What's causing all the clutter - part 5

My fifth and final new de-clutter client last week had nothing to really worry about.  She isn't a hoarder, she doesn't have terrible clutter problems, she's just had a series of events happen over the last few years that have caused her to be surrounded by "stuff".  Caring for poorly family members has taken a higher priority than sorting the house out, and now that she has time to think about the house again, it will all come together quickly.

Lots of boxes were packed for charity, and lots of treasures were re-discovered during the day - I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

Once someone is ready and committed to de-cluttering a space, it isn't a difficult process, and the rewards are incredible.  Emotions often run high, and everyone's energy runs out by late afternoon, but the excitement at seeing the space cleared has a much longer-lasting effect.  Well done L! A great job done.

What's causing all the clutter - part 2

My second de-clutter client of this week is having a major problem with books, magazines and newspapers.  They are everywhere - in every room, in every cupboard, wardrobe, under every bed, on every surface.  And the worst sign of all is that some of the magazines are still in their clear plastic covers/envelopes, from where magazines on subscriptions arrive and don't even get opened!

Bringing every single book, magazine and newspaper all together into one room is the answer.  This will immediately create lots of storage space in every room for all the other items that haven't previously fit into cupboards, so a room by room tidy-up can now start to happen.  The room with all the books/magazines/newspapers can be tackled when the homeowners are in the right mood for sorting.  They will remove anything no longer wanted, and organise what's left. A designated space then needs to be created for these items - a series of shelving units maybe, and future subscriptions need to be carefully monitored.

What's causing all the clutter -Part one...

Part one - one of five new de-clutter clients this week.

Main cause of clutter - open shelving units for storage.

In the shops they look like this:

In reality they look like this, or worse:

Open shelves are for display items only - not storage!!

The de-clutter drought is over!!

What on earth has happened this week?!! I've only had a handful of de-clutter clients in the last 6 months, everyone's been concentrating on home staging and budget makeovers. BUT, I've got FIVE new de-clutter clients booked for next week! Wow! Looking forward to it.

Position the furniture for the photos

In reality, the furniture in this first photograph felt right - sofas and chairs positioned around the fireplace.  But photographs were impossible to take, as the furniture cut the room in half.  The second photograph showed the room more clearly, and there was still plenty of space, as the room really was a good size.

Put all your clutter on display...

An ex-declutter client of mine has just shown me this link.  A Chinese artist, Song Dong, has put 10,000 of his mother's posessions on display in an exhibition in London - five decades of clutter! 

http://m.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2012/feb/14/chinese-artist-clutter-london-exhibition?cat=artanddesign&type=article

BBC1 would like to hear from compulsive hoarders

Top Ten Home Staging Tips - No. 10 - Children's Toys

When trying to sell your home, choose ONE room to keep all the children's belongings in, so the rest of the house is clear. Here's the full house... http://www.homemakeoverservice.co.uk/g23.php

Another BBC Radio Derby interview - Is your loft strong enough?

I was interviewed for the second time by Aleena Naylor - this time we discussed a recent news item about a loft collapsing on a man in Essex whilst he was sleeping! See a summary of the interview, with advice on how to use your loft:
http://www.homemakeoverservice.co.uk/loftcollapse.html