5-minute decluttering hacks to organise your home

Decluttering often feels like a huge task, making it impossible to get started – but with We Buy Any House’s  decluttering hacks that can be done in 5 minutes or less, by the time you start, you’re already almost done! Have a read through our favourite tricks to make the most of the time spent organising.

1. Empty a shelf a day

Whether this is a bookshelf, individual shelves on the wall, or shelves in a cupboard, clearing one a day is the perfect way to ease into your decluttering journey. Do one shelf a day to stop yourself from feeling too overwhelmed, but still see the progress that will keep you coming back each day to get the job done. It doesn’t take too long, and you’ll see results very quickly that will have you wanting to get that next shelf done!

2. Rehome 5 things a day

Rehome in this context can mean what it needs to for you – if they’re things that you want to keep, you can store them more suitably, or if it’s time to get rid of them, they can be given away or thrown in the bin. At first, you’ll probably find it hard to do 5 a day, but it won’t take long for you to get into it and look at upping that number. Remember, though, if you can only do 2 or 3 on a certain day, that’s still an achievement. Decluttering has its ups and downs, and it’s all good progress.

3. Make a charity box

Almost everyone has got items in their house that we just don’t need anymore, but don’t want to throw away because we feel guilty, especially if those things are still in good condition. Building yourself up a charity box is a great way to get things out and avoid that guilty feeling, as you can know that those items are going to go to another home and serve a purpose there that it just isn’t with you. Add a few bits every day, and within two weeks, you’ll have a nice full box ready to donate to a charity that you want to support and can go to helping someone else that needs them more than you do.

4. Where you can, go virtual

A lot of the time, clutter is in the form of old paperwork and documents that you don’t want to get rid of as there could be something there that’s important. This is how a lot of the time clutter starts – so it’s the perfect place to nip it in the bud and get more control. If most of the paperwork is insurance information or bank statements, you can contact your providers and request that you have online bills and paperwork moving forwards. If you’re unable to do this, you can scan the physical paperwork a few pieces at a time and store it on your computer, so you’ve still got all of the information you need without the paper building up in your house.

5. Start on your wardrobe

Having spent so much time at home over the last 12 months, it’s safe to say that we’ve all got clothes that haven’t made it outside in a long time. That makes now the perfect time to refresh your wardrobe and get rid of pieces that you’re unlikely to wear again. Depending on the condition of them, you can donate or give to friends, or even look at selling online on sites like Depop, which is very popular for clothing. This will provide you with more space and can often be fun sort through, finding clothing that you forgot you had!

6. Focus on surfaces

Whether it be a dining room table, kitchen surfaces, or chests of drawers, the tops are practically magnets for clutter and are a very good place to start and see a big difference immediately. Pick one surface a day to organise, and within a week, you’ll have covered a lot of the house without feeling like it. Keep the rule of 3 in mind – no surface should have more than three things on. You can play around with sizes and placements of those three things and create a fun display, but a limit of 3 items keep away the clutter and will have your surfaces looking spick and span right away.

Decluttering can be a big job but breaking it down into little chunks, such as these decluttering hacks, makes it much easier to tackle and will help you clear your home and maintain it, avoiding falling into old habits!

See some more decluttering hacks and home organisation posts over here

Becky

Meet the award-nominated UK lifestyle blogger behind Spirited Puddle Jumper – a mum of three living in South East London! Becky shares the real ups and downs of family life, parenting tips, and lifestyle inspiration, proving that being a mum doesn’t mean you stop being fun or having other interests! Follow along for honest insights into UK family life and opinions on a whole range of topics, from travel and food, to beauty reviews, home and DIY, business and health and wellness.