If you’ve ever found yourself struggling to get rid of clutter and organise your home, you’re not alone. Studies have found that over 70% of British households hold on to things they don’t need, and struggle to know what to keep and what to lose.
Making the right decision isn’t about the pursuit of minimalism or being ruthless with your belongings; it’s about having the right tools to decide what belongings you value – and which you don’t.
The comfort of clutter
We can feel the need to hold onto our belongings, even when they no longer serve us, for many reasons. They may remind us of a cherished memory or loved one, or have belonged to someone special.
It’s also common to feel guilty when we get rid of something that was bought as a gift, worrying about the person visiting our home and asking to see where those egg cups they bought you ten years ago have gone. However, this imagined scenario isn’t likely to play out in real life, and if it did, a white lie won’t hurt.
Environmental concerns often stop people from letting go of clutter. However, there are many ways to safely and sustainably dispose of unwanted items, such as donating to a charity shop and utilising recycling schemes. Once you have decluttered, you can start your own low-waste journey. There is no use worrying about the planet if you are not happy enough to go out and enjoy it.
What is the point of decluttering your home?
Decluttering your home is not about getting rid of everything you own. It’s about keeping what you truly need (and want), while staying practical when assessing your space. For instance, no one needs four potato peelers in their home. While the item may only be small, every decision you make has a huge difference.
When we keep absolutely everything we have ever owned or been given, there is a price to be paid. We lose time, decisions can become harder, it can weigh you down and affect your mood, as the mental load that visual clutter has on our well-being is astounding.
It can affect relationships, and for those with depression and anxiety, it can have an enormous negative impact.
How to declutter sentimental items
When deciding whether to keep a sentimental item, you may want to assess if you still use it and its practical value.
If you no longer wish to keep the item, take a photo. Taking a photograph of an object and viewing it back sparks the same memory as having the physical object there. The item leaves the home and gets a new life, you regain space, and have a visual reminder whenever you need.
Choosing what stays is more important than what goes. For example, say you inherit your beloved Nan’s sewing machine along with every scrap of fabric that she owned. It all reminds you of her, but it’s completely taken over your entire dining room.
You love to sew like her, but you never have time to do anything with it. You may feel like you want to keep it because it was hers and it makes you feel close to her, but it’s taking up space and actually causing you feelings of stress now.
In this instance, consider turning some of the fabric into something that you can keep, that reminds you of her, like a wall hanging. If you are time poor, someone can do it for you, or you can turn it into an evening project for yourself.
The rest of the fabric can be donated, and you get your dining room back again. Think about how it would be to use that room again and see the special piece hanging there as the perfect reminder of the one you hold dear.
How to declutter children’s toys
The quickest way to declutter is by resisting excessive buying habits in the first place. In the short term, giving a child a new toy inevitably results in a smile on their face.
However, if a child has too many toys, they can quickly become overwhelmed, and they aren’t equipped with the tools to identify and verbalise the problem. They may even struggle to find the toy they want, and end up playing with the same things over and over again.
When it comes to Organising Children’s Bedrooms, less really is more. A thoughtfully edited toy collection makes it easier for children to focus, play creatively, and take responsibility for tidying their own space.
If your child is old enough, work together to separate broken toys that can be easily gotten rid of, toys that can be donated, and what they want to keep. When you pass on a sentimental teddy or toy, you’re not decluttering your memories. Memories live in you, not in an object.
The decluttering process
When you feel stuck, start small. It’s incredibly confronting to see everything you own laid out all at once, so choose a small area, drawer, or shelf. Don’t pay attention to anything as you pull it out; save that focus for when you’re making decisions.
This is a gentle way to ease into the process and gain confidence. You will see progress quickly, and once you’ve completed a small task, you’ll naturally want to keep going. Be sure to give yourself a breather between areas to avoid tiring yourself out.
If you’re unsure about an item, don’t let it stop you in your tracks, and instead put it to one side and come back to it. There’s no pressure to get rid of anything if you don’t feel ready. You want to feel good about the choices you’re making, and forcing decisions can have the opposite effect. When you empty an area, create tidy categories.
Top tips to decide what stays, from a decluttering professional
As a general rule, we tend to avoid asking questions such as “when was the last time you used X?”, as it isn’t often relevant. While you might not have touched the popcorn maker in the last year, you might still want it – especially now you’ve found it again.
Instead, ask yourself if you have room for it, do you use it, or will you use it, and crucially, can you live without it? Or, will you get more happiness from the space it occupies than from the item itself?
If you don’t use the item but feel bad at the thought of throwing it away, ask yourself why. This can help you determine where the guilt is rooted, and often, you may find it’s simply due to discomfort at the idea of letting go of your possessions.
Once you’ve determined how you feel about something and why, it makes the decision-making process much easier and faster.
How to keep your home clutter-free
With social media saturated with ads for products claiming to change our lives, we are influenced to buy things we don’t need more than ever before. Before clicking ‘Buy Now’, ask yourself, do I need this? Do I have the space for this? And finally, do I already have an item that has the same purpose?
Don’t be afraid to ask for help
Decluttering your home can be overwhelming. Thankfully, there are professionals equipped with the right tools and knowledge who can provide judgment-free support and physical help.
Many people may naturally turn to family and friends for help with decluttering. However, this can be distracting and make the process more difficult, as they may have an attachment to our belongings, making it harder to get rid of them.
Having a neutral presence in the room can give you the encouragement and permission you need to let go. No good organiser will ever pressure you to throw something away, and instead, they’ll guide you through the process and motivate you to keep going.
Contact Us if you need our help
If you’d like some friendly, hands-on help in your home, that’s exactly what we do. We work alongside you at your pace, helping to take the overwhelm out of the process and making sure the systems we set up are realistic for your life.
Take the first step to decluttering your home today. Send a message using the contact form below or call us on 07487792096 – we can’t wait to get started.
"*" indicates required fields
Customer Testimonials
FAQs
1. How do I know if I’m holding onto something for the wrong reasons?
If you feel guilt, obligation, or fear at the thought of letting something go, that’s usually a sign the attachment isn’t practical — it’s emotional. Ask yourself: Do I truly value this item, or do I just feel bad getting rid of it? If the item is causing stress, taking up needed space, or adding to visual clutter, it may be serving guilt rather than purpose. Recognising this helps you make calmer, more intentional decisions.
2. What if I regret getting rid of something later?
This is a very common fear. In reality, most people rarely miss the items they’ve decluttered. If you’re unsure, try putting the item in a “decision box” and store it out of sight for a few months. If you don’t look for it or use it in that time, you likely don’t need it. For sentimental items, taking a photograph can preserve the memory without keeping the physical object.
3. How do I declutter when I feel completely overwhelmed?
Start small — very small. Choose one drawer, one shelf, or even just one category (like socks or paperwork). Don’t attempt an entire room at once. Small wins build confidence and momentum. Give yourself breaks between areas so the process doesn’t feel exhausting. Progress, not perfection, is the goal.
