With living space at a premium in most places, our homes are often bursting at the seams with stuff. Over the years, we tend to accumulate things, from clothes to books and toys. Some things may even end up forgotten at the back of a closet or on a shelf. Does your home sometimes feel a little cramped because you have too many belongings?

Decluttering might be the solution when you just have too much stuff. It can feel liberating to get rid of unused items and free up valuable living space. Here are some tips for decluttering your home if you don’t even know where and how to get started.

Pick one area

Decluttering can seem like a daunting task. By starting with just one area, you can divide one large project into many smaller, manageable mini projects that won’t feel overwhelming. Just a couple of hours might be all you need to tackle that spare bedroom closet or the kitchen cupboards. This means you can easily declutter one small area in one free evening or afternoon and it will feel like you have accomplished something. Not only feel, but you will also be able to see a difference. Over time, you will be able to tackle all areas of your house and be left with a lovely, airy, decluttered home.

Use vacuum storage bags

Vacuum storage bags are the perfect helper for storing spare bedding and seasonal clothes in the most space efficient manner. In vacuum storage bags, they are protected from dust and dirt without taking up too much space. This is ideal for summer and winter duvets in the seasons when they are not in use as well as pillows and duvets you use for guests once or twice a year. Bulky winter jackets as well as any clothing can also be stored in a much more compact way in vacuum storage bags. You simply fill the bag with your items and then seal the bag. You then attach the hose of your vacuum cleaner to the opening and suck out any air remaining in the bag. This means that the storage bags are reduced to a much more compact size, and will fit into a closet more easily.

Donate unwanted items

Whether it is clothes you no longer wear, toys your children have outgrown, furniture you want to get rid of or household items you no longer find useful; if they are in a good condition, donate them to a charity shop, give them away or sell them on platforms like Facebook and Gumtree. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Not only that, but it is also more sustainable, reduces the amount of rubbish going to the landfill and promotes re-use. According to the British Heart Foundation, “just under a third of people (30%) have thrown away furniture, electrical items and homewares in good enough condition that they could have been re-used, sold or donated.” You can also donate furniture and other household items to the local charity Recycling First; you can find them on Macmerry Industrial Estate, just around the corner from Ladybird Self Storage.

Rent a self-storage unit for storing seasonal items and heirlooms

A self-storage unit can be the perfect addition to your decluttering project for storing seasonal belongings or family heirlooms you can’t part with. Keep your home clutter-free by storing items you don’t need on a daily or weekly basis in a storage room. That way you get to benefit from having a tidy and uncluttered home and not having to get rid of things you aren’t ready to part with.

Ladybird Self Storage offer affordable storage at our self storage facility in Macmerry, East Lothian. Our purpose-built storage units range from 10ft² to 250ft² and with 50% off your first 8 weeks, you won’t find better value anywhere else. For a free, no-obligation quote, please call us on 01875 816 222, email us at info@ladybirdselfstorage.com or fill in the form on our website.

Photo by Sarah Brown on Unsplash