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DECLUTTER & REFRESH YOUR HOME INTERIOR

A Guide to Creating a Calm, Organised Home

We’re a few months away from the traditional spring clean. However, cold winter days provide the ideal opportunity to declutter and refresh your home interior. In this article, I hope to persuade you of the benefits of clearing out.

Three ceramic pots sit in the corner of a window sill.

An Overabundance of Stuff is Filling Our Homes

A Homebase study found that nearly 50sq ft of our living space is taken up by clutter. That equates to 5% of a typical British home.

Most of us would agree that we have more possessions than we need. We keep hold of items ‘just in case’ they might be useful or valuable. At the same time, we are reluctant to clear items that have links to our past, even if they have no relevance in our current life. There is no doubt that it is difficult to part with our belongings. Yet, there are some great reasons to embrace decluttering.​

Laura Beesley from Curated Space explains that living surrounded by clutter can have the following affect on our health:

1: Higher levels of stress

2: Anxiety, shame and guilt

3: Depression

4: Social isolation

5: Impact our relationships

6: Reduced focus and productivity

We Need More Storage Space

As an interior designer, I’m often asked to create more storage space in my plans for the room layout. This desire is echoed by a Clever Closet survey. It revealed that over three-quarters of homeowners feel they don’t have enough storage. What’s more, the same survey found that 53% of respondents had a room in the home that was primarily used to store stuff.

While I fully endorse effective storage solutions, insufficient storage isn’t the main issue in many homes. Instead, it’s what we hold onto. I’m sure you can find items in your cupboards and drawers that you’ve barely noticed in years. So, why are you keeping hold of them?

 

Just think of the potential if your spare room or garage was cleared. Imagine the space as a practical home office or a fantastic playroom! Without the clutter, you could invite friends to stay or have a space to pursue your hobbies. How much happier would that make you feel?

 

As a final point on storage, when you are looking for something, usually in a hurry before you head out of the door, where do you search? Imagine how much less effort and time would be expended if you could easily put your hands on it. As such, having more places to store things isn’t the answer!

A shot of a dining room through a doorway.

Decluttering is Not a Reason to Buy More Stuff

Before I go on, I’d like to make it clear that decluttering isn’t code for buying storage boxes, jars and containers. I see too many ‘organise your home’ articles and programmes that endorse buying more to aid clearance. This is a counter-productive distraction from the job at hand.

HOW TO APPROACH A HOME INTERIOR DECLUTTER

 

Take Big or Small Steps

Your approach might be to allocate a weekend and blast it. However, if that sounds overwhelming, take the project in small steps. What cupboard, draw or box could you tackle today? Can you get into the habit of dedicating a short period of time each day? Over a month, you’d have completed a thorough sort and declutter. In the process, you might discover some hidden treasures.

"Decluttering can be intense because you are evaluating each and every item you have, so set a timer for 15 minutes and do a little at a time" advises Laura Beesley.

 

Use Boxes or Bags to Sort Your Stuff

Grab some cardboard boxes or big shopping bags to sort your stuff. I’d suggest the following options:

 

Must keep – items that you regularly use, are meaningful and you won’t be parted from.

Must sell – quality items which could earn you a bit of cash. Vinted, eBay and Facebook Marketplace all make it easy to sell unwanted items. Other options include selling at auctions.

Must donate – quality items that you don’t have the time or inclination to sell. There are charity shops, community groups and collection points in every town that welcome your donations.

Must recycle – goods that aren’t in a condition to sell or donate can go to your local recycling centre. Here, they are processed into something new. For example, damaged timber becomes wood chippings and textiles become filling for upholstery or insulation.

Bin – everything else can fill a bin bag, ready for your next kerbside collection.

I use the word ‘must’ for sorting, as it encourages action. I also advise you not to go back through donate or recycle boxes or bags. This prevents second thoughts. It seems tough, but you’ll feel so much better with less stuff.

 

Get Help if You Can’t Face Decluttering

Are you daunted by the prospect of decluttering? You accept that you’ve got too much stuff, yet you simply can face sorting through years of belongings. It is a difficult process, especially if it involves items that belong to someone who is no longer in your life.

This isn’t a task you have to face alone. It can help to enlist a friend to help get you started. Alternatively, professional declutters provide practical and sensitive support. You’ll find local options on the Association of Professional Declutterers & Organisers website.

Houseplants in the foreground with a grey sofa and a plywood shelf in the background.

The Benefits of Decluttering

I’ve already touched on a few reasons to declutter. If putting rooms to better use and making it easier to locate things aren’t enough to convince you, here are 5 more benefits of a clear-out:

1: Fewer belongings mean less dusting and cleaning. Now, that’s a big plus in my mind!

2: Our environment influences how we feel, think and behave. Studies into the impact of cluttered home environments have recorded higher levels of the stress hormone, Cortisol, along with lower levels of focus and productivity, in people living in disorganised homes. Therefore, letting go can boost your well-being and help you feel calmer.

3: Less stuff means a reduced likelihood of incidents and accidents. I’m in favour of reducing the risk of tripping over or having items fall on me from an over-stuffed cupboard.

4: Fewer belongings make it easier to move furniture around, repaint or undertake DIY. This enables you to give your home interiors a fresh new look. If you need inspiration, I offer Personalised Design Consultation or a full Room Design service.

5: You’ll make room to display items that are truly meaningful and personal to you.

A final word from Laura:

"A great place to start organising your space is by paying careful attention to what enters your home. Take notice - are new (to you) items continuing to make their way into your home? Think about the purchases you make."

Less is More in Interior Design

I hope I’ve convinced you that less is more. Let’s make this the year to sort, clear and ensure that you don’t feel short of storage space. You can create a calmer and more organised home. This is the first step you need to take before embarking on any interior design project.

A black and white print in a glass and wood picture frame, leaning against a wall with a blue letter A and wooden tree in fro
FURTHER READING

Less (Stop Buying So Much Rubbish How Having Fewer, Better Things Can Make Us Happier) - By Patrick Grant

A Year of Living Simply - By Kate Humble

A Year of Less: How I Stopped Shopping, Gave Away My Belongings and Discovered Life Is Worth More Than Anything You Can Buy in a Store - By Cait Flanders

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