Clearing clutter

Less is more

Does your home spark frustration more than joy? Maybe it’s time to ditch spring cleaning and start decluttering

WORDS BIANCA CARMONA

Spring is a time for cleaning and fresh starts. But if you are tired of stepping on stray Lego pieces or tripping over clothes on the floor, you may need to embrace decluttering. It’s not only good for the soul but can also be good for the planet if done right.

Joshua Becker, best-selling author and founder of the Becoming Minimalist website, believes decluttering frees up space, time and money.

“It is a better way to live for the environment and sets a better example for our kids,” Joshua says.

“At almost every turn, spring decluttering is better than spring cleaning.”

So put down the window cleaner and start shedding your unwanted possessions.

AN ORDERED SPACE CAN CALM THE MIND

Why do we have so much stuff?

We buy, save and collect things for many reasons, according to Stuffology founder Dr Jan Eppingstall.

“We use ‘stuff’ to define ourselves. It signals to other people what our personality, priorities and purpose are,” says Dr Eppingstall, a professional organiser and counsellor with a PhD in psychology.

We also keep things for memories, sentimental reasons and even out of guilt, she explains.

“We feel regret and shame about what we’ve purchased on the spur of the moment, thinking it was the ticket to everlasting happiness,” she says.

The benefits of decluttering

Living in an organised home can help promote an inner sense of calm.

“Research shows when a house is disorganised, it’s just a constant low level hum of stress — and that’s not great for your health,” Dr Eppingstall says.

Researchers at the University of California found mothers living in messy houses had higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

Clutter can even influence what you eat. Australian research found women are more likely to reach for an unhealthy snack in a messy kitchen.

Where to start ...

1Buy less stuff Dr Eppingstall says being mindful about what you buy is important.

She says when people feel lonely, unappreciated or disappointed, they often try to fill those bad feelings with "stuff".

But retail therapy is not as harmless as you may think.

We buy about 27kg of new clothes and throw out 23kg every year, according to Australian government figures.

“You can start by not bringing so much 'stuff' in, and not using it to manage your emotions,” Dr Eppingstall says.

She recommends trying more fulfilling activities to boost your mood, such as spending time with a friend or going for a walk in local bushland.

2Donate responsibly It can be tricky deciding whether your clothes are worth donating or not.

An Australia-wide textile recycling program called Upparel is taking the angst out of making those decisions.

For a small fee, the company picks up unwanted clothes, shoes and bed linen, sorts and grades the items and then by category — instead of room by room.

Dr Eppingstall agrees this is an effective way of taking stock of your possessions.

“Bringing all those items together can be very helpful in making you decide what’s important and what’s not,” she says.

donates or recycles them, avoiding them going to landfill.

“We all have a responsibility to be thoughtful about the disposal of our fashion choices because we do buy things on impulse a lot,” Dr Eppingstall says.

You can responsibly declutter items by posting on your local Buy Nothing Facebook group.

Some clothing shops now accept unwanted, damaged or unwearable clothes to recycle into cleaning products and industrial rags.

3Photograph your items

One of Joshua’s top tips is to take a photo of the things that mean the most to you before letting the items go.

“For instance, if you saved a baseball hat from your childhood Little League team, take a picture of your child wearing it,” Joshua says.

“Create a digital photo book with images and descriptive text, so you can enjoy your memories without the clutter.”

4Try something different

Organisation guru Marie Kondo encourages tidying 5 Clutter bucket This popular strategy involves using a bucket to collect anything in the wrong room — think toys, clothes and books. You then stop once at each room to put things back in their proper place, reducing backtracking.

“It means that you can have that calm pretty quickly. The space is nice and clear,” Dr Eppingstall explains.

This method helps conquer clutter when items are inevitably moved far from where they belong — such as screwdrivers on the kitchen bench.

6Be generous Joshua says an easy way to start is to give away one item each day.

“This would remove 365 items every single year from your home,” he says.

“If you increased this to two per day, you would have given away 730 items you no longer needed.”

FOR MORE WAYS TO DECLUTTER YOUR HOME AND MIND, SCAN HERE