Fed up of the chaos that years of cluttering can create?
It’s a situation every homeowner will find themselves in at some stage. The spare room begins doubling up as a junk room. The garage starts to fill up with unwanted items and the attic or loft collects dust. When this happens, the home we once considered ours begins to feel overcrowded and crammed.
The good news is with the right house clearance strategies any property can be decluttered and transformed into an organised and practical living environment. Plus, most clearance methods are simple and straightforward. So, they can be achieved with minimal disruption and at a cost that suits your budget.
In this post, you’re going to discover:
- Why Clutter Occurs in Homes
- The Advantages of Using House Clearance Services
- Clearance Strategies for Every Room
- Making Choices on What to Keep and What to Let Go
- The Benefits of Your Newly Cleared Space
Why Clutter Occurs in Homes
Clutter doesn’t just suddenly appear overnight. Instead, it builds up over time, stealthily invading all corners of our homes. Until one day we take stock of the situation and it suddenly becomes a problem that needs to be solved.
The accumulation of clutter is a common problem for all households. After all, there are plenty of contributing factors. Busy schedules, emotional attachments to objects, plus the “just in case” mentality all play their part. Before long, our homes are full of things that we neither need or use.
It’s a sentiment that is backed up by the statistics. According to a recent survey, over 90% of British households say their home contains clutter. That’s nearly every home that is struggling with this same issue.
It doesn’t just take up physical space clutter also impacts our mental health, productivity, and even quality of sleep. Overcrowded and cluttered homes lead to higher stress levels. Which is why professional house clearance companies have become so in-demand in recent years.
So, if you have an extensive clearing job on your hands, you might want to consider hiring some professional house clearance in the Scottish Borders to make the whole process less time-consuming and stressful.
The Advantages of Using House Clearance Services
Clearing a property of unwanted items is a big task. A task that if left to us is exhausting. Fortunately, there are professional house clearance services to take the load off. Commercial clearance companies specialise in managing the hard work of sorting, lifting and removing.
Here are some of the services they will typically offer:
- Removal of unwanted furniture, appliances, and items
- Collection and disposal of all items removed
- Sorting out of any potentially valuable items
- Next-day or scheduled clearance services
- Environmentally-friendly waste disposal and recycling
The main benefit, of course, is saving time. Something that would usually take weeks if not months can often be done in a single day with professional help.
It’s also worth noting that these companies know exactly how to properly dispose of all kinds of waste material. Because, if you throw things away incorrectly you could land yourself a fine. For example, electronic goods, hazardous waste, and bulky furniture are all materials that have to be responsibly discarded.
Clearance Strategies for Every Room
The best way to approach a house clearance is room by room. Attempting to declutter and clear an entire property in one go will quickly lead to burnout and frustration.
The Kitchen
The kitchen is one of the areas of our homes that accumulate the fastest. We hoard gadgets, kitchen utensils, unnecessary appliances and food we no longer need. Every cupboard, drawer and shelf must be audited. Expiry dates must be checked. Double sets of pans, gadgets we haven’t used for 12 months or more must go.
The Bedroom
Clothes, shoes, accessories are some of the main culprits that bedroom wardrobes tend to be overwhelmed with. If you haven’t worn it in the past 12 months chances are you never will. Clothes that are still in good condition can go to charity, the rest can be thrown away.
The Living Room
Old magazines, newspapers, broken electronics, and outdated media items are quick to take over a living space. DVDs that never get watched, remote controls of no-longer possessed devices, and knick-knacks you no longer have a connection with can all go.
The Garage and Loft
Storage units and garage are where the rot sets in. Leftovers that include paint tins with dry paint at the bottom, old toys, tools, and boxes from last year’s move can all be cleared.
Making Choices on What to Keep and What to Let Go
The most difficult element of a house clearance job is making the choices. Sentimental attachment often makes this hard to do.
A helpful strategy is asking three simple questions about the item you’re debating:
- Have I used it in the last 12 months?
- Does it serve a specific purpose?
- Would I replace it if it were lost?
If the answer to all three questions is a hard “no”. The item can safely be classed as a candidate for removal.
With sentimental items, you can always take a photograph of the item before it goes. This way you have a record of it, but you no longer have to make space for it. Items that have real value could be sold. Donated or passed onto another family member who might want it more.
One statistic worth considering…
Hold on to “just in case” items very rarely pays off in the long run. A recent survey reveals 54% of UK residents admit they keep household items longer than necessary. That’s millions of people living in homes with things that they don’t use.
The Benefits of Your Newly Cleared Space
When the big clean out is finally complete, that’s when the real magic can start to happen. Empty rooms and free space open up opportunities that were impossible when they were overcrowded with junk.
Ideas to utilise newly cleared spaces:
- Turn an unused bedroom into a home office
- Create a new workout or relaxation space
- Set up a hobby or crafting area
- Enjoy the additional breathing space in other rooms
One of the best things you can do is put measures in place to stop clutter building up once more. Adopt a one-in, one-out rule. For every new thing that comes into your home, something old should go. This way, it’s much easier to maintain the positive effects of a deep clean.
Storage solutions can also be a lifesaver. If you label boxes, put shelves in place and have dedicated storage space for commonly used items everything has a place. When everything has a home clutter is far less likely to occur.
Wrapping It All Up
House clearance doesn’t need to be a daunting prospect. The process can be boiled down to simple tasks like:
- Tackling one room at a time
- Employing the three-question strategy
- Hiring a professional house clearance service (if needed)
- Putting systems in place to avoid future clutter
- Enjoying the new benefits of cleared space
Whether you do the clearing yourself or bring in professional help, the results are the same. A home that feels more open, looks bigger, functions better and supports a healthier and more harmonious lifestyle.
So, the first step is to just get started. Choose one room or even one cupboard to begin with. Once you begin and make some headway it becomes much easier to keep going. Before you know it the problem of excessive clutter will be a distant memory.
