We all have our own ways of tidying and organising. For some, it’s a regular chore undertaken for a well-turned-out home or workspace. For others, it’s something that is pushed aside until there’s no avoiding the task. Whatever your reason for clearing up, or how you do it, most of us have one thing in common: we have an awful lot of things.
Piles of newspaper inserts and paperwork. Items of clothing that are never worn. Trinkets, boxes within boxes and, of course, plenty of ‘just in case’ items picked up for an ‘it would be rude not to’ price.
And the tidal wave of gubbins extends to the digital world, too, with a huge number of unread emails filling up our inboxes and a desktop that has taken on a life of its own.
These days, the average household is practically groaning under the weight of ‘stuff’ and often, even the tidiest person is living a cluttered life – to great detriment.
Stuff equals stress
Researchers at UCLA’s Center on Everyday Lives of Families (CELF) have identified a direct link between the stress hormone cortisol and clutter (or a high density of household objects).
A further paper from the American Association for Nurse Anesthesiology suggests that people with messy homes are 77% more likely to have weight issues, due to the negative interior monologue that living amidst disarray perpetuates. But why is this?
Accumulating ‘stuff’ is a very human habit, albeit an outdated one. Over the years, many scientists have theorised that the pull to buy and store things we don’t need, or even really want, stems from a natural and adaptive instinct run amok: to hoard food, furs and all of those essential-for-survival things that are simply not essential any more.
As a result, we are still compelled to gather, but rather than fulfilling a need, we are now left feeling stressed, unable to focus and unsatisfied.
"The practice of choosing what stays and what goes encourages you to make active decisions about what belongs in your life right now."
“I define clutter as surplus stuff that’s getting in your way, both materially and metaphorically,” says leading declutter coach and author, Juliet Landau-Pope of JLP Coach. Juliet believes that it is not just instinct that is pushing us to hoard.
“In our fast-paced consumer society, we are under constant pressure to buy, to collect and to acquire, so we accumulate more and more things. But we don’t learn to let go. Similarly, we struggle with never-ending to-do lists, so our time becomes as cluttered as the space in which we live and work. All this leads to a state of overwhelm, which is harmful to physical and emotional wellbeing.”
Living in the present
As Juliet points out, decluttering is less about tidying up and more about focusing on what really matters to you. The practice of choosing what stays and what goes encourages you to make active decisions about what belongs in your life right now – living firmly in the present rather than hanging onto the past. In this, we are given the opportunity to release not only material clutter, but emotional too.
“Everything, I believe, comes into your life for a reason, but that doesn’t mean you have to hold onto it forever. It is so important to be kind to yourself when sorting your stuff as it can be both daunting and draining, particularly when going it alone,” explains Juliet.
“My advice is to set positive goals, focus on what you want to gain from the process – space, order, clarity, freedom, perhaps. Take it step by step, celebrate your progress and don’t be afraid to ask for help. The results will be truly transformative, not just for your surroundings but for your mind, body and soul.”
One step at a time
Working towards creating an oasis of calm in an otherwise chaotic world can be challenging at first, but once you get going you'll find that the feel-good factor kicks in pretty quickly. The trick is knowing where, and how, to start.
"Once you have discovered the joys of living in an orderly home, it’s likely that you will soon find you’re itching to tackle all other areas of your life."
Debora Robertson, author of the book Declutter (Kyle Books), transformed her own life by decluttering, and now hopes to help and encourage others to do the same.
“I’m a food writer and I work from home most of the time and, much as I love my house, one day I realised that all of the vintage stuff and other props I'd bought ‘just in case’, the shelves full of scarcely used appliances, and the cupboards groaning with tins and packets and jars were spinning out of control. And, in all honesty, the rest of the house wasn’t much better,” she recounts.
“It reached its worst point when, for the thousandth time, I was rummaging through my herb and spice drawer and was hit with the realisation of how much of my life I was wasting just looking for stuff. I pulled everything out, tossed out the things that were ancient, decanted everything else into jars, Sharpied what was in them on the lids and arranged them in alphabetical order.
I had seven packets of cumin because every time I needed some, it was easier to buy more than find what I already had. I was so delighted with how well this drawer now worked and how pleasing it looked, I wanted the rest of the house to be the same.”
But, although the initial enthusiasm was there, Debora highlights that it is normal to feel overwhelmed by the prospect of decluttering. Fortunately, she has figured out some nifty ways around this.
“I recommend going for it in bursts, so you can dive in with as much energy as you can muster. Fifteen minutes is all you need – set the task of ditching 15 things in that time. Another trick of mine is to hang a tote bag on every door and put things you don’t need or love into them as you potter around the house. At the end of each week, sort into rubbish, recycle and donate piles.”
