Frosty mornings and cozy nights can only mean one thing: autumn is here. While your home/work-life balance may be off-kilter post lockdown, there’s never been a better time to reclaim control and declutter your London home.
Putting up your feet after a long hectic day should be relaxing. But when you start to notice the broken table in the corner of the room or the long-forgotten clothes living in your wardrobe, it’s time to have a sort out!
While time is a precious commodity, and finding the motivation to spring into action can be hard to come by, decluttering is well worth the effort! To give you some inspiration, here are some of our top tips to declutter your space:
Don’t get ahead of yourself!
While going full pelt may seem like the best option for decluttering your London home, it’s always best to know your limits. Despite your efforts, sitting in a sea of bin bags, debris, and cardboard boxes can be the final straw, and the battle’s already lost before you’ve even made a dent on the piles of rubbish.
Instead, pace yourself. Take on one room at a time so that you can sort out all of your unwanted items and waste without added pressure. While you’re at it, reflect on your space and your belongings. Try and see each room as though you were a guest visiting – what would you keep the same, and what would you change?
Better yet, hire a reputable rubbish removal team like us to get the job done for you: less stress, maximum decluttering right from the comfort of your own home. What’s more, we will take care of all your recycling and dispose of all kinds of waste in the most responsible way possible.
Come prepared
Yes, you’ve decided to take the plunge and clear out some of your unwanted items, but have you come prepared with all the tools you need? Before you start, make sure you have these items to hand to maximize your efficiency:
- Cleaning products – disinfectant sprays, clothes, and good old elbow grease!
- Big, strong bin bags
- Rubber gloves
- Vacuum cleaner – check the filter and bag before you start!
- Cardboard boxes for heavier items
Tackle your wardrobe
Whether it’s sentimentality, the guilt over cost, or your desire to fit into a dress that you haven’t worn for five years, it’s staggering how long people hold on to their clothing! Typically, if you haven’t worn an item in over a year, chances are you will never wear it again. So why are you holding on to it?
Not only will getting rid of old clothes feel cathartic and leave you feeling refreshed, but it is one of the best ways to restore order to your closet. While it may be tempting to simply chuck old clothes away, the better option is to donate them to your local charity shop. That way, your unwanted clothes aren’t left in a landfill and may give joy to someone else.
With the rise of social media marketplaces, eBay, Gumtree, and Vinted, there are plenty of opportunities for you to make some cash along the way too.
Give your unwanted items away
Like your clothes, any unwanted items still in good, useable condition may really help a friend or family member. Failing that, your local charity shop or reclamation center may be interested in your donated goods.
Plus, you’ll likely feel more motivated to get rid of your stuff if you know that someone else will appreciate it!
Ask for help
Just the idea of decluttering can put people off before you’ve even begun. If that’s the case, enlist some of your nearest and dearest to come and support you. Not only will this keep you on task and motivated, but it’s likely that your friends and family will be more than willing to help you out. So just ask! What’s the worst that can happen?
Try to stay focused
Discovering long-forgotten photos, mementoes, and more can easily take your focus away from the task at hand. Before you know it, you’ve spent the best part of an hour looking over a photo album, and the work you started this morning has barely left a dent.
Instead, make a pile of your sentimental finds and save them for later once you’ve finished the job. That way, you can stay on task and feel rewarded at the end! Win, win!
Stay hydrated
Don’t forget to have little breaks in between the decluttering frenzy. Otherwise, you’ll likely hit a slump and will struggle to get yourself motivated to carry on!
Try not to work more than an hour and a half at a time, and remember to refuel with a beverage of your choice and, of course, a biscuit!
Are you ready to declutter your London home? Give us a call today and see how we can help bring your spaces back to life!