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Get selling!

When you’re decluttering, you’re going to have to sell some of the items in your home. You need to ask yourself some key questions to ensure that you’re not on the road to ruin, instead of the road to decluttering. Ask yourself:

• Do I use this item regularly?

If you don’t use this thing on a day-to-day basis, and it’s a once-in-a-blue-moon kind of item, then you’d probably benefit from selling it, and using the cash for something else.

• Does it improve my life?

There are a lot of things out there that improve your life. Whether it’s a pizza cutter to stop you burning off your fingerprints (not ideal) or a bike that you need for your everyday commute, you know that it’s being put to good use. If it isn’t, sell it, and you’ll benefit from the extra space!

• But, really?

Finally, ask yourself whether you really want it. Like really really. If you don’t feel a burning desire for this item to be in your life for the rest of time, then stick it on eBay!

How to decide what to say goodbye to

Now, we all know the basics behind decluttering and everybody’s jumping on the bandwagon heading straight for I-don’t-need-this-anymore-ville. How can you actually join in?

• Think about how much you use an item.

If you’ve bought something and it’s spent the last few months sitting there collecting dust, then it may as well be serving a purpose for somebody else. Sell it, or give it to somebody in need.

• Ask yourself whether you still like it.

We all have those things that are the result of an impulse buy, and looking back on it, we didn’t really like them too much. We still don’t like them now. Time to get rid!

• Put your ‘maybe’ items in storage.

OK, so there are some things that you think you might need or want, but you’re not really sure. Check out some local storage rooms, and put your ‘maybe’ items in there for a month. If you miss them, welcome them back home. If they haven’t appeared in your mind once, say adios to them.

The mental benefits

Decluttering is great for many reasons, but a key benefit is the improvement of your mental health. An excess of stuff can cause stress and depression, and it can be difficult to focus on your everyday tasks if you’ve got a cluttered home. Give your senses a break, and allow yourself to focus on what really matters. It can seem like a small start, but you’ll be glad that you took the leap!