Seven things you can declutter in the first week of October

by Lucy Moore | 5 October 2020

And another week is upon us! What will you purge this time around? Here are some suggestions…

Minimalism on Female First

CDs: It’s 2019- there is no need for CDs in your home anymore if you don’t want them lining the shelves. With the introduction of streaming- you can get all the music you could ever want through your phone. It may take you a while if you own a lot of CDs, but you can work your way through each one and create a playlist full of your favourite songs, so you never have to open a CD case again.

Anything that is a mystery: This may sound a little strange, but we all have odds and ends lying around that house that are a mystery to everyone who lives there. Screws for unknown places, wires for devices we no longer own, plugs for items that we no longer use and pieces of paper with indecipherable information on them. If you haven’t needed it until this point- chances are you never will and are keeping it ‘just in case’. If you declutter these things and then find out what it was for and need it- you will be able to order another.

Musical instruments: Perhaps you wanted to take up the violin but have never got around to playing it or use your piano more as a dumping ground than for its rich sound- it’s time to give them to someone who can get some pleasure out of them. If they are worth something- sell them so you can at least use the money for something you will enjoy getting use out of.

Carrier bags: If you are anything like me- you forget your reusable bags every time you go shopping and have to buy more. This results in your home playing host to mountain of carrier bags. Recycle the ones you can and keep a handful of reusable bags for when you go grocery shopping. Put them in your car if you need to so you will always have a few on hand.

Anything you are mid-way through: And have no intention of completing- that crossword you never finished- recycle the paper, the shirt you never mended- take it to the tip and recycle it responsibly, that photo album you bought and never filled- donate it and keep the pictures digitally instead. If you haven’t been inspired to complete something- it’s highly likely you never will. Be honest with yourself and only keep the things you are willing to spend time on.

Baskets: Most houses have a few of these lurking around from Christmas hampers and organising projects. If you have baskets in your home that are just taking up space and are empty- they clearly have no purpose in your home. Donate them to your nearest charity shop now!

GP paperwork: Most of us have some paperwork from the doctor lying around- from letters confirming appointments, appointment cards written by the receptionist and leaflets given to you when you visit on specific health conditions. If you no longer need these- shred them- they might contain sensitive information that you don’t want lying round for nosy guests to see.

Happy decluttering!