How to identify clutter - what to get rid of
Possessions come in so many different forms - from your child's first drawings to pots and pans, from Christmas decorations to income tax returns - that it is difficult to come up with a cut-and-dried rule that could be applied across the board and enable you to distinguish what is necessary from what is redundant. Nevertheless, there are a few guidelines that should enable you to determine areas of your life where clutter is building up and which items, broadly speaking, you should think about getting rid of.
1. Any practical item, including clothing, that you have not used or worn for over a year should be considered ripe for disposal. Many kitchen gadgets fall into this category, particularly specific pieces of equipment that reflect a short-lived enthusiasm for a particular type of cooking or a well-intentioned determination to bake bread or make pasta or ice cream that has not quite materialized.
2. Most duplicate items, including CDs, books, kitchen equipment and garden tools. Exceptions include certain articles, such as scissors, which you may want to keep on hand in different areas of the home.
3. Any item or piece of equipment that has been awaiting mending or repair for more than a few months. If you have managed without it for a considerable period of time, chances are you do not really need it.
4. Any possession that induces guilt. This is a wide-ranging category and includes clothing that doesn't fit or suit you; impulse buys or 'bargains' you regretted almost as soon as you left the store; books you have never got round to reading (ditto CDs, videos and DVDs); and gifts that you don't like or haven't a use for.
5. Anything that you are keeping on the off chance that it might either come in useful or become valuable one day. What is more useful and more valuable is the space that it is occupying.
6. Equipment, materials or supplies that relate to activities, such as hobbies or sports, that you no longer pursue - or have never quite got round to taking up.
7. Old magazines, newspapers and any other old papers or files that you are not required to keep by law or to maintain your career.
8. Many of us have blind spots with respect to clearly redundant items, which nevertheless linger on in cupboards and drawers. These include: old cosmetics and medicines; old paint, chemicals and insecticides; accessories and manuals relating to equipment that has since been replaced.
9. Anything that has not been unpacked since you moved in.
How to prevent clutter from accumulating
Once you have got rid of redundant items and restored order to your home, the benefits will be immediately apparent in an increased sense of space and a more relaxed and productive atmosphere, not to mention in your own glow of satisfaction. How to keep things that way?
1. Most people, excepting the chronically chaotic, have particular areas of their lives where clutter tends to build up. For some, it is clothing which causes the difficulty; for others, it is paperwork. Know your weakness and resolve to keep on top of things.
2. Sort through different categories of possessions at regular intervals (weekly, monthly, seasonally or yearly). Weekly is not too often for newspapers; seasonally is generally adequate for adult clothing, whereas monthly is more appropriate for children in growing spurts.
3. Make it easy to recycle or 'dejunk'. Dedicated recycling boxes help you to dispose of household waste effectively and responsibly.
4. Make use of the natural urge to turn a new leaf that comes in spring. If you wake up in the mood to get to grips with your wardrobe or filing cabinet, act on it.
5. Review the way you shop. If you find yourself constantly throwing out food that is past its use-by-date, your shopping list is not attuned to your present eating habits. If you know yourself to be an inveterate accumulator of non-essential items or someone who is unable to resist a bargain, cut down on the opportunities you have to provide yourself with something you don't need and haven't got room for.
6. Take the time to return things to their proper homes after use.
This is an extract from Sir Terence Conran's 'Storage - Get Organized'
Annie Deakin is a journalist, fashion and furniture expert and editor at mydeco.com who is currently interested in
design,
laminate flooring and
diy.
