Get organised for 2020: Declutter your home checklist

We have more stuff than we could ever need, it’s a fact, and nothing beats the satisfaction of a good January sort out. When bin bags of unwanted clothes, kitchen cupboard castoffs and out of date tins/packages and potions are banished to the charity shop/recycling centre/skip we feel a sense of lightness and relief. If you want to enjoy living in the serene home of your dreams in 2020, read on for our declutter your home checklist:

• Set the timer on your phone, and start by spending three minutes in every room. Take the bathroom – the packaging might be attractive, but bottles of lotions and potions make shelves and sink/shower areas look cluttered. Stash bottles away in cabinets and drawers.
• Break down the task. You’re never going to declutter the whole place in one go. Take it one space at a time. Start with the junk drawer – we all have one. Clear out all the old batteries, forgotten keys, coins, old takeaway menus and anything else that is taking up space. Even if you put a lot of it back, getting rid of stuff you don’t want is a good start.
• Just say no to other people’s cast offs. We all love getting something for nothing, but the price you pay is a home full of things you have no room to store. Which doesn’t make for a calm space to hang out in. Only say yes to things you love and know you’ll use.
• Ignore Flash Sale! emails. You’ve probably spent a fortune over Christmas and have more clothes in your wardrobe and nick nacks on the shelves than ever before. Do you really need more stuff? If the answer to that question is no, but this particular dress/cushion/pair of trainers really is a bargain, put them in your basket and wait 24 hours before clicking through to buy. But bear in mind that “Stuffocation” became a word last year.
• Think Feng Shui. For every new item you allow in through the door, let one old thing go.
• Don’t cram drawers and cupboards to bursting point. Keep 10% of space empty. That’s the space you’re leaving free for positive energy and newness to flow into your life, in the form of jobs, people and opportunities, as well as new things.
• Clear surfaces. After a hard day at work, how do you feel walking in to your kitchen to the sight of plates on the table and in the sink, and anything from unopened mail, loose change and tools for mending the dodgy tap littering the worktops. A clear surface is a thing of beauty and good for the soul. Put the kettle on and while it boils remove anything from the worktops that shouldn’t be there. Have a basket handy to sweep things into for sorting out later, or better still put them back where they belong. Once the kettle has boiled, step away from the counter and enjoy a more relaxing evening in a calm living space.

Do you have a tip to add to our declutter your home checklist? We’d love to hear your thoughts. Get in touch with us via Facebook, twitter or Instagram, and for Mustard homes to buy or to rent, have a look at our website mustard.co.uk

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