6 decluttering 'sprints' that you can do in less than 30 minutes
If you feel happier, calmer and more relaxed when you're in a tidy environment, you're not imagining it.
According to a study published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, there's a direct correlation between having a house filled with clutter, old and unneeded items, unfinished projects, things not put away neatly, and low mood. On the other hand, people whose homes were organised, tidy and lacking clutter - described as "restorative environment" - were much happier, and had lower levels of the stress hormone, cortisol.
The researchers concluded, 'women with higher stressful home scores had increased depressed mood over the course of the day, whereas women with higher restorative home scores had decreased depressed mood over the day'. Basically, a tidy house really does equal a tidy mind.
But, it can be daunting getting on top of a cluttered home, or knowing where to even start with a big clear out project. Do you do one room at a time? What do you do with all the things you don't want anymore? How can you be sure you won't change your mind in a month's time?
One misconception about decluttering is that people face believe that they don't have the time needed to fully declutter their home, and assume they'll need at least a weekend to blitz through every room and cupboard. In reality, you can make a start in under half an hour!
Decluttering expert Sofia Vyshnevska, co-founder of NewHomesMate has had a long career working in the property market, and knows a thing or two about creating streamlined living spaces.
Below, she shares six ideas for decluttering sprints that you can do in thirty minutes or less.
Streamline your skincare shelf
Clear everything off and ruthlessly throw away any products unsuitable for your skin, for past seasons, or that have sat gathering dust for far too long. If it’s been unsealed for more than six months, chances are it’s expired, and if you haven’t used it in the last three months, chances are you never will.
And all those free samples? If they don’t match your complexion or agree with your skin now, they never will.
Group the products you actually use into types and give the items you use most often priority placement to stop your skincare shelf from turning into a disorganised mess again within a few days.
Sort out your sports kits
You don’t want to be late for practice because you can't find a piece of equipment in the clutter. Start by checking your schedule. Put any items for any sports you won’t play in the next few months in a vacuum-sealed bag or labeled bin and store it out of sight. If you’re an ambitious athlete, the pile will still be huge—but half of it you won’t need.
Is it falling apart, does it look shabby, or do you have three of the same item? Get rid of the duplicates and discard any equipment that has seen better days. Sort what remains by sport and assign a dedicated storage spot for each family member, making it less of a workout to find the right piece of kit.
Let go of the empty containers
We all have an old, worn-out hoodie that we can’t bear to part ways with for sentimental reasons, but surely you can let go of all those empty boxes and bottles? Dig through your bathroom, kitchen, living room, and storage cupboards, and get rid of anything simply taking up space.
Old shoe boxes? Bin. That almost empty bottle of facial cream that has sat on the sink for months? Bin. The lifetime supply of disposable shopping bags that you never use? Also bin.
Check the expiry dates
I’m sure you regularly check your fridge for mouldy items, but do you check your cupboards? That opened packet of pasta won’t last forever, and while it might not show the telltale signs that it's gone off, its flavour and texture will degrade with time.
You will be surprised just how many products in our homes expire, so check your medicine cabinet and makeup drawers too while you’ve got the decluttering bug, and throw anything out of date — especially if they've sat through a summer or two.
Use the ‘empty box’ method
You won't make a dent if you keep overthinking. That dress you haven't worn in years? If you let sentiment sway you, it will sit in the back of your wardrobe for another decade. But you don't have to throw everything away… yet.
Grab an empty box and spend 10 minutes in each room sorting through the stuff you hardly use. Don't overthink it. Just do it, then hide the box out of sight for a few months. Because you're not consigning your possessions to the scrap heap, emotion is less likely to cloud your decisions.
Once you finally open the box, you'll realise you’ve already forgotten about half the stuff in there — and it will be far easier to throw it away.
Don’t let the kids decide
Between the kids and dogs, I bet your home is overflowing with toys, most of which are broken, missing parts, or haven't been used in years.
Don't ask if you can throw it away — they will undoubtedly say every item is their favourite that they can't live without — so make the tough decisions for them. Do they need this or does it hold any sentimental value? If the answer is no, be ruthless.
For peace of mind, put them in a box for a few weeks. If they don't notice they're gone, the charity shop awaits.
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