Always buying new things? Try decluttering

Decluttering your home not only brings clarity and lightness to living but can help you reduce overconsumption, saving you money. Follow these easy tips for a tidier home and a happier headspace.

By Sue Wheeler

Living in an organised home not only helps you find the keys faster, it can also have a positive impact on overconsumption, saving you money in the long run. “When items get lost, you convince yourself you need new ones,” says Lisa Hodgson, founder of online course The Intentional Home, who sees the impact of helping clients get organised. “When people pare back, they experience gratitude for what they have.” 

According to Anita Birges, organisation expert and founder of Mise en Place, wardrobes and kitchen cupboards are among the unruliest spaces in our homes—and a great place to start.

Where to begin

Pinpoint your goal  

“Defining what you want to achieve keeps you focused and leads to less ‘clutter shuffling’ and more meaningful decisions,” says Cath Buxton, home organisation expert at My Curated Life . “Do you want to feel less stressed and overwhelmed? More focused and productive? Or perhaps you want a simpler, calmer home?”

Start small  

Avoid overwhelm and start with one drawer, cupboard or shelf, says Buxton. “Empty it out and make intentional decisions about what to keep and clean before reorganising your items. Try non-sentimental items first and build momentum.”

Think ahead  

Before you tackle a room, have a plan and an endgame, says Birges. “For an office, do you need a shredder or storage boxes and labels? How will you recycle responsibly?” Think about these questions ahead of time so you don’t run into speed bumps. “Don’t shop to ‘stock up on storage items’—plan what you need. Measure twice, buy once—you don’t want decluttering clutter,” Birges adds.

Get comfortable

Birges finds that you’re more likely to finish a task if you’re comfortable. “Don’t stand at your wardrobe—take hangers to the bed and give yourself space. Use a large table or bench for  papers or cupboard contents.”

Find what works for you

“Systems aren’t one size fits all," says Hodgson. It might be setting a timer for ten minutes and breaking it down or a weekend blitz involving the family.”

TipAdopt a one-in, one-out philosophy or be more mindful when shopping to help stay on track and avoid buying (and finding space for) more than you need.

Kitchen cupboard basics

Organise, declutter and store smart for a tidy, functional kitchen.

Declutter and relocate

As well as ditching expired and spoiled foods, spices and vitamins, edit your drawers and cupboards. “You don’t want three sets of salad servers taking up space in a drawer you use daily so store them in a separate container,” says Birges.

Keep it contained

Decanting food into labelled, clear, airtight containers keeps it fresh and turns a pile of packets into a clean, organised pantry. “Store grains, flour, rice, other dried goods and anything that requires a clip after opening,” says Birges. Another advantage? You’ll easily see when stocks are running low.

Size up your containers

You don’t need a fleet of new containers but Birges recommends using the same type for each food category or shelf for a cohesive look and to encourage good maintenance habits. Buy containers large enough to allow you to decant an entire bag.

Declutter your wardrobe

Create a wardrobe you can “shop from” and enjoy every day.

Cut the clothes

“Most people put everything and anything in their wardrobe,” says Caro West of The Styled Wardrobe. “But the aim is to be able to see your clothes clearly so you can wear them all.”

We’re often sentimental about clothes so the trick is to have guidelines: weed out garments that don’t fit, are damaged or uncomfortable and multiples of the same basics. “We hang on to things because we feel guilty about money we’ve spent. But keeping them won’t recoup the cost," says Cath Buxton.

Keep things clear

Organise clothes by type and pick one from each when you get dressed. Another option is to hang work clothes together or by colour. Hang as many of your clothes as you can to maximise visibility. “With a pile, you’re tempted to just grab what’s on the top,” says West.

Tidy work

Opt for slim velour hangers for a sleek look that saves space and use shelf dividers to organise jumpers neatly. When it comes to your day-to-day, keep out what you’re wearing now and pack away off-season clothes.

TipDesignate a place where the whole family can put clothes to sell and donate.

Tame your workspace

Conquer these three clutter culprits to make a difference to your workspace.

Paper

While paperless working might be the goal, most of us work somewhere in between. Make a decision around this and look at what you’re unnecessarily keeping, from old notebooks to appliance manuals you can view online. Label five 10-litre storage boxes and spread them out on a table or bench. Sort and store the papers you do need into categories such as: to-do now, home admin, car and family.

Cables

Brace yourself: storing cables in a cupboard isn’t a decluttering tactic. People habitually keep cables “just in case”, when they have no idea what it’s for or if they need it. Instead, if you haven’t reached for a cable in the past 12 months, recycle it responsibly and move on.

Messy desk

Sit at your desk and move your arms in a semi-circle in front of you. The only items in this space should be things you’re using at the time, like a notebook, pen, phone and any work at hand. No old coffee cups or Post-it notes. At the end of each day, close the loop by tidying your desk.

Tip: “Decluttering your home may unearth past purchasing decisions that weren’t the best. The process of confronting and letting go of these unwanted items can be helpful when it comes to evaluating our next purchases,” says CommBank personal finance expert Jess Irvine.

Try these ultimate cost-of-living strategies

Learn smart strategies for reducing consumption and paying less with our Financial Fitness Program.

Related articles

Things you should know

An earlier version of this article was published in Brighter magazine.

This article provides general information of an educational nature only. It does not have regard to the financial situation or needs of any reader and must not be relied upon as personal financial product advice. The views expressed by contributors are their own and don’t necessarily reflect the views of CBA. As the information has been provided without considering your objectives, financial situation or needs, you should, before acting on this information, consider what is appropriate for your circumstances, and where appropriate, consider the relevant Target Market Determination, Product Disclosure Statement and Terms and Conditions available on our website. You should also consider whether seeking independent professional legal, tax and financial advice is necessary. Every effort has been taken to ensure the information was correct as at the time of publishing but it may be subject to change. No part of the editorial contents may be reproduced or copied in any form without the prior permission and acknowledgement of CBA.