A tidy home equals a tidy mind so they say.
And with each new year I promise myself that I’ll rid my house of clutter once and for all.
I made some progress last year and my kitchen and bedroom are certainly a lot tidier than they used to be.
But there’s still plenty of room for improvement and with two kids and a dog to contend with it’s not easy to keep on top of things.
Yet determined to carry on with my decluttering mission, this time I set about tidying my son’s room, which, with school books, sports stuff and all kinds of things scattered about, was no easy task.
That’s why I decided to head to the one place I knew would be able to help me Stacey Solomon-ise my home – B&M.
Some of the tubs I picked up at B&M to help organise my son’s bedroom
(Image: Manchester Family / MEN)
It’s well known for its many storage solutions – the like of which are recommended by the BBC show Sort Your Life Out host – and right now it’s ‘Organise It’ event is back with more containers and tubs than ever before.
There are so many to choose from and it can feel a little overwhelming deciding what to buy, but I knew that I wanted to keep things simple.
I got one large box with a lid on for £9, which I knew would hold all manner of things on top of his wardrobe.
I got a smaller £6 tub, again with a lid, for shin pads and other sports equipment to sit on his shelf and a few more plastic tubs, from £3, to hold everything from school books to toiletries.
It’s such a simple thing to do, but it’s made such a massive difference to his room, which looks a lot bigger without so much clutter on the surfaces.
There are so many storage solutions to choose from
(Image: Manchester Family / MEN)
And it’s inspired me to crack on with the rest of the rooms that need some TLC too.
Professional declutterer Janine McDonald knows only to well what a difference a clutter free home can make to your life.
A home organisation expert, the mum-of-two, from Swinton, Salford, helps people to live in a home free from clutter and says it helps them physically and mentally.
Next week, at 7pm on January 8, she is hosting a free webinar where people can join on Zoom to find out more about decluttering.
“Having clutter around us has a tremendous impact on our mental wellbeing. Far more than we actually think it does,” said Janine, who runs her own business Clear the Clutter Now.
These £6 tubs with lids are ideal for hiding clutter
(Image: Manchester Family / MEN)
“It affects our mood, our relationship with others in the home and adds to the constant ‘to do’ lists swirling around in our minds already.
“When we have clutter around, it makes it a lot harder to keep on top of things as the feeling of overwhelm can consume us, leaving us in a state of tidying procrastination.”
She shared some of her top tips for decluttering and organising, focusing on small areas.
“When starting to declutter and organise, break it down in to smaller chunks,” said Janine. “I suggest starting at the entrance to your home. Is it over flowing with shoes and coats? Put away what you don’t need.
Having everything so neatly stored away has made such a massive difference
(Image: Manchester Family / MEN)
“Second area would be your bedroom. By having a clutter free bedroom you enjoy a more restful night’s sleep, wake up more energised and in a more positive mood to start the day.
“In your kitchen, put away gadgets which aren’t used on a regular basis to give you more surface space. Check for chipped crockery – if it’s a really special piece consider an alternative use it for something like a plant stand, or a bird feeder.
“When organising your food cupboards, check for expiry dates – you know, the spices you’ve not used since 2008. If you have a surplus of a particular item, consider donating excess to your local food bank. Think about storage which creates additional space, like a spice rack which hangs on the inside of the cupboard door.”
As a professional declutterer and home organisation expert, Janine helps people to live in a home free from clutter
(Image: Janine McDonald)
Her top tips
- Use a timer for short bursts of decluttering. 10 minutes to sort a drawer
- Store like with like
- Use containers you already have to create dividers in drawers, old phone boxes and takeaway containers are great for this
For more tips from Janine, you can follow her on Facebook and Instagram. Spaces on her free webinar session are free but limited, so you need to sign up in advance here.