that every item has a home and that all family members know where the item lives. If you follow the Restored Home Organising decluttering process, it’s important to be mindful of what brings you the most peace and happiness and organise your home in a way that supports that.
Whichever decluttering method you choose to follow in your own home, be sure to choose one that nourishes your sense of peace and allows you and your family to fully enjoy the spaces that you live in together.
If you, or someone you know, need help restoring the peace, tidiness and organisation in your home, you can contact me here and I will gladly help you along your decluttering journey.
