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How to declutter your home in 15 minutes flat

While most of us would love to live in a mess-free home, it’s hard to find enough time to dedicate to decluttering the entire house. A better way might be to break the big job into small 15-minute-or-less decluttering tasks like the ones below. Kitchen Use bins and baskets to organise similar items. Label them so the system is clear to everyone. If you’re living in with other people, buy a pantry bin for each member of the home. This will not only keep the space looking neat and tidy but will also reduce the risk of people “mistaking” your food for their own. Home office Make your home office user-friendly by reorganising the space in a way that makes sense to you and your family. For example, store homework equipment in an area where your children can easily access them and things that are used less can be kept up high. Julie Stuart, founder of online craft store and blog Clever Poppy, adopted this approach when she moved her home office into her open plan living and dining room. “All of my stationery is stored in a basket on my desk. For those things you don’t need on a day to day basis, store them out of sight in a cupboard or wardrobe.” Keep track of your mail and other paperwork that clogs up your desk by stacking it into three categories: bills, personal mail (e.g. wedding invitations) and then one for everything else. If you’re feeling particularly motivated, take the time to pay your bills now or just keep the piles stored neatly in a tray on your desk so it’s easier to tackle later on. Living room Keep on top of clutter throughout the week by identifying the biggest clutter culprit in the living room (e.g. kid’s toys, mail). Dedicate a few minutes every day, or every couple of days if you’re particularly time pressed, to dealing with that. Bathroom Pull all of your toiletries from the cabinet shelves and throw out anything that’s expired or unnecessary (do you really need four lipsticks in the same shade?) Follow this by giving the shelves a quick wipe-down and replace all of the remaining products, putting the items you use the most in easily accessible spots. Bedroom Take some time on a Sunday evening to pick out the clothes you plan on wearing for the rest of the week and hang them at the front of your wardrobe. This will minimise stress in the mornings and will stop you from tearing your closet apart (and making even more of a mess) to find a pair of piece of clothing. Another way to ease the morning rush is to organise your clothing by grouping like with like (e.g. all business shirts together) and adding garment tags to keep them together. Linen closet A simple way to quickly get you linen closet in order – and to stop sheet sets getting lost in the pile – is by tucking a complete sheet set inside one of its pillowcases. If you have a little extra time, stack the sets according to size (single, queen, king). Image credit: Shutterstock Written by Natalia Didovich. Republished with permission of <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz">Stuff.co.nz. </a>

Home Hints & Tips

8 spots to declutter on a daily basis

Many people who are naturally tidy will say that orderliness is merely a habit. So get into the groove of doing a little bit of decluttering every day, and you're sure to live a (somewhat) more streamlined life. Here are eight areas in your home that could do with a tidy on-the-daily. 1. The mailbox Start setting your home life in order before you even walk in the door by making sure to clear your mailbox. Any junk mail can go straight in the recycling bin outside and you can deal with mail and bills immediately. 2. Your handbag The busier a woman is, the more likely she is to accumulate fodder in her handbag. Receipts, toiletries, charger cables, hair clips, mail, snacks, and more will get lumped into the bag. Take a couple of minutes at the end of each day to clear what's arrived there into the relevant places, and make sure you have what you need for tomorrow. 3. The kitchen sink Does anyone really enjoy doing the dishes? Washing dirty pots and pans is an activity that only becomes less attractive the longer you leave it. Do yourself a favour and the air in your home a favour - don't leave unwashed dishes in the sink overnight. 4. Your clothes pile Let's be real - we all have one of these. Whether it's your chair, a corner of your bed or in a hamper, unworn clothes just seem to gather. Make it your practice to return clothes to the wardrobe before bed for a more relaxing bedroom (and maybe even a better night's sleep). 5. The car Don't treat your car like an open-plan filing system, a trash can or a laundry basket. Make a rule - when you get out of the car, all new additions - like coffee cups or the drycleaning you just retrieved - come out with you. 6. The kitchen bench The counter in your kitchen is a waypoint in the home where clutter easily accumulates. It might be tempting to decorate this space with a tray for odds and ends, but by doing this, you're simply allowing yourself to procrastinate. Instead, create a pinboard somewhere in your kitchen. Reminders and important documents can be pinned, everything else can go back where it belongs. 7. Your desk Maintaining a tidy home office is important for morale and productivity. Plus, you deserve to work in well ordered environment. It's easy to bring things from around the house onto your desk (e.g. scissors, charging cables) and then be frantically wondering where they are later. When you finish your work for the day, make a ritual of putting everything away. 8. Your wallet File receipts, remove excess coins, keep an eye on your loyalty cards (you might have a nice surprise) and make sure you have all your cards. Image credits: Getty Images Written by Anabela Rea. Republished with permission on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stuff.co.nz.</a>