Domino effect
Once you have discovered the joys of living in an orderly home, it’s likely that you will soon find you’re itching to tackle all other areas of your life – at work, online and even in your mind. You’ll start noticing clutter in a way you hadn’t before and feel empowered to do something about it, for a truly harmonious lifestyle.
A clear and tidy desktop, an organised handbag and a fresh look at a more realistic and shorter ‘to-do’ list all contribute to a more serene way of being – and you can extend the same decluttering methods to all spheres of your life.
Spending chunks of time looking at a computer or phone, whether for work or play, is the norm for most people, so consider the clearing of your digital clutter to be just as important as the physical. Sort out your inbox. Hit those ‘unsubscribe’ buttons. Delete junk mail. Sort your desktop into folders and use this newly ordered expanse to your advantage. Trash old and unwanted documents. Only some personal paperwork requires hard copies to be kept, so scan and shred the rest, and keep them neatly filed in a place that takes up no physical space at all!
Sort your life out
Stacey Solomon, presenter of the BBC’s Sort Your Life Out and self-confessed home organiser and craft addict, loves to help families declutter and organise their homes.
Each episode sees a different family’s home transformed from mess to perfection over seven days through a life-changing declutter, budget-friendly makeover and superpowered spring clean, as they upcycle and recycle their way to a new-look home. Stacey and her three professional co-stars love seeing the transformation that this brings to each family member’s life.
“Sort Your Life Out is about showing people that by decluttering your home, you can really make a positive impact on all areas of your life – including saving your hard-earned cash,” says Stacey. “It’s never about shaming people for holding onto their stuff – I definitely tend to hang on to treasured items for longer than I probably should!”
Stacey works alongside lifestyle content creator Iwan Carrington, professional declutterer Dilly Carter and carpenter and upcycler Robert Bent to improve each family’s space – and the results are amazing. “I love that we get to help people transform their lives for the better, even just a little bit,” says Stacey.
Stay mess-free with storage baskets!
Keep your home spick and span with these fun basket. Learn how to crochet a basket here on Gathered.
Dilly Carter's Top 5 tips to declutter your home
1. My top tip is to always look at what you already own before you buy anything else, whatever room it belongs in.
2. Pick one room at a time to focus on decluttering. Each room needs function, purpose and identity and it’s impossible to know what needs to be taken away if you’re just looking at an overflowing space. So, before you tackle any area that you want to declutter, make sure you clear the space completely. Take everything away and look at the space itself as a blank canvas that can be whatever you want it to be.
3. Categorise your items. This will allow you to see what items you’ve removed from the space and what area or the rooms where they belong. Edit each group of items and then put them back in their respective space so you can see the difference.
4. Cull your cutlery drawer. This is a common problem space, so look to reduce multiples of knives, forks and spoons – you don’t need 16 knives in a house of four people!
5. Make sure that your daily-use items are in easy-to-reach locations. Store the things you don’t use so often in more discreet, hidden away areas you can designate for overspill.
All four series of Sort Your Life Out are available to watch now on BBC iPlayer.
Have an eco-friendly clear out
Follow these top tips to make your home decluttering session as green as possible...
Donate it
Charity shops are the perfect solution for unwanted clothes, books, furniture and home accessories. The British Heart Foundation is encouraging people to continue to donate to its 750 shops across the UK.
As long as the item is in good condition and one that you think someone would want to buy, the BHF would love to receive it. You can post your donations for free or have larger pieces of furniture collected direct from your door. Visit bhf.org.uk/shop to find out more. There may be other local options, too!
Sell it
If you’d prefer to sell your unwanted items, try eBay, Gumtree, Vinted or Depop. Just remember to send your items in eco-friendly packaging. Recyclable or reusable is best.
If your items aren’t in a condition to be resold, HIPPO offers a reliable waste disposal service. Simply order a HIPPOBAG, fill with waste and book your collection when you’re ready.
Over 95% of the waste HIPPO collects is recycled and thus diverted from landfill, so you can rest assured your waste is being disposed of responsibly.
Recycle it
We’ve all been recycling our food packaging for years now, so why not recycle unwanted clothes and textiles, too? If your clothes aren’t charity-shop worthy, recycling is an easy way to prevent them from ending up in landfill. They can be made into new items, such as cleaning cloths and industrial blankets. Check if your local council offers a collection service or drop them off at your nearest recycling point.
Upcycle it
Upcycling is a fun and creative way to save old items from landfill – if there’s a way to give an old item a new lease of life, do it! When it comes to furniture, a lick of paint and a bit of creative thinking can go a long way.
It’s also super easy to repurpose clothes, and the best bit? You get a whole new outfit in the process! Pinterest has an abundance of ideas, so why not transform that damaged knit into a cosy pair of socks? Explore these upycling ideas to turn your trash into treasure.
How to declutter your desk
Clear up office clutter with this handy desk tidy. Treat yourself or make one as a gift with our easy step-by-step tutorial.
