Category: Decluttering

What is your surface clutter trying to tell you?

Why does stuff keep appearing and why does no-one put it away properly?

Are these items trying to tell you something? You could ask yourself:

  • What type of item keeps appearing?
    • are they similar items?
    • are they all items needed for a specific activity or event e.g. needed when you go out?
  • Why do they keep appearing there?
    • do they have a home?
    • does their home not work well - maybe it's in an inconvenient spot or doesn't fit the function?
  • How often are they needed?
    • daily?
    • occasionally?
    • seasonal?

One of my virtual organising client's and I were discussing clutter on surfaces earlier this week. Don't you just love it!

You may have heard, clutter on surfaces attracts more clutter! It can be a slippery slope and before you know it, the clutter is taking over and you don't even know what you have!

Can you relate to this?

We were thinking about the hallway which is a busy location in any home. We all come and go through this (often) small space, leaving behind things as we transition to and from home and outside activities. It's also often a launchpad and storage spot for items bound to leave the house or to go upstairs when we next go!

It's super easy for clutter to build up on surfaces in this space!

So what can we do about it? Investigate ofcourse....

Cluttered surface

What's the solution?

  1. Routine - it could be that the household needs to become a little more disciplined and get into the habit of removing things to their 'homes' on a regular basis
  2. New home - Or it may be that these items are attracted to that spot because it is the most appropriate place for them, so assign a new more convenient 'home' for each item in this room
  3. Suitable storage - hang whatever you can and use pots, drawers or appropriately sized containers for anything else
    1. You may store items together (i.e. all the things I want to take out with me regularly - ear phones, glasses, keys, lip balm, purse)
    2. or in categories (all sunglasses in one spot)
    3. you may store by family member e.g. child's shoes in one box
    4. you might store according to season if needed- e.g. store summer hats, sunglasses in one box and winter gloves and hats in another. (If there is not enough space in the location, you could assign an out of the way location and swap these out periodically)
    5. label containers if you can't see the contents

Enabling you to achieve your goals

If you'd like support with your decluttering or organising project find our more about my virtual organising sessions HERE or give me a call.

Imagine what you could achieve in your home with my guidance, encouragement and accountability!

15 Creative Ways to Declutter during Lockdown

If you're still in lockdown, now may be the perfect time for you to have a sort out at home. If you are not sure what to do with the things you declutter, don't be put off. Try these 15 creative ways to manage the things you declutter during lockdown.

As lockdown rules have changed, recycling centres across the country have recently opened to the relief of everyone, but safety restrictions and high demand are causing long queues. Some centres are encouraging people to visit only where essential.

Charity shops will also be permitted to open later this month. Whilst it will bring a much needed lifeline for those who rely on income from their shops, it will be no easy task to manage hygiene and social distancing measures. It's likely that they will need to quarantine donations before they can be processed, which will affect their ability to take donations.

But don't let this put you off. You've likely spent a lot more time at home than you usually would. I'm sure you've spotted areas that need your attention, or perhaps you've been inspired to make some home improvements. Maybe your motivation is growing or you're keen to be productive whilst in lockdown.

Whatever your reason, this is your time! There are still plenty of ways you can manage the things that are no longer useful or loved... so grab this opportunity with both hands and get started!

Pass It On

  1. It's true that 'One man's rubbish is another man's treasure'. Online groups and forums, such as community groups, Freecycle, Facebook Marketplace and other resources are a great to offer your items for collection. You can still ensure social distancing rules by leaving your items outside your property for collection
  2. If you live on a street frequented by passers-by, you could put items out with a sign, 'Free to a good home'. You'll be amazed what people can make use of and it's good entertainment as you play passer-by bingo!
  3. Sell online - sites like Facebook Marketplace, Ebay and so-on are up and running. You can either arrange collection from outside your home, arrange for couriers to collect from your property or if it's safe for you to do so, visit your local Post office when you go out for exercise

Dispose

  1. Use your household waste collections to dispose of small quantities of rubbish
  2. If you have a large quantity of waste that you want to remove quickly, a skip is a convenient solution. You could band together with neighbours to share the cost if practical
  3. Buy a waste disposal bag such as Hippo and arrange collection when it's full

Save it for when lockdown eases

If you have items that can't be managed as above, you can neatly, bag-up and label the items, and:

  1. Store them in the boot of your car ready for when your desired outlet opens again
  2. Store in a space you don't use often (garage, shed or attic) so that they are ready to go
  3. If you don't have storage ask a neighbour to help you temporarily store items and ensure that you collect them as soon as you can (you don't want to make your clutter someone else's problem!)