Home Hints & Tips

How to declutter your inbox

Lisa Du is director of <a href="http://www.readytechgo.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ReadyTechGo</a>, a service that helps people gain the confidence and skills to embrace modern technology. Is your inbox looking a little cluttered? Are you finding it hard to find past emails amongst the sheer mess that it already houses? There’s a solution, of course! Delete, delete, delete The first thing you should do? Delete stuff. Delete as much as you possibly can. And be ruthless about it. Don’t delete anything that you might need, obviously, like important receipts, password information, or reminders. But something like a notification from Facebook telling you that it’s someone’s birthday...yeah, that can go. For someone who doesn’t delete their emails, this will clear up your inbox considerably. In fact, it might take you a long while if you’re the type to leave hundreds of emails unread in your inbox. And for those of you who have thousands of unread emails, well... this process will be a lot more impractical for you. File away your emails Following this act of ruthless deletion, if your inbox is still looking a little too messy for your liking, there’s something else you can do: categorise. What this essentially means is that you can create different folders or labels for your emails, and then file your emails under each of these different folders accordingly. For instance, if you’ve been doing a little online shopping, and getting lots of confirmation emails for your orders, you might want to keep them in a folder called, “Shopping Receipts”. Though there are a lot of email hosts out there, the steps are generally the same. Here’s how to do it on a couple of sites. On Gmail.com: <ol start="1"> <li>Go to Gmail on your browser and login to your account</li> <li>You’ll see a sidebar on the left-hand side of your screen with different email categories, including “Inbox” and “Sent Mail”. Click on “More”</li> <li>This will expand the sidebar selection. You’ll see a section that says “Categories”. Click on “Create new label” under this section</li> <li>In the dialog box that pops up, type in the name of your label</li> <li>Now, you’ll see your new label under the left-hand sidebar</li> <li>Simply click and drag your emails into this label to file them</li> <li>From now on, when you want to find emails under this label, you’ll need to click into the label to see them</li> </ol> <img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="../media/29156/gmail-declutter-inbox_499x445.jpg" alt="Gmail Declutter Inbox" width="499" height="445" /> On Outlook.com <ol> <li>Login to your email account on Outlook.com</li> <li>You’ll see a sidebar on the left-hand side of your screen titled "Folders" with different email categories, including “Inbox” and “Junk Email”. Hover your mouse over this title</li> <li>Beside the word “Folders”, you’ll see a plus sign. Click on this plus sign to create a new folder</li> <li>At the bottom of your sidebar, you’ll see a new entry for a new folder. Type the name of your new folder into this entry and press ENTER on your keyboard</li> <li>This entry will now be a new folder under the left-hand sidebar</li> <li>Simply click and drag your emails into this folder to file them</li> <li>From now on, when you want to find emails under this folder, you’ll need to click into the folder to see them.</li> </ol> <img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="../media/29155/outlook-delclutter-inbox.jpg" alt="Outlook Delclutter Inbox" width="449" height="168" /> Being able to file your emails under different categories will not only clear up your inbox, but it will also introduce some order to your emails. Finding certain emails will be easier, your inbox will be less of an eyesore, and important emails will be less likely to become lost amongst a sea of spam. For more information about ReadyTechGo, visit their <a href="http://www.readytechgo.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website here.</a> Image: Getty

Technology

Helpful tips to declutter

A dream come true would be living in a house that doesn’t require cleaning or decluttering every so often. Unfortunately, that is only a dream and is probably a bit too unrealistic because of family, pets, kids and the usual rushing out of the house in the morning. But decluttering doesn’t have to be that hard, especially once you set your mind to it. Here are five of the best tips to help you get started on becoming a minimalist. <ol> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Divide clothes into piles </li> </ol> Have three piles for your clothes: keep, donate, throw away. Once you have sorted your clothes into their respected pile, you know what to do. <ol start="2"> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Organise your books </li> </ol> We all have books that we absolutely love even if we haven’t touched it in years. Now is the time to organise them similarly to your clothes but with only two piles: keep and donate. If you throw books away, you’re a monster! <ol start="3"> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Clean out your fridge </li> </ol> How long has that microwave meal been sitting in the back of the fridge? Immediately throw it away. Anything that you do not use or require should be taken out. <ol start="4"> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Keep the counters clean </li> </ol> Put simply, clean as you go. If you’re using a certain pot or pan to cook, once it’s washed put it back where it belongs. <ol start="5"> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Throw away old magazine/newspapers </li> </ol> Why are those old magazines and newspapers just laying around in the living room? If you don’t need them, throw them away. You could always find it online anyway. Image: Shutterstock

Home Hints & Tips

Why TV decluttering shows need to clean up their act

<blockquote> Homes across Britain looking fine on the outside but secretly they’re drowning on their inside…Homes, people, lives, they’re crushed by loads of stuff. </blockquote> This is the opening sequence of Nick Knowles’ Big House Clearout, a TV show on Channel 5 in the UK. In each episode a family have the entire contents of their home laid out on the floor of a warehouse for them to declutter. In episode one Nick says: <blockquote> Many many piles are going off to charity shops and stuff’s being gifted away and then of course there is the pile that is being thrown away…So now you have the fun of getting this into the skip. </blockquote> The family then whoop and cheer as they fill the skip with their unrecyclable and unwanted stuff. The house decluttering and makeover TV show is a popular format that has been re-worked over the years. Other recent examples include Hoarder SOS on Channel 4, Sort Your Life Out on BBC One and Tidying Up with Marie Kondo and Get Organized with The Home Edit on Netflix. I enjoy watching these shows but, as an academic who researches sustainable consumption and <a href="https://theconversation.com/i-spoke-to-minimalists-to-find-out-why-they-are-giving-up-their-personal-possessions-155353">minimalist living</a>, I’ve been worried about what happens to all the stuff that gets decluttered. A standard format involves a tour of the home of a family that is struggling to live with large amounts of clutter. The family’s belongings are then all taken away to be sorted or are sorted in their house. A home makeover or reorganisation is carried out, with the help of the TV show host, and a transformation to a tidy, organised home and happy family is revealed at the end. However, there is often little to no consideration of the environmental impact associated with these major clear-outs. Some decluttering shows give little consideration of where the large bags of unwanted things are <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/15327086211049703?af=R&ai=1gvoi&mi=3ricys">going to end up</a>. Although the objects in these shows seem to magically disappear, they are still in existence somewhere in the world. Perhaps they do find a new home and are re-used – or perhaps they end up incinerated or in landfill. While some shows just don’t mention where the decluttered items are going to go, others turn the act of throwing them away into an enjoyable event. As mentioned above, throwing unwanted possessions in a skip destined for landfill is described as “fun”, or in the second episode: “This is the exciting bit when you get to chuck it all in the skip”. With the UK producing around <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-49827945">27 million tonnes</a> of household waste in 2017, I’m not sure throwing objects into a skip is something that should be celebrated. Also, despite these sorts of TV shows being focused on families that clearly have tendencies to accumulate a lot of possessions, there is often little to no advice given to them from the show hosts as to how they might try and prevent accumulating so much again in the future. Only focusing on decluttering and not focusing on how things are acquired in the first place, seems to treat the <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/14695405211039608">symptoms rather than the cause</a>. Sometimes shows do consider the wider impact of disposing of objects. For instance in Hoarder SOS there is a focus on selling some items, while in Sort Your Life Out there are clear signs put up for piles of things to donate, recycle and sell. But perhaps these good intentions are contradicted by the unsustainable central message of the format which essentially rests on people accruing lots of things, being encouraged to get rid of a lot of them, and then being offered little to no advice on how to stop this happening again. Overall, decluttering shows reflect excessive capitalist consumption in which people are becoming increasingly unhappy with increasing amounts of stuff and are finding greater happiness through <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1469540512444019">owning less</a>. The shows’ focus on the positive outcome of having a tidy and decluttered home is helpful for the individual’s personal happiness. But if shows do not highlight disposing of things sustainably, or not continuing to acquire objects in the future, this raises environmental waste issues. To be more sustainably conscious, any show promoting the personal benefits of decluttering should focus on ways of preventing unwanted objects from going into landfill. This could be through upcycling – where waste material is turned into something more valuable – or through giving unwanted items away as gifts or selling them. Or, perhaps a new, even more environmentally conscious TV show, could help people find ways to reduce their shopping and consumption habits, and to re-use and upcycle what they already own, to prevent the need for mass decluttering in the first place?<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/174443/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/amber-martin-woodhead-1213457">Amber Martin-Woodhead</a>, Assistant professor in Human Geography, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/coventry-university-1346">Coventry University</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-tv-decluttering-shows-need-to-clean-up-their-act-174443">original article</a>. Image: GoodStudio/shutterstock

