Steps for trimming your clutter

Depending on the amount of clutter you have, the path to actually simplifying your living space can be a long one, so here are a few things to consider for starters:

• Focus on the quality, not the quantity of your things. “Often what stops us from clearing out the clutter is an irrational attachment to objects which have no real value even to us. Despite the mess and confusion, we fear throwing things out, thinking that we will use them, wear them, fix them and read them again,” says Hugh Kidman of Omrania and Associates. So, when going through the clutter and deciding what’s worth keeping and what’s not, think about which ones are of real value and you “rationally” can’t live without. “Purge, simplify, save the things that really matter to you- be ruthless, chuck the things that don’t,” says Kidman.

• Don’t delay. Storing your things is just a way of delaying the inevitable. To get you started, focus on one corner of your house at a time. “Once you have seen the effects of the first attempt, you are going to want to attack the next section.”

• Reorganize. For the items that you intend to keep: rearrange, renew, compose, compile and file. Decide on focal points by balancing features and objects with simple backgrounds. Avoid mismatching furniture, light fittings and cutlery.

• Manage and sort out objects by colour. “Think about each corner of your house, each wall and each room as a work of art to be admired. A spot of fresh paint and even a feature wall will renew your senses and make you appreciate your most precious things even more,” advises Kidman.

There are five ways that decluttering your home can help you make and save money:

• Save on rent. If you eliminate all the unnecessary things in your home, you might be able to downsize your two-bedroom apartment to a studio apartment. That’s more money in the bank.

• Save on electricity. A smaller space means lesser energy spent on cooling.

• Save on storage fees. People who hold on to their prized possessions end up renting a storage area. Dispose of the items in those storage containers and save tons on monthly fees.

• Save money on duplicates. When people live with piles of clutter, it is difficult to find anything so they often end up buying something they already have.

• Recoup a portion of your investment. After you’re done sorting out your things, sell the unwanted stuff to a secondhand shop or take them to a flea market.