Decluttering can be a bit like pulling teeth. It’s surprisingly difficult for most of us, and as a result, we just let things accumulate in our homes until it’s time to move. Then, suddenly you need to deal with all that ‘stuff’, often in quite a limited time frame. If you’re looking for help getting started, then read on for some top tips.

Make a plan of action

As you’ll no doubt have worked out by now, decluttering is a task that can very easily be put off. While moving house does give you a good target to work towards, you need to make sure that you structure your approach at least somewhat, to give yourself a better chance of succeeding.

If you’re serious about decluttering this time, then it’s worth making a plan of action before you get going. Outline your goals (for example, how much stuff you want to get rid of) and any limitations you want to set (for example, not spending more than 30 minutes per day on the job).

Leave lots of time

The best time to start decluttering will likely be as soon as you’ve finished reading this article. It’s a process that can end up taking a surprisingly long amount of time, and you absolutely want to make sure that you’ve finished with it before your removals team from somewhere like Bright Movers turns up at your front door. 

Try to get started several weeks in advance, potentially even several months if you have an exceptionally busy schedule. That way, you don’t have to treat it as a massive task that needs finishing at once, but instead, as something that you can chip away at, bit by bit over time.

Sort by item

While it can be tempting to sort your stuff by room or by wardrobe, this often ends up being an ineffective way of decluttering. Not only will sorting by room end up being overwhelming, but it’s also difficult to work out whether you have doubles of specific items. 

Instead, if you bring together all your possessions in a single category – sports clothing, books – you can then see everything in a single space, making it a lot easier to spot duplicates. It’s a nicer way of approaching it, and will probably feel a lot less overwhelming.

Be honest with yourself

When decluttering, the main barrier to getting rid of things is your own perception of sentimental value in items. That being said, often the only time that you’ll be looking at these kinds of items (stones you picked up on a beach 8 years ago, for example) will be when you’re trying to declutter.

Try to be really honest with yourself about whether these items should have a place in your life, about whether they actually add any value to your space. Base that not on the memories associated with the item in the distant past, but on how it actively plays a role in your home.

Getting rid of things will make the move feel a lot easier, and will also make living in your new home a far nicer experience. Don’t put it off any longer – you’ll definitely thank yourself in a couple of months.