Some helpful tips to de-clutter your home and life and gain freedom, from the clutter - not to mention a useful pile of cash too!
Clutter in the spare room
Do it with a friend. If you have cupboards and drawers overflowing with junk and piles of stuff in the living room that are so old they're creating their own eco-system, it can be hard to take the plunge and sort them out. Having a practical and organized friend there with you will at least give you the courage to start and once you've sorted one area it's easier to go on to the next and then the next.
Use the 4-box rule. As you go, set out four boxes (or bags) on the floor which are designated "Sell", "Mend", "Charity" and "Bin". The "Charity" and "Bin" sections will be easy to dispose of and then you just have to work on the "Sell" and "Mend" boxes. TV presenter Anthea Turner says you should be ruthless when you sort and only allow items to stay if they are useful, beautiful or seriously sentimental. "It's no good just tidying up a drawer or cupboard and keeping all the same stuff," she says. "Each item has to earn its place there."
Aim for joy! Marie Condo, author of the best-selling 'The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing,' writes that you should only keep items that 'spark joy', whether they be clothes or cutlery, books or bath salts. It's a good concept, as once you've finished you will only be surrounded by items that give you joy. She also recommends going through your possessions in types. So rather than taking a drawer or cupboard at a time she suggests doing all your books, perhaps, followed by your clothes, then your CDs and so on.
Make some money. Sell things on new sites that don't have the high charges you get with selling on eBay. Before recycling old electrical items, it's worth having a look online to see their value. Even some old broken items can fetch a surprising amount.
With clothes, try ASOS Marketplace or Vinted as they don't charge listing fees, they just charge a flat commission on any sales you make.
Give, give, give. Clearing clutter is a great time to do your bit for charity and give away as much as possible. The local charity shops will welcome clothes, books, shoes and bric-a-brac and a lot of the larger charity shops offer a collection service for furniture. You could also contact the wonderful Furniture Reuse Centre [http://www.frn.org.uk/]. Tools for bicycle repairs, blacksmiths, carpenters, engineers etc are all welcomed by Tools for Self Reliance (www.tfsr.org) and medical items can be given to www.Mercyships.org.uk. Even old towels are needed by the Salvation Army.
Mend and use up. As a nation, we're terrible for chucking things rather than mending them. Households can save hundreds by giving it a go and fixing those items you've stuffed to the bottom of a drawer. Youtube is full of videos showing people how to mend everything from socks to sockets, so put a box next to the sofa full of items needing mending and do them one by one as you watch TV of an evening.
Upcycle. If you're a creative sort, set aside boxes, jars and other storage items to paint or cover in paper and use to display around the house or to put presents in for birthdays. Put new, colourful buttons on old but loved cardigans to give them a new lease of life and use ribbons to jazz-up a plain dress.
De-clutter your finances. When was the last time you looked at your bank account? It's possible that it is cluttered with standing orders and direct debits for things you don't use anymore like a gym membership. Check that and weed out the money-wasting junk. Then spend an hour getting cheaper versions of your gas, electricity, car insurance and other boring essentials.
De-clutter your mind. De-cluttering is not just about physical items. What's going on in your home generally reflects what's happening in your thoughts, so use this as a time to get rid of some of the mental junk that holds us back with invisible threads.
Try going without any social media for a whole week and see how you manage. If you find yourself happier and calmer without it then take yourself off all but the most essential platforms like LinkedIn. Or simply go through the people you follow and do as Marie Condo says and get rid of any that don't "give you joy".
Importantly, cut down the hours you spend in front of the TV too. According to Thomas Corley, author of "Rich Habits: The Daily Success Habits of Wealthy Individuals", 67 per cent of rich people only watch TV for one hour or less per day. Also only six per cent of the wealthy watch reality shows while 78 per cent of the poor do. Instead, spend more time with friends and go out to do things like taking an evening class or going to concerts. In other words, live!
Stay clever with clutter. Now that you have de-cluttered, you have probably already resolved to cut down the number of things you buy. Make sure that from now on you question all purchases asking yourself "do I really need this? Will it give me joy long-term?" Usually the answer will be 'no' so cut out the middle-man: take joy in not purchasing and you will continue the freedom of a de-cluttered life.
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