The Autumn De-clutter
Back to school, new starts, and thoughts turn to Winter. I look around the house and every year have the same despair at just how much clutter we have gathered. Toys, books, and outgrown clothes. Too many of all of them. I try to keep clothes to hand down, but I guarantee my daughter won’t wear anything she has seen her brothers in! So I really should just clear it all out.
Today I have decided enough is enough, it is time to clear out again. I have the most hideous cold, so I can’t think to do much. Put things into piles of keep, sell, donate is about the extent of my capabilities today! But I’ve also decided to make a list of ways to help the great de-clutter.
Create a clear space.
I think sometimes for me, seeing the amount of “stuff” makes it hard for me to know where to begin! A friend of mine has a beautiful loft conversion, it is a wonderful, light and airy grown up space. She created it as a space for her to relax in, and she hasn’t worried about having pale coloured carpets or wall paper which the children may mark with their shoes. To me the idea of a lovely clean and tidy space is very appealing, but for now it is just a dream! So I’m planning to allocate one room to be completely clutter free.
Give everything a place..
Everyone needs their own space to store their belongings, and everything should have a place. If everyone knows where their own things go, I think that’s half the battle won. I have also accepted that the children will never throw anything of their own away. That’s my job, and it needs to be done regularly!
Think Storage
If you have a big family like me, you will inevitably have more things. Even if everyone has one pair of shoes that soon adds up, and inevitably more than one pair of shoes are needed. Especially if you factor in wellington boots and slippers too. So storage is essential! I like to re-purpose things to create storage, baskets and trunks are my personal favourites. Picnic baskets work well as toy storage – they’re light weight for little hands to open and close!
Stop it before it begins!
I have a habit of keeping things in case they are useful in future. The reality is with a few exceptions, I have lost the item by the time I need it again! So I plan to stop keeping things, and instead when they are no longer needed, pass them on to someone who does need them. I’m hoping that this will mean I minimise our clutter.