The top six benefits of decluttering your home

We all collect a lot of material possessions during our lives and if we don’t declutter at some stage, it can become overwhelming later on down the track when you find you have so much stuff, you can hardly move. So, here are some extra reasons to motivate you to start decluttering your home now. By decluttering your home and you will end up decluttering your life and it doesn’t need to be as painful as you might think. There are many benefits to owning fewer possessions. Even though it can feel tough to move into action, once these benefits reveal themselves, you’ll be so glad you did. 1. Less to clean: Cleaning is already enough of a chore, but having to clean in and around things you have don’t really want or need makes cleaning your home so much more stressful. With less in your home, cleaning will be easier. 2. Less to organise: When you declutter, finding things will suddenly become so much easier. Things won’t just ‘disappear’ anymore. You can actually move around your home and enjoy the space, instead of moving around things which are in your way and cause you stress because you know you don’t need them. 3. Less stress: Looking around at your clutter can be a sickening sight when your home is cluttered. Once you declutter, you’ll be able to look around and enjoy some possessions and feel more relaxed in the home you love. 4. Less debt: When you declutter, you realise you don’t need to shop for so many material possessions and this will keep your wallet and bank accounts fuller. Your credit cards will be used less and your home won’t get filled with costly things you don’t need. 5. More financial freedom: Many of us can live from week to week on our pay cheque or our retirement income. But when you combine decluttering with minimalism, this will help you build up your savings so you have something there in case of an unexpected emergency. 6. More energy for your greatest passions: With less debt, more financial freedom and a clean home, you can now focus your energy on the things you enjoy instead of worrying about what else you need to buy or what else you need to throw out. Ultimately, decluttering will make you happier! Photo: Shutterstock

Home & Garden

My possessions spark joy: Will the KonMari decluttering method work for me?

Australia is the <a href="https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/environment/municipal-waste/indicator/english_89d5679a-en">sixth-largest</a> contributor of household waste per capita in the world. We spend more than <a href="http://www.tai.org.au/node/940">$A10.5 billion</a> annually on goods and services that are never or rarely used. One-quarter of Australians admit to throwing away clothing <a href="https://au.yougov.com/news/2017/12/06/fast-fashion/">after just one use</a>, while at the other end of the extreme, 5% of the population save unused items with such tenacity that their homes become <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3181962/">dangerously cluttered</a>. If unnecessary purchases come at such a profound cost, why do we make them? Why do we buy so much stuff? We acquire some possessions because of their perceived usefulness. We might buy a computer to complete work tasks, or a pressure cooker to make meal preparation easier. But consumer goods often have a psychological value that outweighs their functional value. This can drive us to acquire and keep things we could do without. Possessions can act as an extension of ourselves. They may remind us of our personal history, our connection to other people, and who we are or want to be. Wearing a uniform may convince us we are a different person. Keeping family photos may remind us that we are loved. A home library may reveal our appreciation for knowledge and enjoyment of reading. Acquiring and holding onto possessions can bring us comfort and emotional security. But these feelings cloud our judgement about how useful the objects are and prompt us to hang onto things we haven’t used in years. When this behaviour crosses over into hoarding disorder, we may notice: <ol> <li> a persistent difficulty discarding possessions, regardless of their actual value </li> <li> that this difficulty arises because we feel we need to save the items and/or avoid the distress associated with discarding them </li> <li> that our home has become so cluttered we cannot use it as intended. We might not be able to sit on our sofa, cook in our kitchen, sleep in our bed, or park our car in the garage </li> <li> the saving behaviour is impacting our quality of life. We might experience significant family strain or be embarrassed to invite others into our home. Our safety might be at risk, or we may have financial problems. These problems can contribute to workplace difficulties. </li> </ol> Will the KonMari method help? According to Japanese tidying consultant Marie Kondo, “everyone who completes the KonMari Method has successfully kept their house in order”. But while some aspects of the KonMari method are consistent with existing evidence, others may be inadvisable, particularly for those with clinical hoarding problems. Kondo suggests that before starting her process, people should visualise what they want their home to look like after decluttering. A similar clinical technique is used when treating hoarding disorder. Images of one’s ideal home can act as a powerful amplifier for positive emotions, thereby increasing motivation to discard and organise. Next, the KonMari Method involves organising by category rather than by location. Tidying should be done in a specific order. People should tackle clothing, books, paper, komono (kitchen, bathroom, garage, and miscellaneous), and then sentimental items. Organising begins with placing every item within a category on the floor. This suggestion has an evidence base. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165032717327167?via%3Dihub">Our research</a> has shown people tend to discard more possessions when surrounded by clutter as opposed to being in a tidy environment. However, organising and categorising possessions in any context is challenging for people with hoarding disorder. Marie Kondo gives sage advice about whether to keep possessions we think we’ll use in the future. A focus on future utility is a common thinking trap, as many saved items are never used. She encourages us to think about the true purpose of possessions: wearing the shirt or reading the book. If we aren’t doing those things, we should give the item to someone who will. Another Kondo suggestion is to thank our possessions before we discard them. This is to recognise that an item has served its purpose. She believes this process will facilitate letting go. However, by thanking our items we might inadvertently increase their perceived humanness. Anthropomorphising inanimate objects increases the sentimental value and perceived utility of items, which increases object attachment. People who are dissatisfied with their interpersonal relationships are more prone to anthropomorphism and have more difficulty making decisions. This strategy may be particularly unhelpful for them. One of Kondo’s key messages is to discard any item that does not “spark joy”. But for someone with excessive emotional attachment to objects, focusing on one’s emotional reaction may not be helpful. People who hoard things experience intense positive emotions in response to many of their possessions, so this may not help them declutter. Think about how you get rid of things <a href="https://www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/About-us/Latest-news/2019/01/10/23/21/Urgent-advisory-for-Netflix-inspired-declutterers">Sustainability Victoria</a> recently urged Netflix-inspired declutterers to reduce, reuse, and recycle rather than just tossing unwanted items into landfill. Dumping everything into the op-shop or local charity bin is also problematic. Aussie charities are paying <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-10-04/charities-spending-millions-cleaning-up-fast-fashion-graveyard/10328758">A$13 million a year</a> to send unusable donations to landfill. Ultimately, we need to make more thoughtful decisions about both acquiring and discarding possessions. We need to buy less, buy used, and pass our possessions on to someone else when we have stopped using them for their intended purpose. Written by Melissa Norberg, Associate Professor in Psychology, Macquarie University and Jessica Grisham, Professor in Psychology, UNSW. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/get-headaches-heres-five-things-to-eat-or-avoid-76611">The Conversation</a>.

