How can I declutter my home once and for all - without going full Marie Kondo?

WHEN JANUARY HITS, decluttering is all we hear about. But decluttering can be an overwhelming task, especially when you don’t know where to start. So what’s the best way to declutter quickly and efficiently? 

Each fortnight, Laura de Barra brings her lifestyle and home maintenance expertise to the Glenveagh Home Magazine on TheJournal.ie – and this week she’s sharing her advice for getting your home into tip top shape in the new year.

Decluttering is the interior buzzword we are bombarded with every January. Open any social media app, newsletter or magazine, and you will find an article encouraging you to downsize your life and pare your possessions back to minimal chic for the year ahead. 

Although the results sound appealing and minimal living does have huge benefits, it leaves many people scratching their heads. Some of us just aren’t up for such a drastic downsize but instead wish to streamline our living space slightly.

For those of us who just simply like our stuff but want to learn how to live with it, where should we start, how we should dump, and, most importantly, what about storing the things we don’t want to let go of? 

Here what you should do. 

1. Start with a quick tidy

The good news is that streamlining doesn’t mean you have to part with everything that is not in constant use. In fact, the definition of clutter is “a collection of things lying about in an untidy state.” 

To declutter well, in my opinion, one must first deal with the untidy state. Before you start to assess your belongings for a declutter session, have a quick tidy. It doesn’t have to be a major clean, just make sure everything is back where it should be.

Often, spaces look more cluttered if there are items in the wrong place; popping everything back in the zone or room in which it is used will instantly give your home a tidier appeal. It will also give you a better sense of what real clutter you have, as the over-spill, duplicates and unwanted items will be more obvious. 

2. Now it’s time to downsize

Don’t be afraid when it comes to downsizing what you own — it doesn’t mean you need to get rid of anything you truly want to keep. If you use it or love it, it stays! Start with a box or a bag outside the door of the room that you are tackling and start to add the easiest dumpees first. 

The physical act of walking the items out of sight will help you disconnect from them and you’ll slowly start to see the benefits of them being gone. However, if you tend to pile things up within the space you’re working through, that will only add to the stress that the decluttering process will be never-ending, and you won’t be able to see the rewards as you reduce. 

The first things you should remove are items that need zero consideration, such as unnecessary post or paperwork, old or excess packaging, used batteries, broken items and anything that is out of date or unusable, such as beauty products or candles. Removing these things that can no longer serve you and are just taking up space is the perfect way to begin as you’ll see instant results. Once these are gone, you can move on to the items that need a little more thought. 

Shutterstock / nito Shutterstock / nito / nito

3. Reassess your storage systems

Now you should be left with everything you want to keep, but you’re probably thinking the space still feels a little fuller than you want.  

One of the best ways to further declutter a room once you’ve cleared away what you no longer need is to decide what role items the items that are staying on should take. Are they for display or to be stashed away? Anything for display is self-explanatory, these are items that you want out for either aesthetic or practical reasons. 

When it comes to storage, consider how you store items more carefully. Often, we pack our storage units without a plan or system, just hoping it all fits and stays out of sight. This is how we end up needing big clear outs, as most of the items at the back or bottom will be forgotten and go unused. 

We have become so used to being told that what we store should look good, that there hasn’t been enough focus on rotating what you store. We tend to buy more and more storage instead of storing our belongings cleverly.

4. Rotate stored items seasonally 

Many people store summer clothes in winter, and vice versa, but the same applies to other items: camping equipment, ski gear, or sportswear all benefit from rotation too. 

A rule of thumb: items you place in storage should be there for a reason, or a season. Regular rotation also means items are less likely to pass their use-by date or be exposed to damage such as damp or mould without you realising.

5. Finally, dump the junk 

Once you have done the full cull, divide the items you’re getting rid of into groups. I tend to put everything for charity together, batteries and electrical products for special disposal together, recycling together, and so on. This saves time as it reduces trips and helps you dispose in a more sustainable way. If you are ever unsure of what can be dumped where, there are now some amazing websites that will guide the way.

Happy decluttering!

Want more tips and hacks on caring for your home? Laura de Barra’s book, Gaff Goddess, will be published in February 2020 by Transworld Ireland. Pre-order it here – and follow her on Instagram for even more cleaning and lifestyle tips.

More: How do I pack up Christmas decorations so they’re not in a heap next year?