Written by Carly Freestone | 13th January 2017

Lifestyle

Time to clear the clutter?

The truth is that no matter how large or small our home, most of us have cupboards, perhaps even a loft, crammed with stuff we no longer use. Retail therapy is one of the joys of life, but how often do we buy things on a whim or that we could happily live without?

Unsurprisingly, a huge industry has sprung up to help us declutter, businesses eager to store your stuff or come to your home to sort through and take it away.

But if we don’t want to pay someone to do it for us, how can we streamline and simplify for ourselves? Marie Kondo, professional organiser and author of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying advocates starting with clothes, moving on to books, then paperwork and lastly tackling sentimental items. The key to the process is to hold the jacket or jug in your hand and ask yourself one simple question; does this item spark joy? If the answer is no, toss it in the charity bag and let it spark joy elsewhere. Another strategy is to ditch one item a day for 30 days. At the end of that period you’ll have formed a decluttering habit. Or use the six-month rule. If you haven’t used it for six months, let it go.

Declutter converts claim that junk in our homes clutters our lives too. With less stuff to organise, clean and tidy away, the more time, space and energy we create for friends and family. Debt and stress also decrease if we only buy what we really want and need. In the words of English textile designer and poet William Morris, only have in your life things that you know to be useful or believe to be beautiful. There’s nothing wrong with having stuff. But make sure it’s stuff you truly love.

If you feel a spot of decluttering coming on, keep us posted with your results and top tips at Facebook @MGliving, Twitter @MG_Living or Instagram @michaelgraham_living

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