Mind

Here's what clutter does to your brain and body

Many of us have started the year determined to be more organised: no more drawers full of plastic containers with missing lids, or lone socks. The decluttering craze is led by Japanese tidying aficionado Marie Kondo, author of a New York Times bestseller and Netflix show “Tidying Up”. Charity groups such as St Vincent de Paul are reporting a <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/marie-kondo-creates-boom-for-op-shoppers-but-bad-news-for-oceans-20190119-p50scu.html">38% increase in donations</a>, year on year, as we get rid of the clothes, books and household items that don’t “spark joy” or have a place in our future. And there is good reason to get on board, whether it’s via the KonMari method, or just having a good clear-out. Clutter can affect our anxiety levels, sleep, and ability to focus. It can also make us less productive, <a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2711870">triggering coping and avoidance strategies</a> that make us more likely to snack on junk and watch TV shows (including ones about other people decluttering their lives). My own <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360132318307157">research</a> shows our physical environments significantly influence our cognition, emotions and subsequent behaviours, including our relationships with others. Why clutter is bad for your brain Bursting cupboards and piles of paper stacked around the house may seem harmless enough. But <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21228167">research</a> shows disorganisation and clutter have a cumulative effect on our brains. Our brains like order, and constant visual reminders of disorganisation drain our cognitive resources, reducing our ability to focus. The <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/early/2016/02/17/1523471113">visual distraction</a> of clutter increases cognitive overload and can reduce our working memory. In 2011, neuroscience researchers using fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) and other physiological measurements <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21228167">found</a> clearing clutter from the home and work environment resulted in a better ability to focus and process information, as well as increased productivity. And your physical and mental health Clutter can make us feel stressed, anxious and depressed. <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0146167209352864">Research</a> from the United States in 2009, for instance, found the levels of the <a href="https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/ConditionsAndTreatments/Hormones-cortisol-and-corticosteroids">stress hormone cortisol</a> were higher in mothers whose home environment was cluttered. A chronically cluttered home environment can <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK278995/">lead</a> to a constant low-grade fight or flight response, taxing our resources designed for survival. This response can trigger physical and psychological changes that <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK278995/">affect</a> how we fight bugs and digest food, as well as leaving us at greater risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Clutter might also have implications for our relationships with those around us. A <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4819543/">2016 US study</a>, for instance, found background clutter resulted in participants being less able to correctly interpret the emotional expressions on the faces of characters in a movie. And surprisingly, it doesn’t go away when we finally get to bed. People who sleep in cluttered rooms are <a href="https://www.stlawu.edu/news/student-faculty-sleep-research-published-presented">more likely</a> to have sleep problems, including difficulty falling asleep and being disturbed during the night. Could clutter really make us fat? Multiple studies have found a link between clutter and poor eating choices. Disorganised and messy environments led participants in one <a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2711870">study</a> to eat more snacks, eating twice as many cookies than participants in an organised kitchen environment. Other <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0956797613480186">research</a> has shown that being in a messy room will make you twice as likely to eat a chocolate bar than an apple. Finally, people with <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25440599">extremely cluttered homes</a> are 77% more likely to be overweight. Tidy homes have been found to be a predictor of physical health. Participants whose houses were cleaner were more active and had better physical health, according to another <a href="http://newsinfo.iu.edu/web/page/normal/14627.html">study</a>. Hoarding can cause physical pain Buying more and more things we think we need, and then not getting rid of them, is an actual disorder in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V). According to <a href="https://www.elementsbehavioralhealth.com/mental-health/dsm-v-hoarding-new-mental-disorder-diagnoses/">DSM-V</a>, those with hoarding disorder compulsively acquire possessions on an ongoing basis and experience anxiety and mental anguish when they are thrown away. A Yale <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3506167/">study</a> using fMRI showed that for people who have hoarding tendencies, discarding items can cause actual pain in regions of the brain associated with physical pain. Areas of the brain were activated that are also responsible for the pain you feel when slamming a finger in a door or burning your hand on the stove. People who suspect they have hoarding disorder can take heart: cognitive behavioural therapy has been <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25639467">shown</a> to be an effective treatment. Tidy house, happy life? Participants in Marie Kondo’s Netflix show Tidying Up report that her decluttering method changes their lives for the better. Indeed, her first book was called “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up”. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0272494416300159">Research</a> does indeed show cluttered home environments negatively influence the perception of our homes, and ultimately our satisfaction of life. The study authors note the strong effect is because we define “home” not just as a place to live, but as: <blockquote> the broader constellation of experiences, meanings, and situations that shape and are actively shaped by a person in the creation of his or her lifeworld. </blockquote> But it seems clutter isn’t always bad. One <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0956797613480186">study</a> showed messy desks can make us more creative. The findings suggested neat, ordered environments make us more likely to conform to expectations and play it safe, while messy ones move us to break with the norm and look at things in a new way. Written by <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/libby-sander-143232">Libby Sander</a>, Assistant Professor of Organisational Behaviour, Bond Business School, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a>. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/time-for-a-kondo-clean-out-heres-what-clutter-does-to-your-brain-and-body-109947">The Conversation</a>.<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/libby-sander-143232"></a>

