Ignore the voices in your head!

There are so many reasons in your head about why you have to hold onto possessions you never use or look at, or simply don’t need. Here are some of them:

• “I might need it again”. These items can range from old clothes that you haven’t worn for years, to old college notes or cables for electrical items which have long since broken. If you haven’t worn or used something for years the likelihood is that you never will, and if you do find that you need something in the future you could always buy it again, rent it or borrow it from someone you know.
• “It has sentimental value”. This is often why we keep possessions which we no longer need. They are usually items that remind us of people, places or happy events in our lives. Do you really need that item to remember? Rather than keeping all of your sentimental items maybe you could take photos of some of them and stick them into a ‘Memory Book’ with a few sentences about the person or occasion as an aide memoire.
• “I’ll feel guilty if I get rid of it”. Have you ever had a present from a parent, friend or partner that just isn’t right for you? Do you have an ornament or vase that only comes out when your mother-in-law comes to visit? These kinds of items are always hard to let go. The best thing to do is find them new homes where they will be used and appreciated, rather than gathering dust under your stairs or in the loft.
• “It cost a lot of money”. Who hasn’t bought an item of clothing or kitchen appliance thinking that it will be useful and then never used it? They cost a lot so you feel that you should keep them even though they’re of no use to you. Don’t feel bad about selling, giving away or donating items like this to charity. If you’re not using them, they’re of no use to you, and by keeping them they’re an everyday reminder that you spent money on something you don’t like or want anymore.

Get started

Decluttering can seem overwhelming when you take your home as a whole, so it can be hard to get started. If you concentrate on one room, and then one area of that room, before moving onto the next the whole process can seem much more manageable. The ‘one room at a time’ approach can yield visible results sooner which could spur you on to declutter the next. Another technique is to ‘purge’ 10 things from each room to get the ball rolling. In the bedroom these could be clothes, old underwear, makeup or accessories. In the kitchen you could get rid of broken gadgets, mugs that are no longer used or cans or jars of food which have expired. You get the idea! Before you know it, you’ll have got rid of 100 things already.

Take items to the charity shop regularly

Bags of items to donate to charity can pile up and create yet more clutter. Make sure that you make a date to deliver them so that they don’t just add to your problem.

Don’t be intimidated

It may seem that decluttering will just be too difficult and time consuming, but if you make a plan and do it gradually over time, you’ll soon notice a satisfying difference. Once you’ve removed the things you no longer need from your home, you’ll have a much easier time packing before your move.

If you’d like a quote on packing, removal or storage call us on 0800 211 8030 or email our team on mail@perryremovals.com