Is your home starting to spiral out of control? A messy environment can elevate stress levels, drain energy, reduce focus and contribute to rash decisions, as well as make it harder to find your favourite pair of socks. Boost your happiness and elevate your routine by following this guide to reorganising your home this spring.
- Make a plan
Don’t just dive in head-first; that’s a certain way to get lost in what you’re doing and become so overwhelmed and bored you switch off. Begin by making a plan of attack, identifying which areas should be prioritised and in what order. This will help you stay focused throughout the process, and give you the satisfaction of ticking things off as you go.
- Separate your items
When sorting through your possessions, separate them into three distinct piles: to keep, donate or sell, and throw away. Remember you should only toss items that cannot be recycled or repurposed such as old underwear and broken toys. Old clothes in good condition can be put up for sale or given to charity, and unwanted jewellery can be sold to a pawnbroker or passed on to loved ones.
Knowing if you should keep something can be difficult; try the Marie Kondo method if unsure. Hold the item and see if it sparks joy or inspires treasured memories. If not, and it’s no longer useful, it might be time to part with it.
- Clean key spaces
Before you start reorganising the possessions you’ve decided to keep, clean the spaces where they will be stored. There’s no better time to do it and you’d be surprised how dusty closed drawers can get!
Usually, all you need is a good all-purpose cleaner but beware of using the wrong formula or cloth for the material, especially if your furniture is made from untreated wood which is easily scratched and stained. If in doubt, add a mild detergent to warm water, quickly wipe the surfaces and follow up by drying the water off with a soft microfibre cloth.
- Remove clutter
Once everything is tidied away, don’t delay in removing any clutter. It’s best to act while you’re motivated, and you’ll feel an immense sense of pleasure in seeing your space immaculate! Visit your local tip with bulky rubbish or simply empty your wastebaskets into the big bin outside. Take donated items to your local charity stores or drop-off points. For possessions you’re selling, take any necessary photographs and then store these in a separate space until sold.
- Create a system
As satisfying as an overhaul is, reorganising your rooms is time-consuming and cannot be done consistently. Create a system for storing your belongings so everything has its place: this will help you stay neat in between deep cleaning sessions and means you’ll always be able to find whatever you’re looking for! It also means each reorganisation will be less arduous than the initial session.