Mind

Viewers' hilarious reactions to decluttering guru's new Netflix show Tidying Up

Following the global success of her books, decluttering guru Marie Kondo has finally taken Netflix by storm with her new show Tidying Up with Marie Kondo. In the eight-episode series, Kondo helped her American clients rid everyday clutter and organise their belongings using the KonMari method, which focuses on the question: “Does it spark joy?” <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WvyeapVBLWY" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> The show, which was aptly released on January 1, has attracted great attention, with audiences flocking to Twitter to share their two cents about the show. The following tweets are ones that spark joy for us. Many have been inspired to clean up. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> No joke guys, I made my step kids (5 and 9) watch an episode of Tidying Up with Marie Kondo yesterday. We then spent the whole day KonMarie-ing their bedroom and they loved it! Who knew it worked in kids too? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/sparkjoy?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#sparkjoy</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TidyingUp?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TidyingUp</a> <a href="https://t.co/xefg9mvwAt">pic.twitter.com/xefg9mvwAt</a> — Miss Angie (@MySoCalledChaos) <a href="https://twitter.com/MySoCalledChaos/status/1081983965806743552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2019</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> After watching one episode of Tidying Up with Marie Kondo on Netflix: <a href="https://t.co/Gp1g8EAgXl">pic.twitter.com/Gp1g8EAgXl</a> — Faizal Rosly (@ijaicool) <a href="https://twitter.com/ijaicool/status/1081868204341833729?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2019</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> Me after watching one episode of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MarieKondo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MarieKondo</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/thankyou?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#thankyou</a> <a href="https://t.co/zBVooZ9dyZ">pic.twitter.com/zBVooZ9dyZ</a> — Kaci✨ (@kaci_rachelle) <a href="https://twitter.com/kaci_rachelle/status/1082348784397496320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2019</a></blockquote> Some take it to the next level. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> I don’t care about the Marie Kondo book debate, I just wanna know why she doesn’t ask the women if their husbands truly spark joy or if they should be thanked and removed. — Amy Gray (@_AmyGray_) <a href="https://twitter.com/_AmyGray_/status/1081838920977899521?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2019</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> how to tidy up your friendships with the Marie Kondo method: 1. hold your friend up 2. check if your friend sparks joy 3. if no, thank your friend and put them in the trash — Tze Hern (@zhrent) <a href="https://twitter.com/zhrent/status/1082182693998055424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2019</a></blockquote> Some see the opportunities. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> Me waiting for the thrift stores to fill up with all the good stuff now bc of this Marie Kondo Netflix special <a href="https://t.co/YtJvf7Gm2M">pic.twitter.com/YtJvf7Gm2M</a> — Kat (@rasberet) <a href="https://twitter.com/rasberet/status/1082140149796941824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2019</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> I'm very pumped for all the dumb expensive stuff my neighbors are going to give away in our building after watching Marie Kondo on Netflix. — Sam Sanders (@DreamSong77) <a href="https://twitter.com/DreamSong77/status/1080139322521780226?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2019</a></blockquote> Some are sceptical of her ideas. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> Do NOT listen to Marie Kondo or Konmari in relation to books. Fill your apartment & world with them. I don’t give a shite if you throw out your knickers and Tupperware but the woman is very misguided about BOOKS. Every human needs a v extensive library not clean, boring shelves — Anakana Schofield (@AnakanaSchofiel) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnakanaSchofiel/status/1080957281636835328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2019</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> Marie Kondo: “Does this sweater spark joy?” Werner Herzog: “Joy is a strange notion. I am just not made for it. It has never been a goal of mine; I do not think in those terms.” — hikikomori povich (@SarahSahim) <a href="https://twitter.com/SarahSahim/status/1082007778821107715?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2019</a></blockquote> Some take to conclude that attempts at self-improvement are futile. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> After a heated discussion with Marie Kondo i’ve decided to throw myself in the trash. — Kashana (@kashanacauley) <a href="https://twitter.com/kashanacauley/status/1082284404779638784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2019</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> oops, i accidentally threw every thing away when i tried to marie kondo my home because nothing makes me feel joy — jonny sun (@jonnysun) <a href="https://twitter.com/jonnysun/status/1082019330978533376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2019</a></blockquote> Have you watched Marie Kondo's new show Tidying Up on Netflix? What do you think about the show? Let us know in the comments below.

