5 Decluttering Tips for your Annual Spring Clean

decluttering house

We are all more connected to our belongings than we think. Some have sentimental value, some we use every day, and some we bought hoping that we would become the kind of people to one day use them. The hard part of spring cleaning is deciding what to store or throw away, and it’s also the very first step!

Decluttering begins with sorting out what you’re going to keep, what you’re going to store, and what you’re going to recycle or throw away. To help you make decluttering easier, here are five questions to ask yourself while sorting through your belongings.

1.  When Did I Last Use This?

If you haven’t used it in the last year—or have never used it – then chances are you’re never going to use it again. This goes for kitchen appliances, clothing that looked better in the store, and other household knick knacks that do nothing but add clutter to your home. By getting rid of them, you make space for more useful things – or you might find that you enjoy the extra space. Other items might only be used seasonally and can be put into storage rather than recycled.

2.  Am I Only Holding Onto This For Sentimental Reasons?

While there’s nothing wrong with treasuring items that have sentimental value, many of us hold onto things for no other reason and we get no joy out them. William Morris once wrote, “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful” and it’s a good rule to live by. Your wedding dress might be something you want to hold onto, as it’s beautiful and prompts wonderful memories, but you don’t need to keep the drawing you made in first grade. Many things – like old photos – can now be stored electronically.

3. If I Went Shopping Today, Would I Buy This?

Our taste changes over the years, and it’s likely that you have many things in your home that you no longer find beautiful. Asking this question is a great way to find the things that you absolutely love, and it can also give you an idea of the things you would prefer to have in your home. Then it’s easier to get rid of older stuff, as you realise that you need the space!

4. Does This Item Need to Be Fixed or Upgraded?

The blender that broke five months ago and has been sitting in your kitchen cabinet ever since waiting to be fixed probably won’t ever be mended. The same goes for clothing missing buttons and zips. The time and cost of fixing the items might outweigh the cost of replacing it or upgrading to a better model. Antique items that are priceless and that you truly do want to fix one day can go into storage until you have the time, but everything else should be recycled or tossed.

5. Do I have Something Else That Serves the Same Purpose?

Chances are, you have many duplicate items in your home that have similar functions. It seems like every modern electronic gadget does 100 new things it never did before, so things you bought years or decades ago are probably now redundant. Carefully go through your belongings and check for duplicate or very similar items.

For all the items you plan to store, check out our packing tips to make your storage unit manageable and organised.

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