Decluttering made simple
Are you a hoarder? Well I am. And my garage is packed to the rafters with stuff I keep for one reason or another.
But what if there was an easy way to declutter? One that reduces my environmental impact and also ensures I get value for money. Well there is and I’m going to share it with you.
As with all household chores (they’re called chores for a reason) decluttering involves some degree of effort. However, a little effort can go a long way to decluttering your house and your life!
I know it can be daunting and even a little overwhelming, so let’s break decluttering down into manageable tasks.
Pick a room. Any room.
The art of decluttering is to keep on top of it. So, I don’t recommend trying to do everything at once. Maybe you’ll approach it like a spring clean.
At MyNI we're big fans of the SORT method.
Separate
Separate your items into groups such as keep, store and get rid.
To help you separate your things, ask yourself these questions:
When was the last time I used it?
Clothes: When was the last time you wore it? For any items that you aren’t going to keep, consider giving them to a new home. Either donate them to charity or sell them for extra cash ? For those items that really can’t be reused, you can take them to your local Household Recycling Centre (HRC).
DVDs. I don’t have a DVD player anymore, so why do I have a box full of DVDs? ?♂️ time to either flog them or donate them.
I have an old set of Hi-Fi speakers that I’ve been meaning to convert into a modern wireless streaming set. Am I ever going to do it? Probably not, therefore they should go to a new home.
These can be hard questions to answer but do it honestly and the decluttering process will become easier.
I actually have a spare kitchen sink! Is it ever going to get plumbed in?
Organise
Can you think of a better way to store the things you are keeping? Can you organise items into boxes, and store on shelves? Is it a case of tidying these things back to where they belong?
Don’t forget to organise the items that you’re going to recycle. This makes for a quick trip to your local HRC.
Recycle/Reuse/Repurpose
What will you do with things you no longer want or need? First you need to decide what category they fall into: Recycle/Reuse/Repurpose.
Can you sell it?
Can you gift it?
Is it suitable for donation to a charity shop?
Is it broken? Can it be fixed and reused/sold?
Can it be repurposed or upcycled?
- Have you read: One man’s trash is another man’s treasure?
Transport your recyclables to your local HRC
If you can’t make some extra cash from your old stuff, you’ll need to take it to your local HRC for recycling. And don’t forget to SORT your recyclables before you go.
So there you have it – decluttering really can be straightforward. What decluttering tips have you got? Let us know on our facebook page.