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INTERIORS INSIDER

1. Pin-point the stressors in your space Prioritise recycling
Start your decluttering journey by thinking about and donating your
what areas cause you to feel overwhelmed. Clear
any surfaces where clutter accumulates quickly, belongings rather
such as countertops, tables and floors. This can than sending them
already make a huge difference and instantly
creates an open area, meaning you can start to landfill.
decluttering without getting distracted by other
areas. Start with a small, manageable room that
will ease you into the process, before moving
onto the larger rooms in your house.

3. Categorise 4. Keep up the good work!
Sort your items into categories and different So, you’ve cleared the clutter, but how can you
piles when you begin the decluttering maintain it going forwards?
process, making piles to keep, donate,
recycle and discard. It also might be worth Once the clutter has been cleared from your
creating a pile of items that you could put home, try to stick to a regular routine to make
up for sale on online platforms such as eBay sure your belongings don’t spiral out of control
2. Sentiments vs Stuff
and Vinted for clothing and accessories. again. Reassess your belongings often, and purge
It’s key to think about items objectively There are also many websites that will what’s no longer needed. Try the one-in one-out
when going through the decluttering buy and refurbish electronics and tech rule, and for every new item you bring into your
process. You can easily sort boxes of equipment, making it easy to get rid of your home, attempt to get rid of an existing one you
paperwork and discern what’s no longer ancient phones and laptops. no longer use.
needed, but it’s harder to sift through
sentimental items. Think about what Prioritise recycling and donating your If you live in a smaller property, or find that your
you use or look at regularly, what you’d belongings rather than sending them to storage space is limited, shelving units and tall
like to display in your home, and what landfill. If you’re planning on recycling a cabinets helps to create vertical storage solutions,
you could easily live without. Begin with large variety of items, research to find out while multifunctional furniture with built-in
items that have minimum sentimental where they can be recycled. You could storage options kills two birds with one stone.
value, before building up to belongings drop textiles off at local recycling bins, and Additionally, investing in storage solutions made
that spark a strong emotion or memory. numerous charities accept donations of for smaller spaces such as under-bed boxes, or
If there’s something that tugs at your gently used items, they might even be able hanging organisers for your wardrobes can make
heartstrings, keep it, and reassess another to come and collect any large items from an even bigger difference to your space.
day – you don’t want to regret parting with you. List toys, furniture and equipment
something you can’t replace. But if there’s for free on community websites such as In a nutshell, do you really need the latest kitchen
anything you forgot you even owned, or Gumtree or Facebook Marketplace. For gadget that you’ve seen on TikTok? If you’re
something you haven’t worn, read, or used anything that can’t be recycled or donated, struggling to cram everything into your drawers,
for months (or even years), it might be try repurposing them or upcycling them in you probably already know the answer!
time to part with it. order to minimise waste.

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