Creating an exit strategy.

“I’ve decided what to donate, but now it’s cluttering up my hallway!”

“My sideboard has become a dumping ground for forms, it drives me mad!”

“There’s stuff piled on top of the boots by the front door!”

Before you even start your decluttering, investigate three charity shops that are close to you, what they take, and what hours they are open. Also check out the hours at your local recycling centre. Then make a note in your diary of when you are able to go and stick to it. In the meantime, designate a spot in your home where you are going to gather the items together before they are ready to leave your home.

If the items that are leaving your home are more like forms for school or library books, it is as well to make a spot near the door where they can be gathered before they leave. I have a wire rack by my door for this, and also a box in the coat cupboard for “lost property” - I have so many children visit my home and they invariably lose socks and nerf guns and this means everyone knows where to find them again.