Don't forget to diarise a reminder so that you can review the situation and remove the items from your home as soon as practical.

Donate

Some online charities may still be taking donations of good quality clothing. Re-Fashion is a great example. Request a bag and send off your donations., it's a simple as that!

There may be local charities who are asking for particular items at this time for example to support the local community or for the homeless. British Heart Foundation are also starting to take donations by post. Find out more online. In Nottingham, for example, Sharewear are still taking certain donations to support people in clothing poverty

OrganisedWell cherry-laithang-DEAIMSWjxxI-unsplash

Re-purpose

  1. You may find items that can be upcycled. With a bit of imagination, or a lick of the paint (perhaps found in the shed!), you can breathe new life into items to sell or re-purpose around your home. Ladders make great shelving, freshly painted, decorated or re-upholstered furniture and storage can bring a room to life
  2. Perhaps you have boxes, pots or shapes that you could re-purpose as features or planters for use in your garden
  3. You may find treasures that can be enjoyed in pieces of art, framed or made into another item you will use around the house.
  4. If you're feeling creative but don't want to keep pieces in your home, perhaps create art that you can sell to others to appreciate

What next?

If you'd like some help, whether that be to plan your project, provide tailored ideas or encouragement and support to keep you going, my Virtual Organising Partner service is just the ticket. Click here to find out more here

Five reasons you find it difficult to clear clutter and what you can do

When I tell people what I do, they ask me all sorts of questions about my work but this has to be the one subject that comes up the most.

Why do I find it so difficult to release my possessions and what can I do about it?

If you find yourself distracted by your possessions when you want to relax with a cup of tea, your wardrobe overflows making it difficult to decide what to wear, or, your surfaces need to be cleared before you can clean or prepare a meal, then you are affected by clutter.

Clutter is the stuff that gets in your way. The items may be treasured possessions, or paperwork and other disorganised debris, that has gathered on surfaces like it has a mind of it’s own.

Why is it we find it difficult to release some items?

A number of researchers have considered this question and further research is needed, but here are some of the reasons it’s not so is easy to tackle your possessions and clear clutter.

Perhaps the item:

  1. reflects something about you
  2. is part of your personal history, triggers memories, or has associations with family history
  3. relates to an experience or a gift received from a valued friend (even if you dislike it)
  4. is personified or has become familiar over time and you've come to believe it’s unique (perhaps you've given it a name)
  5. enabled a transition, such as a child's toy or blanket that helped them become more independent

Feelings about objects are complicated but they often change over time and as we change as individuals. We may be affected by memories associated with the items or fear of losing the item. Some people experience grief when releasing items.

So how might you manage this?

For some, the practical considerations are enough to enable them to clear clutter and release things they no longer need or love. It may make decisions easier to think about their lives with greater space and freedom, the physical, financial or emotional costs of keeping items in the home, or the benefits that others will derive from receiving donations.

Other approaches to try:

  • Acknowledge the emotions you are feeling, give yourself time to deal with them. Perhaps journaling or talking will support you but do get help if you need it. You don’t have to do it alone!

  • Think about where you are now and what’s important. Give thanks for the past but begin to focus on a positive present and future

  • Think about how you can keep the memory or sense of who you are without keeping the item (would taking photos or keeping a small part of the item be helpful? If you have lots of items, could you select a few to keep?)

  • Give it time – take your time. Start with the easy items, keep items you aren’t ready to part with and come back to these later when you may feel differently

'Time is the wisest counsellor of all' - Pericles

You may need to give it time, but the very process of sorting through our possessions and removing the easier items brings focus and awareness. As we work on the task, we change and grow. And over time it becomes easier to release things that had felt meaningful but that no longer serve us.

