10 Decluttering Tips

Sometimes it is difficult to find the time and energy to declutter when there is an overwhelming amount to do. So where to start and how to declutter effectively? If one of your new year resolutions is to get organised, here are ten tips that might help with the decluttering mountain:

Photo by Sarah Rudolph

1. Start with surfaces and clear those first before you start on bigger projects. The satisfaction of having some tidy spaces may help you feel the motivation to tackle bigger projects.
2. Consider starting on a space that is the most annoying/dysfunctional to you. Think through what is working and not working in that space and try to design a more effective way of using it by listing the functions the space needs to perform. Only keep what supports the functions that you listed.
3. When you are working on a project, clear out the entire space before sorting out the contents and then deciding what needs to go back. Although it can make a lot of mess, it is really helpful to see the space empty and make considered decisions about what to keep.
4. When working through the decluttering process, make a mental shift to decide what you will keep rather than deciding what you will get rid of. Remind yourself that others may be able to use and appreciate the things that are no longer helpful to you.
5. Use pictures of your ideal space to help you keep a vision in mind of what you would like to achieve. It sometimes help to start with the end in mind and to consider how the newly organized space will make you feel when it is functioning well and looking its best.
6. Deal with items that are easier to declutter first (for example, clothes or kitchen items) and then move on to more sentimental items later in the process.
7. Try to make the decluttering more fun by roping in a friend and playing upbeat music while you work.
8. Use a timer to make the process more manageable. Stop and take a break after the timer goes off and have a snack or do something else for a while.
9. Reward yourself for making progress with your decluttering projects.
10. Break up big projects into smaller steps and estimate how much time each step will take. Then schedule appointments with yourself to complete each step.

What is your best decluttering advice? How have you motivated yourself to tackle decluttering jobs?

Five Ways to Make your Home Feel Comfortable and Cosy

What makes a home feel cosy? In my mind a cosy space has a comfy reading chair, books and a space to put a cup of tea! But a cosy space is made up of many different aspects.

The following five tips might serve as inspiration to add a comfortable feeling to your space:

1. Fresh flowers or pot plants are a great way to make a space feel welcoming. Flowers or greenery picked from the garden or bought from the grocery shop add life to a room and freshen up a space. I like to put greenery on the dining room table as it is also the enterance to our house. We also recently potted up some violas and petunias for our outdoor table which is in direct line of sight of the living room. I was amazed that it only took a few bright annuals in a pot to really cheer up this small space.A fresh bowl of fruit can also be an inviting addition to a table or kitchen counter top. 
2. Cushions and blankets are also a helpful addition to up the cosiness of a room, especially if you live in a chilly climate or have cool evenings. In spring and summer, light weight cotton throws may be just the ticket to add some colour and texture to a room and as the season changes to autumn/fall and winter some more heavy weight wool blankets might be in order. I love neutral tones, but adding a bit of colour with these decorative elements has certainly added a fun element to our spaces.
3. Lighting is something I tend to forget about, but that adds a lot of warmth and cosiness to a space. Table lamps and floor lamps as well as candles and fairy lights can change the mood of a room from dreary to magical in a moment. Scented candles can also add a lovely atmosphere to an evening at home (or even a long soak in the bath). If it is possible to fit a dimmer switch to dining room and bedroom over head lights, this small modification can create a lot of atmosphere. It might be helpful to have "layers" of lighting that include overhead lights, mood lighting as well as task lighting.
4. Floor Rugs and carpets are another forgotten aspect of warming up a space. Especially in the bedroom where you step out of bed, it is lovely to have a warm mat to step onto. Rugs can also add a design statement to a room and add an injection of colour if necessary and they are useful for demarcating specific areas in a room, such as a reading nook or children's play area. They might also help to take up a bit of wear and tear in high traffic zones.
5. Artwork and meaningful items are the final touch to make a room feel comfortable and cosy. These can be anything that makes your heart glad, from quirky to classic depending on the mood you are trying to create. They are the items that really make a house into a home and lend personality to a space. They can also be changed seasonally or moved around to freshen up a room and add some pizazz.

Do any of your spaces lack cosiness? What are your ideas about what makes a space cosy and comfortable?