The ART Of Decluttering

by Chelsea Smith

Hello, lovely readers!

We hope the last few weeks have been treating you kindly, as we can certainly make that statement for ourselves!

We received such great feedback from so many of you who kindly read our April blog post which focused on the benefits of meal planning. It’s a slight understatement to say that I was thrilled to learn that many of you have changed long term habits and started to plan your weekly meals in advance.

If you missed out on our FREE Weekly Meal Planner - Click here to download!

This month, I want to focus on a term that many of us shiver at the sound or sight of… Decluttering. We all know what it means… But how many of us actually do it? No, I don’t mean a haphazard Spring clean every 4 years. I’m talking regular, necessary and therapeutic decluttering to keep both your home and mindset safely within its happy place.

The physical challenge of decluttering is not easy - I am not here to tell you that it is. Though I do believe it is necessary.

I hear many of the same excuses as to why one cannot part with particular items “I might need that one day”, “A close relative gave that to me for my birthday last year and they will be upset if I chuck it out!” or “I paid good money for that 25 years ago”, I assure you, that if you do not see a purpose for that item in your life right now, then the chances are, you're unlikely to miss it once its gone.

Enough is enough, it’s time to let go of the excuses. Clutter is clutter, and while each individual views their own “stuff” differently, we all need to learn to let go of items that no longer serve a purpose within our lives. The act of decluttering our physical spaces is an integral step when it comes to decluttering our lives as a whole. The art of sorting through your items to determine whether something stays or goes is a fantastic way to sharpen your understanding of what is important to you, and what is (and isn’t) necessary to help you live your life.

The key questions which you should ask yourself when starting the process of decluttering is:

"Do I love this?"

“Have I used this item in the last year?”

"If I was shopping today, would I buy this again?"

“Do I actually need this?”

I believe a decluttered home is a more relaxing home. It’s easy to feel swamped and overwhelmed when there are piles of “stuff” surrounding you that doesn’t actually contribute to your life. If you take part in regular decluttering and make it a semi-frequent activity, you will find that it is far easier to manage your household. The more you practice the art of evaluating the value of things in your life, the less attached you will become to “stuff” in general. You will also spend less time cleaning and dusting which is a huge bonus, and you will be likely to assess your future purchases more carefully to avoid accumulating unnecessary items again. You will also be able to enjoy locating and utilising household items with ease. By decluttering your home and ridding yourself of items that aren’t making your life any richer, you are allowing yourself the opportunity to simplify your life and to live in the moment.

This month, I challenge you to declutter just one space within your home. This might be a single drawer or it might be an entire room – Regardless, I urge you to give it a go. You will find yourself feeling as though a weight has been lifted from your shoulders in no time at all, and I assure you that I have never had a client return to me to say “I really miss that second can opener I disposed of back in 2015.” Consider it an investment in not only yourself, but also your family and the harmony of your household.

If you’re still feeling a little overwhelmed at the thought of decluttering your home, don’t stress. That’s exactly why TOP is here to help, and you can start by downloading our eBook for a simple step by step guide to help you tackle any space of your home. "The Ultimate Guide To Organising Your Home"

I would love to hear how you guys go with this challenge, and I would also love to hear of any special tips of your own that you might have!

To check in with those of you who took on our meal planning challenge last month, how is it all going? As always, please feel free to pass on any feedback, ideas, frustrations or reflections! At the end of the day, we’re all in this together.

Take care in the meantime, and we will be back again before you know it!