Derbyshire clutter consultant's tips to stop families drowning in their own belongings

The dreaded clutter! It builds and builds to a point where rooms can become unusable and inaccessible. Just having children in the home, can, in itself be the cause of a whole family to literally drown in their own belongings.

Well, this is where Georgina Burdett, from Hayfield in Derbyshire, comes in and she’s offered these tips to help de-clutter local homes

She said: “I'm Georgina and I'm a Clutter Consultant. I created 'For the Love of Tidying' around 2 years ago and have since been very busy sprinkling my fairy dust on to people's homes! I have managed to transform close to a hundred homes so far, helping reduce their items and creating relaxing and serene spaces that work for each family.

“If you have been wanting to declutter your home but thinking the task is too big or you just don't know where to start, then read on for my tips to get the job done!”

1. Mindset

Having the right mindset is key! If you start on a negative, thinking 'this is going to be a struggle' guess what...it probably will be. There are a few steps to take to switch your emotions and give you the positivity you need to see this through.

a) Choose the right time of day - I know I work so much better, have more energy and want to achieve so much more in the mornings. When is the best time for you? Make sure you start when your body and mind is the most active.

b) Visualise the outcome - Imagine what your life will be like once the declutter has been completed. Don't stop at your house being tidy, this is a bonus yes, but what else? Imagine the effect this is going to have on your WHOLE life, day to day, how you are going to find everything you need in an instant, how efficient you will be, how much happier your family is going to be, the money you could save by reducing the amount you buy, the positive effect it will have on your stress and anxiety levels, your energy, your sleep and your ability to relax. You will be able to look around you and just sit and relax, your mind will slow and your health could even improve!

c) Most importantly, BELIEVE IN YOURSELF! You can absolutely do this, these are your things, you know what you use and don't, you can make your home a gorgeous home to be in. Follow my next steps to make the process easier....

2. Managing Your Expectations

a) Take small steps - The most common mistake I come across in my experience is where people consider a decluttering of a house as one task. This is absolutely not the case. It is a process, one that could take months. But, once you start, the process will become easier.

b) Start small - this could be a 15 minute session, 30 minutes, a box, a drawer, a shelf. Anything that you know you CAN achieve and see through to the end. Once you finish this first session, the satisfaction you will receive and the motivation to keep going will be incredible. Starting is definitely the hardest part!

c) The decluttering process does cause chaos! - This can spread to several rooms. Sorting one room can lead to items being found that need placing in another room; this is unavoidable. As I said before, decluttering is a process and can take a while to achieve that end goal, but you will get there!

3. Preparing to Get Started!

Now you have the right mindset. You believe in yourself and you know what you can achieve and how long the process can take; let's get prepared to start!

a) If you can, have the house to yourself. Others will be a distraction and it will make decluttering so much easier if you are on your own, working through your belongings, being able to concentrate.

b) Plan where your unloved/unneeded items will go. Is there a great local charity shop happy to take your items? Do you need to research local charities such as BHF that can come and pick up the furniture? Is there someone else who can use the items, such as friends, a local refuge, playgroup or a school club?

c) Prepare a decluttering kit - don't worry this is not a bag full of items, but you will probably need dustbin bags, post-it notes or maybe food bags with a zip lock to store small items such as wires, and a marker to label.

d) Wear comfy clothes and make sure you have access to refreshments and snacks. I also like to play some of my favourite music to lighten my mood and give me positive, energetic vibes!

e) Take 'before' photo's so you can compare afterwards...or if you want to give up at some point. Knowing how far you have come and seeing the transformation progress WILL keep you motivated and spur you on.

4. Tips to Starting

a) Start on the area that causes the most stress - this will give you the biggest impact and the greatest satisfaction when complete. Remember to keep the first task small, so this could be just a small part of this 'stress inducing' area.

b) Just get started! Don't procrastinate, just pick up the first item and make a decision (the 1-touch rule!). Once you start it gets easier. Procrastinating wastes time, does not achieve anything and can lead to feeling overwhelmed.

5. And Remember...

a) A lot of social media images are staged - These images do not show real lived in homes!

b) My biggest tip of them all - Keep what you love - don't try to decide what you need to get rid of, it's so much harder!

Lastly - remember you are making the first step to improving your life, you are making progress to transform your home in to a relaxing place, an environment you will love, your gorgeous home you will be able to welcome guests with pride.

If you still need support, I will be happy to help. I offer a range of packages, to suit your needs. Please visit my website at www.fortheloveoftidying.co.uk to see my packages and prices and book a free call to find out more.

I have also created a free Facebook group called 'Decluttering & Organising for Busy, Working Parents'. This is a lovely community where we share struggles and ideas, advice and offer support to each other. It is also the first place to hear about the discounts and promotions I offer. See you in there!