5 Handy Tips for Decluttering Your Home

Today’s younger generations love buying (read: collecting!) things. Whether it’s the latest iPhone or a new pair of runners, we just love ‘stuff’! But the problem of storage comes to a head when we all want ‘the next big thing’ …what happens to the old phone, that surfboard we tried once – or that ski gear we never got around to using.

Here are five handy tips to help you declutter;

1. Hold a garage sale or sell online: There’s bound to be a few things around the house that you haven’t used in a while. Why not hold a garage sale or list it on TradeMe and make some money off it? The timing of your sale could also help you get the best value – for example, selling toys prior to Christmas.
2. Put unused items into storage: If you do find yourself needing items on a seasonal basis, why not put unused items into self storage in the off-season? For example, Christmas lights, decorations & the tree only get used for 1 out of 12 months in the year. Ski or surfing gear certainly don’t need to be within arm’s reach all year. And if you’ve got camping gear… well, you might only need that on school holidays. Space around the home means it’s easier to find things, it’s less stressful and self storage is a very cost effective way to keep goods close, but not so close that they get in the way. They’ll also always be clean, dry and secure.
3. Rent your spare room: If you’ve moved your unused items into storage, why not rent your new found spare room on AirBNB or similar? Your space is worth so much more when rented out, than it is storing stuff you hardly use… plus, the cost of storage is minimal when compared to rental income in some areas – particularly inner city areas where space is at a premium.
4. Sell or donate your old clothes: A trick once made famous by the one and only Oprah was to turn all of your coat-hangers around so the opening faces you. Use your clothes as normal and then, after 6 months, see which items are still on hangers facing the wrong way. You’ve just found clothes that you hardly use and might be worthy of selling online, or donating to a charity.
5. Try the four-box-idea: Place four boxes in your lounge room (or just designate the 4 corners of your room) and label them as follows; Rubbish, Give-away (or Donate), Keep, and Storage. Go through your home’s ‘cluttered’ areas and cupboards, sorting things into the various boxes. Once done, not only will you have been given a chance to tidy up and re-sort cluttered spots in the house, but you’ll also potentially have more space, a chance to earn some money and a chance to donate to a good cause.

Can you think of anything else? Let us know in the comments below!