5 ways to declutter your devices

With spring right around the corner, you may have already set your clean-out schedule. Whether that’s throwing away old clothes, going through cupboards that you haven’t rummaged through in a while, or making donation bags of things you don’t need. But have you ever stopped to think that with the amount of time we spend on our digital devices, that they’d need a clean-out too? Luckily, the tech experts at <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.asus.com/au/" target="_blank">ASUS</a> have shared a few tips and tricks to organise your digital life and get rid of clutter. Laptops and Desktops: 1. Declutter your desktop If your desktop is looking manic and in need of some organisation, then it’s time to decide what you need to keep and what you want to part ways with. For files that you don’t need anymore, hold CTRL (for Windows) or Command (for Apple iOS) and click on all the files that you want to delete. This allows you to select multiple files at once. Then lastly, drag and drop them into the recycle bin and you’ve successfully cleared your desktop. For files that you need, make separate folders and categorise them so you know what goes where. For example, have all your finances in one folder and your to-do lists in the other. To do this, right-click on your desktop, select New from the drop-down menu and then choose Folder. Label the folder and then drag your files into it and it’s as easy as that. 2. Erase old downloads With the introduction of streaming services such as Netflix and Spotify, there’s simply no need to keep a large number of files on your device. Not only do they take up space, but they can slow down your laptop or computer as well. So, if you have old movies, music or videos that you know you don’t need to hang onto, throw them in the recycling bin and your device will thank you. 3. Try the in-built cleaner If your laptop is constantly showing messages for low storage capacity, then it may be the number of unnecessary files on your device. If you’re on a Windows device, then search for “Disk Clean-up”, follow the prompts and then allow the cleaner to get rid of any unnecessary files. Tablets and Phones: 4. Categorise your applications Categorising applications will make sure your phone screen always remains neat and organised. The best way to do this is to leave your four most used apps on the home screen, and the remainders in their respective folders such as social media, shopping, games, photos etc. 5. Back up photos Some of us can have over 1000 photos on our phones, and while they bring back many memories, chances are you hardly go back and look at them. Which is why, instead of letting them sit on your phone, back them up on an external hard drive. Not only will it free up space, but your photos will be kept safe also.

Technology

Why “Swedish death cleaning” could be the key to decluttering your home and life

Rachel Connor is a Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing at Leeds Beckett University. There has been a trend in recent years, both in literature and in life, for Scandinavian concepts that are encapsulated in a single word. <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-danish-concept-of-hygge-and-why-its-their-latest-successful-export-67268" target="_blank">Hygge</a>, for example – which is Danish for cosiness, contentment or well-being – dominated the publishing industry in 2016. Now, the new buzzword on the block is “dostadning” – a hybrid of the Swedish words “death” and “cleaning”. How much these fad words are actually a part of Scandinavian culture is debatable, but dostadning is the new phenomenon outlined in Margareta Magnusson’s <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gentle-Art-Swedish-Death-Cleaning/dp/1786891085/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1516265092&sr=1-1&keywords=the+art+of+swedish+death+cleaning" target="_blank">The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning</a>. In Europe, the book has already occupied a good deal of reviewing space and according to Time magazine, <a href="http://time.com/4985533/death-cleaning-declutter/" target="_blank">dostadning will be the hot new trend</a> stateside in 2018. Magnusson’s book chimes with the current <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/deborahweinswig/2016/09/07/millennials-go-minimal-the-decluttering-lifestyle-trend-that-is-taking-over/#6c328eb83755" target="_blank">anxiety about clutter</a> in the 21st century. Dostadning advocates the proactive and mindful clearing out of possessions before death. The idea is that it saves relatives the onerous task of making decisions about what to keep and what to throw or give away. The book reflects the simple fact that we are all living longer lives. This results, of course, in more stuff. Digital death But it also means we have more time to get rid of things. We can start planning for our death by slimming down what we leave behind – shedding unnecessary objects in favour of what we actually need. It is the antithesis, perhaps, of the ancient Egyptian tradition of being buried with things that might accompany us into the afterlife. Magnusson’s top tips for dostadning focus mostly on material possessions – though she suggests keeping a book of passwords for family so they can access online data more easily. But this is no straightforward task, given that more and more of our data – photos, letters, memories – as well as actual things – music and books – exist in digital rather than analogue form. And as more of our lives are logged and lodged virtually, chances are our relatives might not be able to access it. A documentary about this precise issue aired recently on BBC Radio 4. <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09jf1zb" target="_blank">My Digital Legacy</a> was part of the <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b084ys5v" target="_blank">We Need to Talk about Death</a> series and featured terminally ill patients with an extensive digital footprint who rely on the internet – especially on social media – to connect to the world around them. The programme also heard from bereaved relatives who experienced difficulties in accessing data, including Facebook profiles, of loved ones after their death. The death manager My recent short story <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9g0eqBdyxw" target="_blank">How To Curate a Life</a>, published by <a href="https://storgy.com/about/" target="_blank">Storgy Books</a> in the anthology Exit Earth, deals with precisely this issue. Set in the not too distant future, the parents of a young woman killed suddenly in an accident try to commission Jesse – a “digital death manager” – not to curate her life but to erase it: to gain access to her files then destroy them. In this fictional world where everyone is required to dictate the terms of their digital estate, it is illegal for Jesse to tamper with the girl’s online content. And yet, the financial reward would mean freedom from his desk bound job forever. The story grew from an idea I found online about careers that will be ubiquitous in the future. Digital death management, it seems, is definitely set to become “A Thing”. And just as we now commission solicitors or will writers to oversee our material estate – there will come a time when people will also hire someone to clean up their digital footprint In our already busy lives, does tending to our online existence give us one more thing to do? Perhaps so. But it’s about taking responsibility for our own stuff. If we don’t make the decisions about what to keep or discard – whether actual or online – then ultimately others will need to. And if we don’t leave clear directions about where to find our digital content, it makes things tougher for everyone. As Magnusson writes, death cleaning is “a permanent form of organisation that makes everyday life run smoothly”. What better legacy to leave behind than to ease the bereavement process for the ones we love? Written by Rachel Connor. Republished with permission of <a href="http://theconversation.com/" target="_blank">The Conversation.</a> <img width="1" height="1" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/90253/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" alt="The Conversation"/>

