Allison Homes shares expert decluttering advice to help tackle the big spring clean
We are excited to have teamed up with decluttering expert Maria Baker, owner of A Tidy Mind Cambridgeshire, a professional decluttering service operating throughout Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire, to share some top tips on how homeowners can organise and declutter their home this spring.
Kelly Toms, Sales and Marketing Director at Allison Homes East, said: “We understand that decluttering can be overwhelming at times, but the reward of a clear and tidy space is well worth the effort, both for practical benefits and more internal reasons like relaxation. This is why we reached out to Maria so we can help make the process less overwhelming and allow people to reap the rewards of a big spring clean.”
- Declutter before you clean or organise
Maria said: “Too many knick-knacks make it harder to keep surfaces dust free, and
excess furniture forces you to spend time moving it out of the way to clean. Take some time to go over and declutter what you already own and will not use again. Ask yourself whether you have duplicates of an item and whether it truly adds value to your life, or indeed if it still works.”
- Don’t try to declutter your whole home in a week
“You’ll exhaust and overwhelm yourself. Declutter in bite-size chunks of between thirty minutes and a couple of hours. Visually taking in a whole room can often feel too overwhelming and you may be at a loss of where to start. Begin with a contained space, and take it one drawer, shelf or cupboard at a time. Before you start, arm yourself with paper and a pen to make notes of ‘actions’ and designate rubbish, recycling and donation bags or boxes, so that you can see very clearly what you are letting go of.”
- Start with storage areas
“Attics, basements and garages are prime locations for clutter. Start with these areas first when having a clear out, as then you will have enough space to store things that you need. Another good place to start is a room where there are less sentimental items, such as the kitchen where there tends to be more individual cupboards and drawers. Here, you can start in bite-size chunks more easily, and seeing these small wins add up will increase your confidence in the process and help you to continue, as well as strengthen your ‘decluttering muscle’.”
- Make a decision and don’t get overly attached
“Clutter is often a result of decision delay. It can be hard to decide what to
do with some items and seem easier to pass them by, but by pushing through that challenge, that is how you will see real results. Ask yourself questions such as ‘When was the last time I used this or wore this?’, ‘Do I like it anymore?’, ‘Does it have a place in my home?’, ‘Do I need two of these?’.
“When it comes to sentimental belongings, remember that memories are not in ‘things’, instead they are inside of us. Of course, it is important to keep possessions that remind you of a loved one or a particular experience, but do you need fifty of such things? Taking a photo can help you hold onto the special memories or meanings attached to objects without taking up much space at all. You would be surprised at how much satisfaction you can get from a two-dimensional reproduction.”
- Complete the process
“Have a plan for where your decluttered items are going to go and remove them from the home as soon as possible. Bag them up and do not second guess yourself by revisiting your old decisions. Donate, sell and recycle after each session before you move onto your next task, so that it does not build up, and you will avoid procrastinating over your final decisions.
“As you work through your home, take time to reflect on how much lighter you are feeling, not only in your home but in your mind too.”
To find out more about Maria and A Tidy Mind Cambridgeshire, visit: www.atidymind.co.uk/cambridgeshire
At Allison Homes, we have a range of new build homes for sale. To take a tour of our show homes and gain some inspiration, head to https://allison-homes.co.uk/developments/ to find a development near you.
