If you are nearly half way through the 30 Day Minimalism Game (details in the video below) or your aim is to have a more minimal space by the time lockdown is over, here are thirteen areas you might want to consider if you’ve not already.
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- Coconut beauty products: Coconut has been a very popular ingredient in a lot of lotions and potions in the last year, so check your collection and see if there is anything that contains it and has exceeded its recommended use by date. If you’re not already aware, beauty products have a symbol that looks like a little pot on the back of the packaging that says 6 or 12 months for example, so if you’ve had a coconut product for years, chances are it’s well overdue for the bin!
- Coconut cooking products: This might include oil, desiccated coconut, coconut cream or milk substitutes. With the rise in popularity of this product, you may have fallen into the trap of buying something you have never used in your at home cooking so if it’s still in-date, donate it to your local food bank, give it to someone you know or bin it and recycle the packaging.
- Earmuffs: It takes a very special person to pull off a set of earmuffs, and if you are not this kind of person and bought them hoping you would be, it may be time to let go. This goes for your children too- perhaps they have outgrown theirs so check their winter wear for any that are hanging around and don’t fit them anymore.
- Jewellery: If you have a reasonably small jewellery collection and don’t need to divide the sections into different decluttering sessions, you could tackle your jewellery box in one sitting. Anything that is broken, tainted or you don’t want to wear anymore could be an initial target for selling, donation, recycling or for passing onto someone who would enjoy wearing the items.
- Pet stuff: If your pet has a large collection of toys, treats they didn’t like the taste of or an abundance of blankets, leads or bowls, perhaps there are some things that you can purge from their belongings. Pets really aren’t that bothered about excess or material things, so you won’t offend them if you strip back their items to just what they need and use.
- Umbrellas: Umbrellas can multiply in the home if you don’t keep on top of them as many of us buy them when we’ve forgotten to take one out with us resulting in an excessive collection. One per family member is more than enough- any over this number should find their way out of your space.
- Raincoats: While you are looking at items that can protect you from the rain, why not turn your attention to your waterproofs and those of your family members too? While it rains a lot in the UK, there is no reason to own more raincoats than is necessary, so take a closer look and get rid of any that don’t fit, are tatty or you don’t enjoy wearing.
- Cocoa: And other hot drinks you don’t drink. Have a peek in your drinks cupboards (non alcoholic) and see if there are any teas, coffees or hot chocolates that you know you will never drink because you sampled them and didn’t like them or because you just aren’t a coffee/tea/hot cocoa drinker in general. There is bound to be someone in your circle of friends or family who will gladly take these off your hands.
- Anything that you opened and never finished: This could refer to a number of categories in your home but mainly food- packets of biscuits, crackers or other snack items that you never really enjoyed enough to get to the end of are a great place to start. A book that didn’t grip you enough to make it to the end or a beauty product that didn’t live up to the claims are some other options. If you haven’t finished the packet, the page, the tub or the bottle by now, there’s a good chance you never will.
- Veterinary paperwork: If you have a pet that sadly passed away, it may be time to let go of the paperwork associated with them and their health. If your pet is still alive and well, anything that is a few years old could probably be recycled now if you’ve not had the need to refer back to them yet.
- Doors: This may sound like a random suggestion however most households have doors tucked away for a rainy day from kitchen cupboards, toys, old sheds, cars, doorways or bookcases (to name a few), so be sure that all the doors you have in your home are where they belong and take any additional ones to the tip.
- Teaching materials: Perhaps you still have all your old notes from university but left years ago or some paperwork from the last training session you went on at work but you are comfortable with everything on there now and don’t need to refer back to it. If so, shred what you can and leave space only for what is relevant to your career now.
- Tanning products: If you tried to tan yourself during lockdown with a cream or tanning mit, it will have gone one of two ways and for most women it’s usually the more negative result. If you didn’t get the finish you wanted from the product, it’s time to let go of your dream of having tanned skin while you are stuck indoors. Wait for the sun to come out in the summer and let nature do its job.
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Flowers: If you have some flowers in a vase that are looking past their best, it may be time to pitch these in favour of some new ones or to give your vases a breather in preparation for Mother’s Day or the summer months when you might have lots of lovely flowers from your garden.
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