At this time of year, many of us are thinking about the traditional ‘spring clean’. There is just something about the sunshine, milder temperatures and lighter nights that make us want to have a big tidy up and clean up.

Tidying up and getting rid of clutter can be hugely beneficial, not just on the way that your home looks, but your mental – and even your physical – health. The problem is that clutter starts to build up again almost as soon as you get rid of some. Here, we look at some top tips to help you make this year the year that you ditch the clutter for good.

Hire a self-storage unit

Before you start on your forever decluttering journey, you need to have somewhere to store the things that you need, but do not need in your house all year round, like Christmas decorations. If you have a basement or a large attic or garage, you may be able to store it there, but otherwise, consider hiring a storage facility. This gets things out of your way that you know you can’t get rid of so that you can concentrate on everything else. 

Go through your house bit by bit

One of the biggest problems with decluttering is that it can seem overwhelming, particularly if you have a lot of stuff to go through. How many times have you planned to sort out the spare room or the utility room, but shut the door after seeing how much stuff there is to contend with? Instead of doing it room by room, do it drawer by drawer, cupboard by cupboard. Even if it takes you a day to clear out that one kitchen drawer (we all have one of those junk drawers, don’t we?!), just imagine the satisfaction once you have finished, and every time you open that drawer afterwards. It will then motivate you to do the next one, and then the next one – until it is all done.

Try out the trash bag method

Grab a trash bag. Choose what you are going to do with the bag – put it in the trash, recycle it or donate it – and then see how quickly you can fill it up. Do it just before you are due a trash collection or are going to the recycling or donation center so that you are not tempted to go back through it ‘just in case’. 

Have a one in, one out rule

Clutter builds up by keeping old things that you no longer need or use, or by buying things that you do not need. Overcome this by having a ‘one in, one out’ rule. Bought a new teapot? Great – get rid of your old one. New pair of shoes? Brilliant – but choose a pair from your closet to throw away or give away.

Decluttering is difficult, for sure. If it wasn’t, we wouldn’t have seen Marie Kondo become so successful. However, small steps can be just as important – if not more so – than the big ones to pave the way to a clutter-free life.