Caring

Decluttering expert: “The worst things I’ve found in people’s homes”

We all have our messy moments from time to time, but by and large, we know when it’s time for a good spring clean – as much as we may hate it. Now, imagine your little messy moments and multiply them by 100 – that’s what professional organiser Deanne Sharp has to deal with every day. As an expert on decluttering, she’s seen stuff that would make your skin crawl – mouldy food, toy slime and even a snake. Well, not quite. “It was a rubber snake that one boy had hidden in the laundry to scare his mum,” Sharp told <a href="http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/home/interiors/professional-organiser-deanne-sharp-clears-peoples-lives-of-clutter/news-story/6ea4f33e94ca344c8ae77dcd54624bc5" target="_blank">news.com.au</a>. “I screamed very loudly – it did look real.” But aside from the odd occupational “hazard", the 46-year-old Sydney mum says her job brings her great satisfaction. “For some clients, when they see the job done, I can see it’s like a weight has lifted off their shoulders. I often get hugs and even follow-up texts from clients saying they can’t stop opening the cupboards to admire my work." But if you thought women were worse at throwing stuff away, think again. “Men can be worse than women for not letting things go,” Sharp said. “If something has sentimental value then of course keep it, but get rid of it if it’s just going to sit there taking up space. Decluttering is all about throwing things away you don’t love or enjoy.” So, what can we mere mortals learn from the queen of clean? Here are some of her top tips. <ol> <li>With kids, make tidying fun and easy – “Turn it into a game, put a song on and make sure it’s easy for them to help by storing toys in easy to reach boxes so they can just put them in."</li> <li>Start them young – “Kids can help clear up their toys from when they’re very little, as young as two and a half.”</li> <li>Plan, plan, plan – Sharp swears by her family planner, which outlines all the week's activities, meals and events. She plans all meals on Sunday, orders the groceries online then picks them up the next day. “I find going to the supermarket a waste of time and I spend more too.”</li> </ol> Image credit: Free Time 4 Me Time.

Home & Garden

5 expert tips to declutter your home

Victoria Dryden is part of the team at <a href="http://classicmoves.com.au/" target="_blank">Classic Moves</a>, a full relocation management service, assisting seniors in downsizing or relocating into retirement or aged care. They take the stress out of moving. Decluttering is never a favourite task but one which is essential every now and then to maintain a healthy house and mind. The prospect of decluttering brings up many emotions and can be quite traumatic for some. Here are some of our helpful tips to assist with the process. 1. Commitment Commitment to the task is sometimes the most difﬁcult. Make some time and invest yourself to the job. Decluttering is often time-consuming and more often than not if you start and stop, it’s the starting again which may overwhelm you completely. A job half ﬁnished is more frustrating than the clutter itself. Try to set time aside for declutter sessions daily, weekly, monthly. 2. Try to be ruthless Everything has a story. Try not to let the story overpower you. Start with the bathroom or laundry as often these rooms are the easiest to tackle ﬁrst. Rid yourself of half-used oils, soaps and bathroom dishes, towels and other items collected over the years. Usually these items are of little emotional value and can help you warm up when considering the rest of the house. For jars, crockery long stem glasses, cooking utensils, think about it – how much of each do you need? Bread machines, rice cookers steamers are always a good idea at the time. 3. Don’t get emotional Often it is the possessions gifted to us by family and friends which end up being clutter. Many feel the need to hold on to items because they believe it may bring us closer to love ones or moments. The love and memory of your family and friends will still remain long after the possessions have gone. If you struggle to let go, take a photo and carry that with you rather than the physical object. This way you can refer back at any time. 4. Have a plan (and keep it simple) Tackle it strategically. Set up four stations or baskets – put away, give away, sell or storage (which should be your last resort). Ensure every object or item has a destination. 5. Stick to your decisions Once your decision has been made for an item, try to maintain your position and refrain from changing your mind. Find more information at <a href="http://classicmoves.com.au/" target="_blank">Classic Moves</a>. Related links: <a href="/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/09/cheap-and-trendy-recycling-tips/">7 cheap and trendy recycling tips</a> <a href="/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/09/common-laundry-machine-mistakes/">6 common laundry machine mistakes</a> <a href="/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/09/5-ways-to-bring-the-outdoors-in/">5 ways to bring the outdoors in</a>

