Decluttering during Lockdown 3.0

There is no getting away from the fact we're in a lockdown again. Having now experienced Lockdown 3.0 for a couple of weeks, this one is slightly different from March. We all know what we're doing as we've done it before. Businesses who can stay open are trying their hardest to do so with Click & Collect and online orders, and luckily the Recycling Centres are still open in one way or another! 

Although most of us also won't be on furlough this time around, we definitely aren't going out in the evenings or weekends potentially giving you the perfect time to declutter!

Here are a few hints and tips on how to change your house from chaos to calm over the next month.

Book some time out

If you keep saying you're going to declutter and haven't set aside any time to actually do it then it won't get done. Get your diary out and find some time when you have at least three hours free. I'd recommend a morning so you can get up and get on with it, rather than getting sidetracked and finding excuses to not do it later but set aside some time. Write it down and make yourself accountable. If you have kids or partners, make sure they know what the plan is and get them involved or find something to keep them busy.

Find your exit plan

Before getting started, find out how you're going to get the clutter out of your house as soon as possible. Last time around some recycling centres were closed over lockdown but this time around most still seem to be open - with booking necessary. Sadly charity shops are temporarily closed but Facebook Marketplace and some local Buy, Sell and Gift groups are still up and running with the contactless collection and cashless payments recommended.  If you don't feel comfortable doing this, then find a spot in your garage, shed, or utility room where bags or boxes of clutter can be stored in the meantime. Out of sight is preferable, especially from children!

Give yourself a break.

Decluttering is tiring work, not only physically, but it can be mentally exhausting too.  Give yourself points during the day that you can stop and take a break without feeling guilty. Whilst boiling the kettle, plan your next few steps, and then you can get cracking as soon as you have taken the last sip and eaten the last crumb of your digestive.

Take a photo

Every time I show a client their BEFORE photo, they are astonished compared to their AFTER photo. Even if it was only a few hours ago, their brain had forgotten what it looked like at the start. Taking a photo before and after the work shows you how far you've come and the progress you've made, which is always exciting to see. 

Keep going

In every decluttering process, there comes a moment when you're ready to give up. You're tired, the room looks worse than when it first did, and you're wondering why on earth you started this in the first place! Just remember though, you have to break eggs to make an omelette. Usually pushing past this point, no matter how painful it may be, will get you over the hill and you'll be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Check back in a week. 

Doing the big declutter is only one part of the process, keeping the space clutter-free is the important bit after so drop a note in your calendar to remind yourself to check it after a week. What has made its way back into the room that shouldn't be there? Whose is it? Why did it end up there? Take a look at the routines and the habits your family have that could lead to that space getting cluttered again and try and nip them in the bud. Remember, habits take approximately 28 days to form so breaking 'bad' habits and forming new ones is not an instant win. Keep checking and dealing with the clutter quickly will help these habits break more quickly, though.

Book in for a Virtual Declutter with me!

If decluttering still sounds like a job far too big for you to do all by yourself give me a call.  As lockdown and homeschooling now make it difficult for me to do my job in person, I want to support you through another route. For this, I have developed my new Virtual Declutter Package.  Sadly I can't be there to help face to face, but I can give bespoke advice and tips on how best to declutter and reorganise your space, so it works for you. This is a great way to feel prepared to tackle your clutter and hopefully give you a guiding hand as you work your way through the mountain of 'stuff' you want to clear.  For more information and to sign up head over to my page below.

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