Out with the old…

OK, so spring cleaning might be more a necessity than a ‘trend’, but that doesn’t mean it has to be a chore. In fact, with a few stylish storage pieces and some clever organisation ideas, spring cleaning can even be a joy! Or at the very least, it clears out the old to make way for the fabulous and new, and that’s motivation enough for us!

It can sometimes be hard to know where to start, so we asked professional organiser Tanya Lea from Declutterhome to give us her top clutter-clearing tips:

1. Tackle one thing at a time
If you are knee-deep in clutter, first tip, don’t get overwhelmed. Look at one thing at a time and sort into piles by category, e.g. paperwork, clothes, stationery, newspapers etc.

2. Do I need it?
Go through each pile and ask these questions: “Is it useful to me?” And “do l love it?” If the answer no and no, get rid of it! Decide whether you want to give it to charity, throw it or sell it. Last question: Are you really going to sell it or will it just sit there and collect dust?

3. Clean surfaces
Clean all of the surfaces where the piles had been sitting so you have nice clean, clear surfaces. [htf.: We’re loving the organic cleaners from new hardtofind. sellers Resparkle]

4. Find a home
Look at each item and ask, “what would be a logical spot to store it?” For example, place newspapers to read in a basket next to your armchair; keep a pen holder in the kitchen for easy access. Find everything a home, don’t just chuck it in the closest drawer!

5. Label it
Label the storage areas around your home, that way, everyone in the household knows where everything goes. You don’t need to label everything (a newspaper basket is pretty obvious), but labelling drawers and storage boxes helps keep things in check.

For more great ideas to organise your home, visit declutterhome.com.au.