6 things most likely to clutter up your home
We all struggle with clutter, but how bad is it? According to a recent survey conducted by Dr. Beckmann, more than 70% of Brits are accumulating things they don’t need. That’s around 30m UK adults – a lot of us, but it’s not surprising considering the difficulties most of us face when it comes to decluttering.
Time, effort and mindset can make this chore a challenge. But there are methods and tactics that can make the job of getting rid of unwanted items easier. The same research has revealed the top six most stockpiled items, and we’ve given our best advice on how to deal with each of them, so you can give yourself a little more space at home.
1. Clothing (54%)
Clothing is something most of us can’t help but accumulate. In fact, 54% of Brits admit to keeping clothing they never wear. We love the thrill of purchasing new items, but once we’re home, trying to cram it into the wardrobe, it’s not such a good feeling.
To give your wardrobe a sort through, I recommend organising clothes into piles to keep, throw away, donate and sell. This is known as the four-box method, one of my favourite decluttering techniques.
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Consider how long ago you last wore certain items, and whether you’re really likely to wear them again. If there are items that no longer fit, think about how much use they could get from someone else instead – this can help you let go of them.
Clothes can end up on the floor if you're dealing with an overcrowded wardrobe. This is known as a floordrobe. Check out how to break the floordrobe habit, if this is a common sight in your bedroom.
Once you’ve had a chance to sort through your wardrobe and have given everything its own space, try not to revert back to overcrowding it. You could remove items as you add them or, even better, take a moment to consider if you really need new clothes before you shop. I’d often make purchases because they were on sale, but when I considered that something already in my wardrobe would need to go in its place, I’d think again!
2. Cleaning products (52%)
It’s not the first thing we think of when we picture clutter, but looking back at my cleaning cupboard, it’s not hard to believe. It was initially filled to the brim with all kinds of bottles, creams and tools, to the point where they’d be spilling out whenever I opened the door.
According to the research, the average Brit stores 16 different products under the sink, with 52% admitting that this space is overfilled with unnecessary cleaners.
It’s good practice to know what you have stored and remove what’s not being used. I even found spare multi-purpose cleaners, which I moved into a queuing system so I’d never lose sight of them again.
For those items you’re not likely to use, perhaps a neighbour or family member could benefit from them? Items can expire when opened and unused for a long time, so it’s better to find a home for these cleaners while they’re still effective.
I organised my cleaners into lines, with one dedicated to each room. Limescale and mould removers sit with the bathroom cleaner, while a cream cleaner for the hob and a stainless steel cleaner are placed in the kitchen line. Carpet cleaners are stored the back, while multi-purpose cleaners go towards the front, as those are used more often. Then there’s a little space for me to stack my microfibre cloths and gloves. To each their own on organising this space – the main thing is to give yourself easy access to everything and know what goes where, so when there is a sudden spill, you can efficiently lay your hands on what you need.
3. Books (47%)
Books can quickly stack up if you’re an avid reader. The problem is, there’s limited space on our bookshelves and overstocking can make a room feel busy and cluttered. Nearly half of us (47%) admit to storing books unnecessarily, so it’s a common issue.
I’ve reached the point where books have ended up stacked right up to the shelf above, and piled on the floor around the bookshelf. Not only is it difficult to find the next book I want to read, I have to pry it out of a tight stack to get to it.
If you’re facing a similar problem, taking the time to sort through your books is fairly straightforward. You just need to decide if it holds value and consider how likely it is that you will read it in the future, or whether it evokes any emotions for you. Perhaps you finished it while on holiday and are unlikely to revisit it. Much like clothes, consider if someone else would enjoy reading it – perhaps it could have another life in another home?
There are lots of options for those you no longer want: these can be given away to charity shops, passed on to friends, sold if they’re worth money or recycled at a recycling centre. You can find local recycling points for books at recyclenow.com. Do not add books to your home recycling bin without checking first – the glue that binds them usually makes them unsuitable for this.
4. Souvenirs (42%)
Souvenirs and memorabilia are some of the hardest items to sort through, which is why 42% of us admit to hanging on to them. They bring back memories, have an emotional connection and are harder to declutter. In fact, according to the same survey, 54% of us hang on to things we don’t need because of sentimentality or nostalgia.
I have a stack of photographs that still need sorting through in the front room. But the idea that once they’re gone, they’re gone, makes the task difficult. And there’s an entire drawer filled with birthday cards and Christmas cards from loved ones. But the pile only grows over the years, so something needs to be done.
Some of the most popular decluttering methods, including Marie Kondo’s KonMari method and Margareta Magnusson’s Swedish Death Cleaning, advise to sort through sentimental items last because it’s so difficult.
I recommend sorting through souvenirs and memorabilia last on the list to give yourself the best practice of decluttering. For each item, it helps to consider why it’s important to you and how much emotion it evokes. Would you have forgotten about it entirely if you hadn’t found it? Would it mean more to someone else close to you? Try not to dwell on your memories as you sort through; this can slow the process and discourage you from decluttering. It may help to have someone with you as you sort through to put things in perspective.
5. CDs, DVDs and records (40%)
CDs and DVDs are a little outdated these days. Despite this, 40% of us hang on to a surplus for one reason or another, whether it’s just in case we will need them again one day or because we can’t bring ourselves to part with them after spending so much money and time building up a collection.
Of course, you may still make use of your DVD and record collection, but even so, you’ll want to keep on top of its size. Ideally, you don’t want to store items unnecessarily unless they have some kind of value, or you make use of them occasionally. If you want to keep some but need to reduce storage space, you can always use a CD and DVD case, such as Amazon Basics CD/DVD Wallet. That way, you don’t have to keep the packaging. I use the same one to store our PlayStation games as well – they’re more handy than you realise.
Unwanted CDs, DVDs and records can be donated, sold or recycled, although you should check if your local recycling centres accept them by visiting Recyclenow.com.
6. Paperwork (38%)
Finally, paperwork often builds up at home, with 38% of us admitting to this. I fall into this group as well, with no fewer than three piles surrounding my home office. It could be due to a fear of shredding important documents, coupled with a lack of time to sort through it once it’s stacked up.
Regularly set aside some time to sort through your pile of paperwork, such as an hour a day; I have a good shredder ready for the occasion. You could try do it all in one go, but it’s easy to lose motivation and focus, and you don’t want to shred anything important.
For guidance on what to keep and what to shred, check out how long to keep paperwork. Once you’ve worked through the pile, it’s a good idea to keep all important documents filed away and organised, so they’re safe and you have access to them when needed. You can prevent paperwork from stacking up in the future by keeping on top of your post as it arrives. I now sort through mine every weekend as part of my routine chores.
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