I’m a decluttering expert, here’s how to get your home ready for 2023
A PROFESSIONAL organiser has urged people to save money and boost their mood by tidying up their lives in the New Year.
Elaine McKinlay, 60, has been sorting clients’ homes for over 17 years and knows how big an impact some simple decluttering can have.
The lifestyle management consultant, who runs her own business Clear Mountain, reckons January is the ideal time to make easy yet impactful changes.
Elaine, who also led the Calming Chaos in your Home and Life course at Clyde College with two colleagues, says: “The New Year is a great time to set organising goals. Streamlining your home at this time of year sets you up for the rest of the year.
“January is your month to change your old buying and lifestyle habits for new simplified habits.
“A home is the people in it, not the items in it.”
Elaine has given tips in FIVE major areas to help people get more organised for 2023.
It might not be easy to do every one but her mantra is set an intention – and keep to it.
PAPER PILE-UP
IT’S easy to drown in a sea of paper and books – so start your year by getting these things organised.
Rather than getting reams of unnecessary letters through the door, clear out all the paperwork you no longer need and go paperless this year.
A clearer home and workspace helps to create a clearer mind, better productivity at work and clearer mental health and wellbeing.
Meanwhile, when it comes to books, decide how much shelf space you’re actually going to give yourself for displaying your books.
If you can’t fit any more books on the shelf, it’s time to get rid of some by donating or pass on to friends and family.
WARDROBE MALFUNCTION
WE are all guilty of hanging onto clothes that no longer fit – or we no longer love.
Restrict the size of your wardrobe for the coming year.
Use the ‘one in one out system’ which means if you buy something new, you have to get rid of something you don’t use.
Re-purpose old clothing or make cash with your old clobber by selling it on vintage sites
A streamlined wardrobe helps with decision making overload.
KITCHEN SINK
MOST of us spend lots of time in the kitchen whether it’s cooking or socialising with family and friends so it’s a good place to get organised.
Clear out any unused crockery or equipment. Decide how much you actually need and use on a daily basis.
The less items you have in the cupboard, the more you will use them.
An organised kitchen saves time and money and stops overbuying and reduces food waste.
DIGI DETOX
IT’S easy to get frazzled with tech, especially when our phones and devices are bombarding and bamboozling us with info.
So have a digi clear-out, just like you’d do in your home.
Remove all unused apps and file the ones you want into categories.
Keep these apps in their categories, so you only access the important ones.
And only use your phone when you really need to. Time wasted on digital interaction could be put to better use interacting with real people.
STYLE YOUR LIFE
IT’S not just your home that can be decluttered, your life can too.
And this will make a big difference for the year ahead.
Look at how you live your life, prioritise the things you love and discard the things that create stress
Have the courage to say no to unnecessary appointments and events.
The less decisions you have to make the simpler your life is. Less is more.