Declutter – save yourself time

WHEN my mother died years ago, I spent months emptying and decorating her house and became used to making clear decisions about what was still useful/treasured, of use to friends/family/a charity shop/e-bay, or now useless wheelie bin was filled weekly, and questionable items were put in a heap I had to keep passing.

I heard of a good idea for items (particularly ornaments or things you have inherited but aren't attached to, and that is to put them in a labelled cardboard box with the date on and put them in the garage or loft for six months; if you haven't missed them in that time you probably never will.

It became normal to declutter, and I continued at home books I'd never read, clothes the wrong size or that didn't suit me, old pots in the greenhouse, discarded toys, bad photos.

It had been hard clearing out my mother's things dresses from special occasions, right back to when I was small, handbags, 30-year-old shoes almost everything told a story it was quite an emotional experience. I decided to change my outlook and be minimalist!

In a smaller house three years ago, I had no space to carry the past with me a favourite mounted picture of each parent, some chosen pictures of my children and long ago family and a couple of special ornaments were all I chose to take apart from useful furniture, tools etc.

It reckoned most stress is caused by things we haven't done, rather than things we have, items needing repair, lack of lightbulbs, needing to get the car booked for servicing or to cancel/confirm an appointment how often we remember in the middle of the night or when driving. When my life was very busy caring for lots of other people I started carrying a small notebook and jotting things down out and about if I went to write it down three times it was really bothering me and worth doing urgently.

A great idea I heard of to help action paperwork, and stop shuffling it is to put a dot in the top left corner every time you pick it up to action it or make a decision I feel silly when there are three dots; all that time I've wasted, it's made me stop procrastinating!

The result is of course less mess, and the likelihood that you know exactly where things are, no matter how often you use them. The best thing about it is that your house becomes a home, instead of a place filled with jobs you have to do the bookshelves just have books on and your kitchen drawer isn't a filing tray, your accounts are up-to-date and filed; it's much easier to relax.

I have helped people declutter, especially useful on moving or a change in circumstances: (people often want a clear out but don't know where to start); they can be so used to seeing the same items, and have become semi-attached to them, even though they are aware they'll probably never need them. It is a delight to see their faces when they have a clear corner, tidy lounge or bedroom, and they generally go on to make other improvements in their lives.

When we've made choices, and weighed up alternatives about what we want in our lives we feel pleased with ourselves, confident that we can make good decisions, and start thinking of other ways to change our lives for the better it's the garden next for me.

carol.dell@tiscali.co.uk