Love your space
2 minute read
Many of us have that space at home we want to avoid at times: a home office piled high with papers and unfinished business, a spare room filled with boxes, bags and general clutter, or maybe a kitchen that doesn’t quite feel as welcoming as it should. We should feel calm and relaxed in our homes, but when things go a bit ‘off’, we can start to fall out of love with it.
Take for example, the home office.
It was once set up for you to carry out work and life admin without distractions. It was a calm, inspiring place to produce great things. Now, it’s become the dumping ground for everyone else’s indecisions. The pile of clothes meant to be listed on Vinted. The Christmas gifts that nobody wants. The things you plan to pass on to a friend…someday. Mementoes piled on one side whilst you think about what to do with them longer term.
APDO member Amanda Manson sees this ALL the time! In fact, the home office is the room she's most often asked to work on with clients. She even has to work on her own home office on occasion… But that’s ok because Amanda acknowledges that life gets busy and things pile up, but then things need to be sorted out and reorganised again – not just once, but on a regular basis.
Life is continually evolving and, along with your priorities and interests, use of the spaces in your home evolves too. Amanda knows that for you to fall back in love with your room you need to start with confronting that physical clutter head-on, so you can enjoy your space and regain your focus.
To help you get there, Amanda shares three of her tried-and-tested tips for decluttering the ‘stuff’ itself, to help you reclaim that space and make it feel like the home you love again.
1. Start Small, But Make it Consistent
Decluttering a space doesn’t need to be overwhelming. Start with a shelf, drawer or surface – even the floor. Set your timer for ten or fifteen minutes, and tackle as much as you can within that timeframe. Short, focused effort, repeated daily or weekly, will help you to make steady progress without the burnout.
2. Be Clear On What Can Stay
Which things truly deserve a place in your space? Ask yourself: “Do I need it, use it or love it? Does it add value to my life, or does it just take up space in my head and my surroundings?” Commit to moving out any items that don’t make the cut and be brave about breaking the emotional attachment to things you no longer truly need. Remember to repurpose, repair, regift or recycle.
3. Declutter First, Store Second
Once you’ve pared down your belongings and rid yourself of the excess, it’s time to organise what’s left in a way that suits you and your routine. Start initially with containers you already have lying around and then, when you know the system works, upgrade to labelled baskets, clear boxes or pretty folders to keep everything contained and accessible. Effective storage isn’t simply about hiding clutter: it’s about simplifying the stuff you own and creating systems to help you to stay organised and tidy for the long term.
When you make time to address the stuff that’s weighing you and your space down, you notice a shift. Fewer visual distractions and more room to breathe. Your home feels lighter, fresher and more inviting. So, if you find yourself thinking “I don’t like how my [insert your problem area here] feels, so I never go in there,” just remember: a little decluttering can go a long way to helping you love where you live.
