6 golden rules of decluttering

Interiors

Out with the old, in with the new…January is the perfect time to refresh and reorder our spaces and reimagine homes and gardens for the year ahead. With the festivities over for another year, these long, slow days before spring finally arrives are a time for reflection and renewal.

It’s well-documented that a clean, tidy, organised home reduces stress, helps focus the mind and improves self-esteem. Clearing clutter reduces conflict with those you live with, encourages you to invite friends to your home – boosting wellbeing – and lowers the incidence of asthma and allergies, primarily because it’s hard to properly clean around piles of belongings. In addition, the experts say, you sleep better in a tidy bedroom. It’s easier to cook healthy meals in an orderly kitchen. You’re more productive and in control in a decluttered, well-organised office. And a neat, welcoming setting room promotes relaxation and switch-off time.

Before you start…

  1. Think small. Choose one drawer or cupboard to organise first. Little wins will encourage you to keep going and tackle the more complex decluttering projects you've been putting off.
  2. Set a deadline. If you have friends coming for supper at the weekend, it'll kick-start your kitchen cupboard clear-out. If the charity shop is coming to collect unwanted furniture or books, there's a timeframe you have to stick to.
  3. Set aside enough time. Allow enough time for each task – it's easy to go down a rabbit hole when you're decluttering. Just don't get side-tracked. Try to finish one element before you embark on another.

How to declutter, one room at a time

“Clearing out a house is exhausting,” says Jo Blackwell, an Interior Designer at Holloways. “So many decisions to make. So much stuff to move around. And so many memories to reflect on as you go through each room. Decluttering is fabulously cathartic, but make it a logical clear-up by tackling one room at a time. “But you’ve got to be in the right frame of mind, and understand that there are some rooms that’ll take more than a day to sort out.”

Rule 1: Have a plan

What are you going to do with all your unwanted items? Avoid feeling overwhelmed by having a clear plan from the start. Set up four boxes as you start on each task: one to fill with the things you’re going to keep; one for the charity shop; one for things you think you can sell on Vinted, Facebook Marketplace or eBay, and one for the things you’re going to bin.

Rule 2: Take everything out

Take everything out of the drawer, cupboard or wardrobe you’re sorting out before you start, and group objects together. If it’s the kitchen “bits and bobs” drawer, for example, group all the pens together, pile up the phone chargers and put all the screws, allen keys, batteries and everything else in separate piles. Decide what you’re going to keep – and then put those things back, still in their groups.

Rule 3: Be realistic

If you can’t remember the last time you used something, or you can’t recall who gave it to you, or why, it’s probably time to get rid of it. Worried you’ll change your mind? Set up a halfway house box in the hallway or spare room for possessions you’re ambiguous about. Go through it in a week or two, and see if your feelings have changed.

Rule 4: Recyle where you can

Lots of retailers now have schemes where you can recycle old products. John Lewis will take small electricals, clothing and beauty products in return for a voucher off your next purchase. Ikea will buy back its old flat-pack furniture, and will give you a credit.

Rule 5: Book a collection

If you’re clearing a whole house, before a move for example, book a collection with a charity like St Richard’s Hospice, the Red Cross or British Heart Foundation which will come and collect re-saleable furniture, clothes and homeware.

Rule 6: Reassess storage

A place for everything, and everything in its place, as Benjamin Franklin, one of the founding fathers of the United States once sagely said. 

"Practical storage is key to the decluttering process," adds Jo. "There’s no point rationalising your possessions if, at the end, you’ve still got nowhere to put anything. Our showrooms are full of ingenious storage solutions, from office cabinets to kitchen must-haves, and bedroom and sitting room storage that’s both elegant and functional. Bring your measurements and our team will always be on hand to help and advise on everything from features to paint colours."

Room by Room…

Chichester Housekeepers Cupboard

Kitchen and Utility Room

Neptune’s Chichester Housekeepers’ Cupboard is as beautiful as it is practical. Available in 28 custom-painted shades, elevate your kitchen, laundry room or utility with a piece of furniture that’s been designed for the job. With three fully-adjustable shelves and three large drawers, it’s a fabulous pantry, or a great place to hide away washing powder, cleaning products and ironing must-haves.

The Ardingly cabinet is another multi-functional piece. Available in the same bespoke paint shades, with standard or marble shelves and integral lighting, it doubles as a drinks cabinet, coffee station, free-standing pantry or roomy kitchen cupboard. It's a useful addition to the bathroom, too, or the home office.

Ardingly cabinet

Sitting Room

We love the Chawton cabinetry system. From low sideboards to wine racks, bookcases to glass-fronted display cabinets, mix and match heights and sizes to create your own, bespoke piece of furniture. Choose from 28 gorgeous paint shades and add to it as your house – or your family – grows.

Chawton TV cabinet

Storage footstools are a must to keep sitting room clutter away. Try the Lucca Storage Footstool for contemporary interiors, in a huge array of upholstery options. The Malvern, Fulham and Mojo Storage Footstools are great in traditional or modern schemes.

Lucca, Malvern & Fulham Storage Footstools

Who doesn’t love a night in front of the telly. But when the box set binge is over, staring at a black box doesn’t exactly bring joy. An entertainment cabinet like the Henley TV Dresser is the perfect solution, with plenty of space for the TV and drawers for the remotes and chargers. When you’re done watching, close the doors and enjoy the smart cabinetry.

Henley entertainment TV cabinet

Hallway

Console tables are a great way to hide household admin in the hallway. With deep drawers to stash keys, parish magazines and takeaway menus, the Henley, Henshaw and Chichester consoles are perfectly at home in country and town houses alike. And if you pair the Edinburgh console with roomy Somerton wicker baskets, you can stash hats, gloves, spare dog collars and anything else you need for day-to-day life, but want to hide.

Console tables

Bedroom

Keep linen, towels, cushions and throws tucked away in the Eloise Ottoman, available in a huge choice of muted linens. The Chichester writing desk doubles as a pretty dressing table, with a deep drawer for beauty products whose aesthetic appeal doesn’t quite match your own.

Eloise ottoman

Boot room

The Edinburgh boot room bench is a practical solution for boot rooms. Perch on the bench while you’re pulling your boots on for a dog walk. And when you come back, tuck away shoes, hats, scarves and anything else you'd rather not have on display. A smart coat rack, particularly one with a shelf on top, keeps outerware handy.

Edinburgh boot room bench

Home office

Gearing up for the nine-to-five is a much happier process in an organised office. Try the Chichester Workstation – a clever solution with plenty of space for a laptop, cable guides and all of your paperwork, painted in your choice of 28 paint colours. Or consider the new Ardingly desk. Closed, it’s an elegant console table. Open, it’s custom-built for laptops and tablets, stationery and filing with discreet cable management. Choose your colour from 28 shades. The Henshaw desk, in a neutral soft grey, has five handy drawers.

Home office desks

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