Home & Garden

Why decluttering the family home can be a bad thing

Anne Marr, 68, is a registered hairdresser, whose hobbies include writing, gardening, caring for wild life and learning. She’s also studied health, journalism and pain management. When you’re living in a small stone cottage, ideal for my husband and I to retire to, but full of stuff, it’s a good time to declutter, right? That seems to be all the rage now, doesn’t it? The minimalistic look is in, or so it seems. It was hard. When it came to the books it was very difficult; so many held memories. One in particular came to mind the day my daughter called in and was helping me to decide what I should keep and what should go. “Oh you can’t throw your diaries out,” she said. Many years ago we were struggling through the teenage years – you know the years when they hate you, you can’t possibly understand how they feel and so on. Well, one day when daughter threw this sentence at me angrily, I left the room and headed for my very large book shelf. I’ve always kept a diary, since I was about 12. Yes, there it was; my diary when I was 16. It held all the things I felt at the time and what was happening most days. I took this diary in and gave it to her, saying, “Take note of the date and year won’t you. This is what I wrote when I was your age.” Quite some time later, my daughter came out of her room, gave me a hug, and said, “Oh you do understand how I feel don’t you.” Our communication was open again. Getting rid of everything from your past is not always a good idea and that was proved to me. I now declutter selectively. <img width="283" height="189" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/26779/grandmothers-glory-box-seat_283x189.jpg" alt="Grandmother 's Glory Box Seat" style="float: right;"/> Someone’s things tell us who they are keep us connected to them. I remember emptying my grandmother’s home, my husband’s mother’s home and going through my father’s boxes of writing. Who knew he wrote so much, but then he was a teacher. I have kept some of his special books, many of his writings and dozens of recipes he wrote (he loved to cook) in his own special folder (more on that later). <img width="194" height="291" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/26780/sideboard_194x291.jpg" alt="Sideboard" style="float: left;"/>I have kept my Grandmother’s sideboard and glory box. It’s a seat, very solid wood and can sit two people. The wall above the sideboard holds photos of grandparents, great-grandparents and family. The sideboard and glory box seat was originally handed down from my great-grandmother. My grandmother then handed it down to me. Both are well over 100 years old. In the glory box I keep cherished family items that hold special memories right back to my grandparents’ days. I’m selective and have added notes to each item so future generations won’t wonder, “Who did this belong to, or what was it?” For the books I’ll keep, there is a book shelf that holds the diaries and photo albums. My grandson loved going through these when he was young. When each of my children turned 21 I gave them “This is your life albums” with all the photos taken of them since birth. When my son first left home, he considered his album his most prized possession. It reminded him of where he came from and all the family, even if we were many miles apart. I am still working on decluttering and it may take some time now all the family have moved back home. Since we moved in to our small retirement cottage, my mother has moved in (she was at nursing home stage and Dad couldn’t manage), my son came home from Sydney and moved in, the daughter and grandson moved in, and then my father took sick and also moved in. Our carport was closed in to make another bedroom. The laundry was moved onto the back veranda, trough and all to make yet another bedroom. I was lucky my husband was a licensed electrician and an excellent handy man. Sorting through all my stuff became a real challenge then. I decided to start a large memory folder with plastic sleeves – one for each family member. I put special cards or things that they may want to keep into the folder. I have one too and once a year I write a summary of the year’s happenings, how we celebrated Christmas and New Year and place it in the folder. We’ve decluttered a lot, but it’s a comfortable family home and it still has plenty of stuff. Grandmother’s scales are use every week for cooking. As all her recipes are in pounds and ounces that’s very handy. Daughter has got the new scales for her recipes. We still cook on the wood stove every winter and everyone loves it. The kettle is always on and there’s always a big pot of soup. It may not be a minimalistic home, but it’s a happy one. I just follow my grandmother’s advice, “Everything should have a place and everything should be in its place.” If you declutter too much you lose the character of the home and the family living in it. If you have a story to share please get in touch at <a href="mailto:melody@oversixty.com.au" target="_blank">melody@oversixty.com.au</a>. Related links: <a href="/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/07/anne-marr-importance-of-community/">Thank you to my community for helping me in my time of need</a> <a href="/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/08/lessons-i-learnt-from-my-grandmother/">21 lessons I learnt from my grandmother</a> <a href="/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/08/tips-to-preserve-your-family-history/">4 tips to preserve your family history</a>

Family & Pets

7 ways to declutter your life

If you have cupboards and shelves full of bits, pieces, knickknacks and things, it might be time to get organised and have a proper clear out. Getting rid of clutter is a positive step to take as it can free up space in your home and reduce stress. When there is not enough room for all of your things to be put away it can cause tension, even if you don’t realise it. Follow our steps to get rid of the clutter for good. 1. Take a positive approach Rather than thinking of your next clear-out as a drag or a task to be dreaded, try to view of it in a more optimistic light. This is your chance to clear space, get rid of things you don’t need, and free up your home of things that may be holding you back. 2. Get support Often it can feel overwhelming if you have a lot of stuff to go through. Grab a friend of family member to begin the task with you. They can keep you moving forward if you get sidetracked reading old love letters. They can also be the voice of reason to ask ‘do you really want to keep this?’ You can even hire professional organisers if you feel the task is too much to handle for an amateur. 3. Find a free morning Choose a morning to begin the task as your mind will be clearer than it would be in the afternoon or evening. Ensure you have a few hours free. Instead of choosing one room to declutter, it’s best to choose a category of items (think about how many places in your house you keep books, for instance). Sit down with all of your books first, and go through them one by one. Have a good look and feel of them, and decide if you really do need to keep it in your life. After books you can do clothes, paperwork, toiletries, and the pantry. You might find more categories depending on your stage of life and interests. 4. Get your boxes ready Prepare yourself for the task by bringing in some big strong boxes. One for rubbish, one for charity, and one for items that need to be returned or gifted to someone else. And of course, the items that you want to keep can go in a pile of their own. 5. Be ruthless Now is not the time to be sentimental. Just because someone gave you something doesn’t mean you need to keep it for the rest of your life. If you have items you haven’t used in the past year, get rid of them. Things that you don’t really and truly love that are still in good condition should be passed on to charity. Think of it as though you are setting your clutter free to find a new home where it will be loved. 6. Find a home for everything. Now that you know what you actually want to keep, you need to find a permanent home for it. Think about having a place where you keep stationery for instance – so that next time you are looking for a pen or an envelope you will know exactly where to look instead of hunting through drawers. Spend time packing your clothes away into neat, usable piles. Now is the time to organise your books if you want to. 7. Assess any new purchases before they come inside With your new neat and tidy shelves and cupboards, the last thing you want to do is fill them again with more ‘stuff’ because someone gave it to you, or it was on sale, or whatever reason you have. Really decide before you buy things or accept things whether you need them in your life, and whether they will add to your situation. Related links: <a href="/health/caring/2015/12/grandmother-retires-after-52-years-walking-kids-to-school/">Grandmother retires after 52 years walking kids to school</a> <a href="/health/caring/2015/12/9-year-old-raises-money-for-sick-kids/">9-year-old raises $100,000 for sick kids</a> <a href="/health/caring/2015/12/twins-meet-at-birth/">Wonderful moment newborn twins meet for the first time</a>

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7 ways to declutter your life