Proven de-cluttering tips from Abigail Ahern
31 October 2013
It’s official. We’re a country of collectors. RatedPeople.com’s new research has revealed that 73% of us have a junk drawer in our home, while 35% of us swap the drawer for a cupboard.
The news came as no surprise to our very own interior design ambassador Abigail Ahern, who co-presented Channel 4’s ‘Get Your House in Order’. While we don’t all sleep in a cramped corner on the living room floor like some of the series’ participants, we’re all guilty of saving things that we don’t need. Clutter’s spilling out everywhere and overtaking our homes!
Image source: Little Blue Deer
To help us regain control over our properties, Abigail Ahern shares her tips:
Start small
Tackling a nook or corner is far more realistic than starting with the garage. The smaller the space, the quicker you can see results, so you’re kept motivated for longer. Once you start, you won’t want to stop so it’s easier to move onto larger spaces.
Image source: Maison de Ballard
Ask for help
A problem shared is a problem halved. Having somebody to help you will make the task seem manageable. We all form emotional attachments to objects which are hard to break. Your friend or partner could help you see that the teddy bear from an ex partner really isn’t worth holding onto and that you don’t need to keep your child’s homemade Christmas decoration, when there are another 3 homemade gifts that aren’t broken…
Use boxes
To simplify the throwing out process, mark 3 different boxes with the following labels – trash, give away and store. There are bound to be items – whether they’re clothing or books – that you’re never going to use again but remember that one person’s junk could be another person’s prized possession.
Keep it clean
The tidier your home, the less likely you are to fall into old habits and start collecting items that you won’t use. One more ornament in a cluttered home is hard to notice but the same one will stand out like a sore thumb in a pristine property. Find a cleaner near you to help with the job.
De-clutter regularly
We only tend to have a good look through our belongings when we move house. By taking stock and having a clear-out every 6 months to a year, you can stop your cluttering in its tracks, before it spirals!
Shopping is our national pastime, so it’s very easy to keep bringing new items into the home, without taking any away. We buy to suit all moods – when we’re happy, we go shopping, when we’re sad, we buy ourselves something to help cheer us up. There’s nothing wrong with buying within your means but it’s time to get rid of the old to accommodate the new.
At Rated People you can find the right tradesperson for every job – from electrics and plumbing to painting and roof repairs. Post a job for free and receive up to three quotes.
