While I'm not the type of person to sit and make a list of New Year resolutions, I think January and the start of a new year can create a great excuse to make some changes, whether big or small and physical or mental. Over the last few weeks I have been trying to downsize the amount of things I own, rearrange my bedroom a little bit, and generally declutter my storage areas in the hope that I will not only have a clearer room but also a clearer mind.
I've had the chance to put up the lights and pictures I've been meaning to put up for ages, but one of the biggest changes I've made decor-wise is to move my bed off the side of the wall and into the middle of the room. Even though I have a perfectly good desk and chair, more often than not I find myself using my bed as a desk, and being stuck in a corner felt just as much a reflection on my mental state as it was a description of the bed. It has meant I've lost a bit of floor space, but I have to say a shift of just 40cm has really changed my perspective of the room and opened it out, making my white metal bedframe actually seem like a purposeful design feature with clear open space to each side.
Of course, this change has meant I've had to sort through and consolidate everything lurking under my bed, as well as in my door-less wardrobe (no room for a waist high clothes pile at the bottom of the bed anymore!), and a sudden need for clear surfaces has meant drawers, cupboards and shelves have had to be attacked too. There's a lot to be said for decluttering small areas as well as making larger space changes, in fact it can be a bit like decluttering your mind- letting go of all the extra 'stuff' makes room for the things you really need.
One of the things I've really struggled with is the idea that I might use/wear/need something in the future, despite not having even looked at the thing for months. Ruthlessness needs to be your best friend when decluttering, letting go of the things that you keep hold of just in case is a really liberating feeling and asking yourself "would I actually notice if this disappeared?" is a good way to distinguish between 'want' and 'need'.
The big sort-out isn't just for aesthetics and peace of mind (tidy room, tidy mind- or so they say) but also because I'm planning to move this year. Although I don't have concrete dates yet, having a reduced amount of stuff to take will definitely make my life easier now and in the future.
Even if you're not planning to move house, a good spring clean at the start of the year can do the world of good physically and mentally, and the infographic* below gives some good decluttering tips. I really like the idea of separate 'sell' and 'donate' piles in particular as I tend to do either one or the other, but creating two piles would make sure things go to the appropriate place (especially for items like bras and cosmetics which are actually very gratefully received by the right charities as donations).
Whether moving or staying put, a sort-out might be just what you need at this time of year- never underestimate the power of a good declutter!
I've had the chance to put up the lights and pictures I've been meaning to put up for ages, but one of the biggest changes I've made decor-wise is to move my bed off the side of the wall and into the middle of the room. Even though I have a perfectly good desk and chair, more often than not I find myself using my bed as a desk, and being stuck in a corner felt just as much a reflection on my mental state as it was a description of the bed. It has meant I've lost a bit of floor space, but I have to say a shift of just 40cm has really changed my perspective of the room and opened it out, making my white metal bedframe actually seem like a purposeful design feature with clear open space to each side.
Of course, this change has meant I've had to sort through and consolidate everything lurking under my bed, as well as in my door-less wardrobe (no room for a waist high clothes pile at the bottom of the bed anymore!), and a sudden need for clear surfaces has meant drawers, cupboards and shelves have had to be attacked too. There's a lot to be said for decluttering small areas as well as making larger space changes, in fact it can be a bit like decluttering your mind- letting go of all the extra 'stuff' makes room for the things you really need.
One of the things I've really struggled with is the idea that I might use/wear/need something in the future, despite not having even looked at the thing for months. Ruthlessness needs to be your best friend when decluttering, letting go of the things that you keep hold of just in case is a really liberating feeling and asking yourself "would I actually notice if this disappeared?" is a good way to distinguish between 'want' and 'need'.
The big sort-out isn't just for aesthetics and peace of mind (tidy room, tidy mind- or so they say) but also because I'm planning to move this year. Although I don't have concrete dates yet, having a reduced amount of stuff to take will definitely make my life easier now and in the future.
Even if you're not planning to move house, a good spring clean at the start of the year can do the world of good physically and mentally, and the infographic* below gives some good decluttering tips. I really like the idea of separate 'sell' and 'donate' piles in particular as I tend to do either one or the other, but creating two piles would make sure things go to the appropriate place (especially for items like bras and cosmetics which are actually very gratefully received by the right charities as donations).
Whether moving or staying put, a sort-out might be just what you need at this time of year- never underestimate the power of a good declutter!
