You know that magical, minimalist lifestyle you see on Pinterest where people have three shirts, one plant, and a single wooden spoon? Lovely. Inspirational. Absolutely not realistic for those of us who form emotional attachments to jumpers, old birthday cards, and that bread maker we used once in 2019 (because who knows, bread-baking energy might strike again).
If the thought of ruthlessly binning your belongings makes you break out in a cold sweat, don’t worry, you can still tame the chaos without going full Marie Kondo. Here’s how to declutter… sort of.
Start With “Temporary Decisions”
You don’t need to decide the fate of every object right now. Instead, try the “not sure yet” box. Anything you’re hesitating over – old tech, sentimental clothes, kitchen gadgets – goes in. Seal it, label it, and revisit in three months. If you didn’t miss it, you might be ready to part ways. If you did? Well, victory, you saved yourself from future regret.
It’s like a trial separation, but with Tupperware and charging cables you swear you’ll use again.
Rotate Your Stuff Like a Boutique
If your wardrobe is bursting, don’t force yourself into a tearful “who will spark joy today” crisis. Instead, rotate outfits seasonally, or monthly if you’re feeling extra. Pack away half your clothes and rediscover them later like a stylish time capsule.
Suddenly, it’s not clutter…it’s curated.
Designated Clutter Zones
No, not the whole house. That’s how chaos wins. Instead, give yourself one cupboard, one drawer, or one attractive storage basket where the unsure items live. It keeps the mess contained while you figure out your emotional relationship with your 17 scented candles.
And yes, it’s totally acceptable to have a “misc box”. We all do. We just pretend we don’t.
Digitise the Sentiment
Got cards, kids’ drawings, ticket stubs, or weirdly meaningful receipts? Photograph them. Create a digital memory folder. Then keep only the most precious few in a box, because some things do deserve physical space. Just… not all of them.
Think in “Homes”, Not Heaps
When everything has a home, it magically feels less like you’re drowning in your possessions. Baskets, folders, drawer dividers – they’re your friends. You don’t need to get rid of things; you just need to make them look like they live here intentionally.
Use Storage as a Bridge
Sometimes you will need a stepping-stone solution, especially during moves, renovations, or life-admin chaos. Renting a self storage unit for a month or two can buy you breathing room while you sort things properly. It’s not avoiding the problem; it’s staging your way to success. (And it beats shoving things in your mum’s loft… again.)
Be Kind to Yourself
Clutter is rarely just “stuff”. It might be memories, identity, future plans, or guilt disguised as a waffle iron. You’re not lazy or messy, you just haven’t finished deciding yet. And that’s okay.
The goal isn’t perfection, but progress. So celebrate every drawer sorted, every pile tidied, and every item thoughtfully placed in the “maybe later” box.
Slow decluttering still counts. And your space, and sanity, will thank you for it.
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