Ready to clear clutter?

If you have questions or need sensitive support to work through your things, I'm here for you. Feel free to contact me on 07970 989955, or via any of the options on my contact page.

 

 

Spring Clearing Week

APDO members are focusing on clearing our closet this Spring Clearing Week so I’ll be sharing wardrobe clearing ideas and my experience of the Six-item Challenge on Facebook and Instagram all week – join me and watch out for a guest appearance by Helen, The Wardrobe Fairy, from 16th March!

Spring Clearing Week 2020-logo

Six steps to your post-summer declutter

It’s the end of the first week after the summer holidays, the weather is changing and thoughts turn to the last quarter of the year. It’s a good time to clear away the summer clutter and make room for your final goals of 2019. But it can be hard to know where to start so let’s think about how you can create more space in your home and your life with these 6 steps to your post-summer declutter.

You could sweep around your home, reviewing each room and removing the things that you no longer need but this can feel too overwhelming so try these 6 steps to work your way through your summer clutter systematically. Focusing on the items that you typically use during the summer means that you’ve recently used them (or not) so it will be easy to make decisions and you won’t miss them during the autumn and winter months. Work through these steps, tackling the bulkiest and easiest categories first to create lots more space for you and your household.

Why is now a good time to declutter?

Now is the perfect time to declutter! You've had a busy summer, spent lots of time outdoors, spent time with the family and less time in your home. You may have been away and accumulated lots of new things along the way. It's a great opportunity to review your things when you've recently used them. The weather is still fine (most of the time) so you have outside space if you need it. The light is still quite good and you still have some energy in the evenings. Make the most of it!

Where should I start?

Good question! I'd start with the bulkiest items or the room you use the most. Dealing with the things that take up the most space, or that are taking up space where you want to live, relax or sleep, that are well worth the effort and will make you feel motivated to keep going!

How can I make decisions/what should I ask myself?

Some things are really easy to make decisions on, some not so easy.

I'd suggest you look at the item and ask yourself....

  • Have I used it this summer? Or do I know I will next summer (e.g. you have a Scuba holiday planned for next year)
  • Am I likely to need it in the foreseeable future?
  • Does the ease/cost of replacing it when I next need it, out-way the inconvenience of storing it in my home?
  • Could I borrow it from a friend of relative next time I want one, rather than storing this?
Camping

Try these six steps...

Now we've tackled those questions, lets get started. These steps are easy to crack on with and will help you clear out the summer clutter. Who know's you may even catch the decluttering bug and tackle some of those other projects too!

  1. Start with seasonal items that you are no longer going to use. Clean, review and pack away your camping gear, sports equipment (such as scuba). Pack away suitcases, pop plug converters, wash bags, smaller travel bags inside the suitcase ready for your next trip
  2. Now move onto items that you’ve used over the summer and think about what you’ve not found useful. We tend to have more picnics over the summer so you’ve got a feeling for the containers that you’ve used and those that have not been used very much at all. Sort through lunch boxes, food containers, drinks flasks, and travel mugs, pass on any that you didn’t use this summer and don’t foresee using in future
  3. Review towels and bedlinen, donate any that are worn out or haven’t been used. Keep only enough for your household, allowing for wash cycles, and the maximum number of guests you are likely to have at one time
  4. Look through your summer wardrobe; shorts, t-shirts and swimwear, donate anything that you didn’t wear this summer. You may still wear some summer clothing over the coming weeks, but have a think about how you wish to store these clothes when you are finished with them. You might move them areas that are more awkward to access (high shelves or lower drawers) until next summer
  5. Review your summer shoes, sandals, trainers and donate any that you’ve not worn, dispose of any that are damaged
  6. Pass on or donate those summer reads and any books that your children have grown out of. Take the opportunity to review the shelves in your living space to simplify the visual landscape too.

These first steps are a great way to clear your space and freshen up your home for the autumn months. Good luck!

Would you like help getting organised?

OrganisedWell is Laura Williams. Read more About Me or How I can help you to manage your possessions and get better organised.

Seven ideas to create that holiday feeling at home

As I ponder our recent holiday, I wonder whether you can have this feeling all the time.

