The Laura James Guide to Decluttering Your Home

There’s nothing more satisfying than having a good old sort out. It’s not only good for your home but it’s good for your mind; a little declutter not only brings satisfaction and a sense of achievement, but it can make our homes feel a lot calmer. We’ve all been there the kitchen cupboards get overloaded, and there’s always one space or room that becomes a bit of a dumping ground for everything else. Read on for tips on how to declutter your home.  

Tackle One Room at a Time 

The thought of decluttering the entire house can be overwhelming and stressful. Then it becomes easy to put off until another day, or next weekend and months go by, and it becomes something you never get around to doing. The way to tackle it is by taking small steps, decide on which room you want to start with first and then set some time aside to do it. Dedicate a weekend to clear out the loft or sort through your wardrobe. If your short on time, then try spreading it out into manageable chunks of time. For instance, start by clearing out one kitchen cupboard or drawer, then the next day move on to the next one and so on. Plus, if you regularly clear your clutter, it’s easy to stay on top of.  

Kitchen & Dining 

The kitchen and dining zones in your home are probably used the most day to day. This may be the biggest challenge when it comes to sorting and spring cleaning. Start small, choose a cupboard or drawer and remove what no longer works for you especially out of date food, being sure to clean the cupboard before putting stuff back in.  

In the dining room there might be shelves that have become cluttered, and often the dining table becomes a dumping ground for homework or phone chargers and other miscellaneous items. Ensure all those bits and pieces have a home by investing in practical storage solutions. A large sideboard is perfect for storing excess kitchenware, or a console table with drawers is great to store smaller items that often get left on the side. Organise your drawers with dividers to keep things from getting tangled and becoming the dreaded junk drawer.  

Living Room 

All sorts of items can find their way into the living room, toys that get stuck under the sofa and loose change down the side of the armchair. Remove the sofa cushions and hoover up debris ensuring the cushions are clean and crumb free before replacing them. Clear the shelves or TV cabinet getting rid of any dust and restyle your shelves and coffee table for an elevated look. You could freshen up your sofa with some new cushion covers to update your living room for spring.  

Bedroom  

A bedroom should be a place of relaxation and tranquillity but they can easily become cluttered, from kids toys to piles of laundry. Sometimes things can be thrown into the bedroom especially the spare room, if there’s nowhere else for the stuff to go. Plus, it’s upstairs out of the way where nobody sees it day to day. Create a sense of calm with the right bedroom furniture to store away unsightly clutter. An ottoman bed is ideal and can store away a lot of things from clothing to bedding. Chest of drawers and blanket boxes are great for storing clothing and accessories and if you have space a dressing table provides a dedicated storage to keep make up and toiletries.  

Wardrobe  

Tackling the wardrobe can be the one that most people put off. If your wardrobe is bursting at the seems and you can’t find anything in there then it’s time for a clear out. Grab a cuppa as this one may take a while. Start by removing everything and sort your clothes into three piles, one to donate or sell, one to keep and one for repairs. When your wardrobe is empty give it a clean ready for your newly organised items. 

Once you’ve sorted through your clothes, look at the space in the wardrobe and see what needs to go back inside. Bulky items like knitwear could be folded on shelves allowing more hanging space for less bulky items like dresses and tops. Keep moths away by hanging a few lavender pouches in your wardrobe.  

Home office 

Whether you have a dedicated study, a corner in the living room or space on the landing as your work from home location, keeping it tidy is a must. It’s easy to let admin mount up which is why regular sorting will allow you to keep on top of it. Having useful storage is key when it comes to office spaces, so investing in a piece of furniture like a small cabinet or bookcase is ideal. Organise paperwork into labelled folders so it’s easy to find and recycle paperwork that’s no longer required; remembering to shred anything with personal information on. Having a desk with drawers is a great way to keep things like diaries and pens out of the way. Be sure to clean your desk and wipe down your computer or laptop with antibacterial wipes to keep germs at bay.  

Garden  

As the weather starts to get a bit a warmer, you’ll soon want to be sitting out in your garden. Often forgotten during the colder months think about getting the garden sorted now. Get rid of any broken pots, rake up the leaves and jet wash the patio or decking, not forgetting any pruning or hedge trimming that needs doing. Give the garden furniture a good clean and wash any outdoor cushions and throws.  It’ll be worth it to take the time now, so when the weather improves, you’ll be ready for garden guests.  

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