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Spring is here! And there is a common word that often comes after it….cleaning! It’s the time of year where you spend your weekend with your head in cupboards, finding things you completely forgot you had and can’t even remember buying.
Having an organised, decluttered space helps me feel on top of things and makes your house feel so much more like a home. But tidying isn’t everyone’s favourite past time so here are a few tips on how to start the de-cluttering process, and make it an ongoing work of art...  1: De-clutter storage space firstYou need somewhere to move your stuff too, a storage station, so clean out some space in the garage or spare room to move things that you aren’t too sure what to do with as you are de-cluttering. 2: Don't pull everything out all at once If you do this, you will be compleltely overwhelmed. Only work on one cupboard/wardrobe at a time. Make sure you finish a room before moving to another room, and try not to spend all weekend doing the whole house (unless you would prefer not to drag it out.)
Sometimes just doing half an hour a day over a couple of weeks can be preferable for some people. 3: Take two boxes (or laundry baskets) with you One box is for things you will just get rid of, whether you will sell it in a garage sale, on Trade Me or just plain bin. The other is for things you want to keep but not for immediate use.  4: Be ruthlessIf you want to be clutter free, get rid of five platters if you have ten! If you don’t want mess and things falling out at you when you open the hall cupboard, you need to just be tough. If you know you haven’t used it in the past six months, you probably don’t need it! If you are unsure, put it in the box of things you want to keep and at the end of your decluttering, go through that box again and be ruthless once more. 5: Make sure everything has its place The iron shouldn’t be sitting on the dining room table and the kitchen bench shouldn’t have bowls and plates sitting on top of it. It looks messy and makes it difficult when you need to use the space. Everything should have somewhere it ‘lives’ and once it is finished with, put it back – it makes it so easy to maintain your decluttered house. 4: Use some organising/storage tools You don’t have to spend a huge amount of money, but it is good to have some specific storage containers that can help keep paper/bills/loose bits and pieces in order (so they aren’t scattered around your house!). Try some hooks near the door for your keys, a couple of big plastic boxes for toys (all you have to do to tidy is get the kids to pop them back in when they have finished playing and stack easily in the corner), and a concertina file for contracts/important papers/bills that have been paid. Just visit Plastic Box or Payless Plastics for some great organising inspirations! 
5: Prepare/plan ahead
Depending on whose at home, whether it's just you or you plus your hubby and kids, hunger pains will crop up every few hours, so have an easy dinner planned and also an uncomplicated lunch. Make sure you do slot in breaks for a cuppa and snack, because sometimes that little fuel boost can help you stay focused, motivated and more efficient for longer if you are trying to do it all at once!
6: Labelling
If you go crazy popping everything into plastic boxes (which are recommended for storage because they don’t deteriorate like cardboard, stack easier and protect your belongings) make sure you label it with detail (if you are like Monica off Friends, you could go as far as sticking a list of contents on the outside!). This will make it easier to find things without having too get frustrated looking through every box!
7: Happy families!
When you put away your linen, do you shove it all in without dividing it up? Let me remind you that those lazy actions will turn into a huge pain when all you need to do is grab a pillow case! Make certain shelves for certain things. That goes for your kitchen pantry and bathroom cabinet, it makes it so much easier to locate things without pulling everything out. Lots of beauty products? Get some small plastic containers and group into hair, makeup, nail polishes, creams etc.
8: Less is more
All the renovation, home decoration shows always go for a minimal effect and it’s for a reason. It helps a room feel clean, spacious and more like a home you can relax in. It is easier to keep it clean because there isn’t so much stuff to try and manoeuvre around or dust.
So what’s so great about having a decluttered home? These are just a few benefits:  Make your house look tidier: You won’t be embarrassed to have guests over!- Be less stressful: A clean, uncluttered living space is very restful.
- Save you time: No more will you turn the house upside down, trying to find your car keys or the remote control
- Help your children: To learn good habits for the future
- Save you money: You won’t have to buy repeat items that you have “lost”, because you will know exactly where the original is!
- Make your house easier to clean: Uncluttered surfaces are much easier to dust and vacuum.
- Be healthier: Reducing the amount of dust and dust mites in your house will improve the health of the whole family.
Erin
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