The 21st century way to declutter
It is understandable why we so often put off the gargantuan chore of having a good clear out. The cupboards might be bursting at the seams, there is not one iota of spare space under the bed, under the stairs or even in the garden shed. The drawers will not open because they are rammed and the thought of getting up into the attic is just too dusty and depressing. All that being so and the idea of having that ‘just moved in’ space available, the idea of bagging stuff up, trudging off to charity shops, ordering a skip or endless runs to the tip are equally off-putting. It can wait for a rainy day.
Clutter is really bad for us
The physical restrictions of having too many possessions bogging us down are also mirrored in our minds by the negative way it makes us feel. Clutter makes us lose things. Clutter on a desk means the important bill ends up not getting paid on time and earns us penalty points. Clutter in the kitchen is unhygienic and could make us sick. Chaotic tidying up before visitors arrive can make matters worse. Frantically sticking things away in odd places will result in even more confusion, lack of system and inevitable knock-on consequences. The average household has so many lost items down the back of the sofa they could organise an entire car boot sale from it. All this mayhem makes us feel sloppy and careless when what we want to feel is organised and capable.
A few hours can make a difference
Instead of despairing and putting out fires by half-heartedly attending to one small area at a time, why not take really have a go at having a clean sweep? It really is not as painful as you think. So many companies have latched onto our reluctance to even go to the post office to send an item sold by online auction that they have made it so easy to get rid of your “rubbish”. In fact how to sell your stuff online has never been more efficient and effective. With courier services or drop off shops, all you really need to do is put things in boxes. What seems tired and dated to you will be someone else’s treasure and there is always a customer out there for the most unlikely objects.
The 70% shock statistic
The average woman wears roughly 30% of the clothes in her wardrobe. There is a staggering £30 billion’s worth of clothing that is bought and never worn. The satisfaction of sorting this out and converting all that clobber into cash cannot really be measured. Of course, it is fatal to then rush out to the sales and buy a whole lot of new bargains that might fit one day or you have to have because it is a designer label and so reduced. Stick to the basics that you know you need and wear day in and out. You will feel and look better knowing that your home is neat, tidy, fresh and clean. How we feel when we turn the key in the door is a real barometer to our personal happiness. So what are you waiting for?