Summer holidays are over and it’s time for a fresh new start this stress free September. With the new academic year in full swing, you finally have the whole house to yourself. But! STRESS! There is so much clutter, you’re probably thinking ‘where did it all come from?’ Decluttering your home can feel like the world’s longest task but it doesn’t have to be stressful or even time-consuming. That’s why we have put together some of our top tips for helping you to declutter this stress-free September.

1. Realistic thinking is key

Don’t rush yourself and try to declutter the whole house in one weekend. Try this approach; take your time by tackling one room at a time, you can even do it over a period of days if that makes it easier. If that still sounds a bit too lengthy, you can start by going through one cupboard first or a drawer and then you will eventually get into the drift.

2. ATTENTION! You are now entering a clutter-free zone

Sound the alarm, raise the roof, shout it out loud. Declare clutter-free zones, for example, the counter or a cabinet is at times the biggest clutter culprits. Clear all items from that area and make it a house rule that nothing should be placed there unless it is always going to be used. You want to get to a point where more less all flat surfaces in your home are free from clutter.

3. Give yourself 20 mins a day

Your main obstacle to clearing clutter may be that you simply don’t have the time. No need to stress, give yourself a mere 20 minutes a day that you promise to dedicate to keeping on top of your clutter. It could just be re-organising a cupboard, tidying up that one drawer in your kitchen that has everything or sorting out that pile of letters from the past month. By investing just a few moments a day, it can all add up to having that clutter-free home you long for, and of course, it keeps your stress levels to a minimum.

4. Get organised

Try having separate boxes or bags that have been labelled with; ‘Things to Bin’, ‘Donate to Charity’, ‘Sell’ and ‘Recycle’. Now the fun part, you can get your kids involved too with this part. Simply separate all the clutter into each box/bag and your set! Kick stress to the curb with organisation city.

5. Out with the old and in with the new

We all love to buy something new, but, remember that pile of unnecessary clutter in the corner of the living room. Do you really need any of those things? As the saying goes, “out with the old and in with the new” so for every new item, make a vow to donate, bin, recycle or sell an item(s) that you no longer want, need or use. The perfect ingredient for stress-free living!

6. Have a clutter basket in every room

This may sound contradictory but it is super helpful. Having a ‘clutter basket’ as it were, is great for chucking the kids toys in, magazines, newspapers, and other bits and bobs that generally does not have a set place in your home. To make your life that much easier, keep a watchful eye on those clutter hotspots and be sure to keep a basket there too. Then when it has built up, go through the basket and remove anything you no longer need. We’re sure those news stories are probably outdated by now!

7. Don’t give up

We know it is a long process and we know it can be stressful, but don’t let that get to you! When you start decluttering and organising your home, it can look worse before it gets better, but the key is commitment, persistence and patience. Try not to get distracted by other tasks, rather, push yourself to complete the current one you have started. To make it even easier for you we have created this handy poster that you can print out. You can put it up in your home to remind you of the easy areas you can reduce clutter in each room at any time of the day.