The $21 billion weight on homeowners' minds

A recent survey reveals that 21% of homeowners find decluttering too overwhelming, with many only tackling it a few times a year.

This article explores five effective and manageable methods to combat clutter, reduce stress , and improve mental well-being.

The bag-it-up method: A 30-minute solution

The bag-it-up method involves removing everything from your space and packing it into labelled bags or boxes.

This clears the clutter, gives you breathing space, and helps you understand what you actually use.

By sorting items into throw out and keep piles, you can make the final decision on what to keep and what to discard.

The anti-Marie Kondo approach: Telling off your clutter

One Reddit user shares a different method - telling items why they suck and need to get out of your house.

This approach is not only a good decluttering hack but also an opportunity for stress relief.

By being ridiculous and loudly telling off items, you can make it easier to let go of things you don't need or use.

The use-it-or-lose-it method: Giving items a final chance

This method is for items you can't quite bring yourself to chuck, even though they've been sitting untouched for months.

Give them one final chance by wearing, cooking, reading, or using them within a week.

If you love it, great - it stays. If it annoys you, makes you itchy, or still doesn't appeal, out it goes.

The 30-day challenge: Decluttering in increments

This method is ideal if you need a proper clear-out but can't face doing it all in one go.

For 30 days, declutter the same number of items as the day you're on: one item on day one , two on day two, and so on.

This approach starts off easy but becomes a real task by day 25.

The upside-down test: A low-effort way to work out what you use

This method involves turning everything upside down for a day to see what you actually use.

By picking a category, such as mugs, shoes, or books, and turning everything upside down, you can work out what you actually use.

This approach is a brilliant way to work out what you need to keep and what you can discard .

Attribution

This article is based on a recent survey by David Wilson Homes and a Reddit user's approach to decluttering.

The survey reveals that 21% of homeowners find decluttering too overwheming, with many only tackling it a few times a year.