4 Helpful Ideas to Kick-Off Decluttering and Organising

 “Where do I start?” is a question I often hear and it can be hard to decide.  I believe with most things the hardest part is doing the first few minutes, after this you are on your way!  It is really important to work on a smaller task initially, one that you can complete in one go and will actually make your life easier. 

For example, whilst ordering books alphabetically may be useful, it probably won’t make tomorrow morning any easier for you.   Instead focus on small, practical wins. 

When starting to declutter and then organise your home it is important to set a clear vision of what you want to achieve, otherwise how will you know when you have finished? 

I also find setting a timer really useful, often I am not quite finished but it makes me focus and finish quicker. 

Here are 4 simple tasks I’d recommend  when starting to organise your home.  Each one has an immediate and noticeable impact.

1 – Shoes

We all have them, they are often scattered around our homes, by the front door, back door, in bedrooms, under the stairs on racks…  So, start by finding a big box or washing basket, walk around your house and collect them all together. 

Here’s how I do it; my everyday shoes are on the rack by the front door, the rest are stacked neatly in my wardrobe. Then, sort through them — anything worn out or that you never use can be recycled, donated, or thrown out. Put the rest where they belong.

Next time you go out you won’t have to run round the house looking for shoes.  It is good to get your children in the habit of leaving their shoes in one place too, which will mean no more morning panics before school.

2 – Plastic boxes

Sandwich boxes and little plastic tubs drive me mad.  I appreciate we need them for lunches and storing leftovers but they soon create a chaotic cupboard.  There is no need to have a waterfall of plastic lids falling over you when you are trying to make lunches in a hurry. 

So, empty the cupboard or drawer where you keep these boxes, match the lids with the containers and then decide do you really need all these boxes?  Donate the spares and recycle or bin the mismatched ones. 

This little bit of organising will make your coming days much easier.

3 – Toiletries

I think we can agree most of us have too many toiletries.  This is a simple thing to sort out and will save you money and give you a little more space.

Check your bathroom, bedroom or cupboard where store your toiletries. Go through what you have, I think I do this differently to most organisers.  I go through and sort out all the products with a little left and move them so they are used next – why throw them away if you still use them?

Then I sort out what is left, grouping product together, so I can easily see what I already own.  Any products you know you really aren’t going to use, that bar of smelly soap give to a food bank or a charity. The new habit here is to only buy products you don’t have already and putting them away when you get home.  This will make life a little easier.

4 – Wrapping paper and cards

How many times have you had a last minute panic looking for that card or wrapping paper you know you bought?

Gather all the wrapping paper, bags, ribbons and cards together, I’ll bet you have quite a pile.  Sort through it, recycle anything that is damaged.  Then organise the remaining items, grouping similar items as you go.

It is also worth taking stock of what you have, if you have a pile of birthday and Christmas cards you may not need to buy more for a while.  This small task save time, money and stress.

Each of these tasks will probably take less than an hour, but will benefit you immediately.  As you use these items regularly you will notice the difference, a calmer and less stressed home.

If you’d like help tackling the bigger decluttering and organisation tasks please contact me and find out how I can help you.

Why I believe hiring a professional organiser is a brilliant idea!

Let’s be honest life can be really busy.  Work, family, and everything in between, can lead to a feeling of overwhelm. If your home is stopping you from spending your free time doing what you enjoy a professional organiser may be able to help, it will truly make such a big difference.

Getting help organising your home may sound like a luxury but the investment will give you more time, energy and a clearer mind, who doesn’t want this?

Here are my top 6 reasons why you might consider contacting me:

1.      Save time and reduce stress

Many people find decluttering on their own can feel like a daunting and endless task. I know you have to make a bit of mess to make progress but it is too easy to start with one small drawer and mess up a whole room! I can help break down the process into manageable steps, guiding you through it efficiently, so you end up with tidy drawers and the room isn’t the next project! So, less stress for you and quicker results.

2.      Personalised solutions for you

Organising a home is specific to each home and family, and what they are doing right now.  I used to have for hooks for my children’s coats which were hung quite low, so they could reach them, this is no longer needed but I now have new hooks now for gym kits which were dumped on the hallway floor. There’s no one size fits all approach to organising and what worked in the past may no longer work for you. I will take the time to listen to your routine, habits and what you like, then we can organise a system which will work for you.

3.      Letting go becomes easier

I know many people struggle to decide what to keep and what to let go of.  I can help you with these decisions, what really adds to your life, what could you live without and what may need to be packed away with you knowing it is safe but out of sight. I have a few things that other people would think mad but they are important to me so I won’t judge, I’ll just support you

4.      A fresh perspective

If we are honest it is really easy to become blind to clutter.  My house is tidy but sometimes I have a slow walk around and suddenly I realise that we have created zones of ‘stuff’.  These didn’t appear overnight whilst I was asleep they have been slowly building up, but as I live in it I am slightly blind to it.  Normally a quick session and I am straight again.  I expect you are blind to your clutter zones too.  I can help you spot the areas where we could simplify or rearrange your belongings, maybe a system or a tweak in how you do things will transform your space.

5.      More than tidying up

Once a session is complete it will look much tidier than when we started, however this isn’t the sole goal.  The real aim is to create a space that supports your life and goals, for me it is really about streamlining daily life.  I want to know where keys are, not search for shoes before school, I don’t want clothes falling out of my wardrobe each time I open it, not unpacking a food shop and finding I already have five bags of pasta.  Unlike just tidying up, streamlining your home will give longer term benefits, improving your mental health and making life easier.

6.      Long term results

Unlike a one off tidy up I can teach you skills and strategies to keep your home organised.  Once you have the right systems in place you’ll spend far less time cleaning and tidying, leaving you to enjoy your home again and get on with more enjoyable pastime.

If you work with me I will help you organise and streamline your home so your life becomes easier and less stressful.  I suspect you have been putting off starting for a long time, getting help will get it done and off your ‘to-do’ list.  I’ll help you to get a home which works for you, it doesn’t have to be magazine perfect but it has to be perfect for your life.