5 Things To Do Before You Start Decluttering.

1. Get accountable – plan to do this alongside a friend. If you don’t have a friend who wants to do it, join a group (such as Get Organised with The Tidy Coo), or a program with others (12 Weeks To Tidy) or if you’re really pushing the boat out, employ a Professional Organiser to help.

2. Get Together a Decluttering Kit, which should include pens for labelling, post-its (preferably fully sticky ones), scissors, and cleaning products, such as a cloth and some water for damp dusting as you go along, and a hoover.

You’ll also need boxes for your discards to go into – the classic four are Bin, Recycle, Donate, Move Room. I suggest also having another 3; a paperwork box to collect all the papers you will have to file later; a sentimental box, or area where you are going to store things you are not ready to make a decision on yet; and a travel box to bring together stuff that you only use whilst travelling.

3. Decide what you are going to do with your discards – investigate 3 charity shops and a shelter/refuge that are local to you, find out when they are open and what they take. Also find out the address of your local recycling centre, opening times and whether you need to book to go.

4. Work out where in your home you are going to store the things that may take some time to leave your home. Where will you store things to be donated, recycled/binned, or sold?

5. Work on your vision - I have recently written a huge amount on vision – if you would like to know more about it, do sign up to my email list: http://eepurl.com/hnB4uf

Now you’re ready to start! Good luck!