Is it possible to take the pressure off and rid yourself of distractions all the time? I think it may be. Here are my 7 ideas to help you create that holiday feeling at home.

holiday feeling at home

I’m very lucky, last week I
took the opportunity to write this blog post in a little cafe with a fabulous seaside view! I reflected on our week and the fun we’d had but also felt a tiny pang of dread as a I realised that we’d soon have to return home. Here’s what I had to say…

Holidays are a fabulous opportunity to put aside valuable time with the family and make space to relax.

Clutter free

It’s been wonderful to have a little break away, to be able to kick back and relax together, but you know that feeling when you have to go home to normality. They’ll be no food in, a mountain of washing and plenty of jobs to do around the house and garden. And that’s before even thinking about the busy week ahead at work and at home.

It sounds strange but I’ll miss our holiday accommodation. We stayed in a gorgeous house, decorated simply and we only took the clothes and toiletries that we needed. It was cosy but calm. I love holiday accommodation because there is no clutter, no paperwork, no jobs that needed doing, and no toys and stuff to clutter up the space or make you feel disorganised or distracted.

Space to be…

Time away creates the time and space to relax. To play games as a family, spend leisurely mealtimes, read and enjoy ourselves without pressure. I’d planned all of our meals so apart from cooking and cleaning up afterwards, there was no pressure to tidy and no clutter to distract us. I had time to do the things that I valued with my favourite people.

As I sit drinking my lemonade, I wonder: what can you do to create this ‘holiday’ feeling at home? To remove the clutter, the excess and the pressure to free up time and head space?

Here are some of my seven ideas to create that holiday feeling at home!

  1. Designate weekends as holiday time – do as much of the washing and cleaning activities as possible before Saturday morning. Schedule washing loads (Tuesday is dark load, Wednesday towel load, etc) and cleaning tasks for evenings during the week
  2. Do food shopping during the week or arrange for a delivery on a Friday night (the cheapest time of the week for many delivery services)
  3. Have staples delivered regularly so you don’t need to think about buying them (here are a few companies that I love – other suppliers are available!)
    • Milk and More – a milk delivery is better for the environment and takes the headache out of ensuring a regular supply of milk (includes non-dairy too)
    • SMOL will deliver washing and dishwasher tablets and other household products through your letterbox according to your usage levels
    • Amazon deliver liquid soap refills, fabric conditioner and other household products
    • Who Gives a Crap -deliver recycled and bamboo toilet roll, tissues and kitchen roll in bulk
    • Abel and Cole – get fresh fruit and veg delivered weekly so you don’t have to think about it. You know what you’re going to receive so can meal plan each week
  4. Focus on making your living areas (kitchen, lounge, dinning room) into your holiday home. Think like you were on holiday what would be the minimum furniture, equipment and possessions you’d need? Anything you identify as not needed for your holiday home can be sold, donated or recycled
  5. Make it a rule that the dining room table is left clear after meals so that you always have space to play games, draw, bake or do crafts
  6. Create storage for items that are needed for work or school in the hallway. This is the ideal spot to store bags, coats and shoes that you will need the following day
  7. Switch off phones, tablets and TV for an agreed period of time. Technology is a huge distraction, emails, social media, news app, etc, they are all designed to keep you interested. Physically removing your tech gives you the opportunity to unplug and focus on your family or just sit and be.

If you feel your home needs a declutter read my Six steps to your post-summer declutter

Try this a at home

If you like what you’ve read and try some of these out at home, do let me know how you get on! If you want to revamp your hall storage, I’ve collated my favourite storage products to save you time. Click here…

Laura-Likes storage

And don’t forget, I’m here for you if you want help with reviewing or organising your things, your diary or your routine.

About OrganisedWell

Would you like help getting organised?

Laura Williams, Founder and Professional Organiser

If you need guidance, ideas and practical support to make more of your home, organise your possessions in a way that supports your best life or to get started with your decluttering project, then give me a call.

I provide tailored advice and practical support to clients looking to make changes, to create calm, ordered space and free up time and money to focus on the important things in life.

I specialise in organising rooms, garages, wardrobes, paperwork and much more; see my services or get in touch.