Spring Declutter 101 with the KonMari Method

Spring has sprung! It’s time to throw open those windows (and drawers) and let the fresh air in. Is your house feeling a little stuffy? Or maybe your home has lost that “fresh” feeling.

Spring is the ideal time to look at your home with fresh eyes.

Decluttering doesn’t need to be hard or feel like a chore. I help Aussies all over the country to clear out what isn’t working for them and create calm nurturing spaces we would all want to come home to.

Your home is your sanctuary ; your hideaway from the hustle and bustle; it’s a place to replenish, unwind and relax.

Here are my top tips to make your home a sanctuary this spring.

1. Understand Why You are Decluttering

We don’t book a holiday without first deciding where we are going. Nor do we book accommodation before deciding on what type of holiday we are craving; beachside lux, mountain adventure or city escape?! The same goes home sanctuary making.

Before you start get clear on the purpose. Take a moment to clarify how you want your home to feel and function.

Sally recommends taking a moment to understand why we are decluttering before starting.

Do you want to save time looking for things? Do you want space for new hobbies? Do you want the kids to be able to put away their toys? How about creating a reading room, a quiet space or an art area? Maybe you want to be able to host at a moment’s notice? Whatever it is focus on that, this is your new mantra. You will need to come back to it every time you get stuck (and you will get stuck).

2. Clarify who is responsible for what

In the KonMari Method we declutter only what belongs to us and what we are responsible for. Which means as much as you want to throw out your hubby’s bike trainer that you trip over every time you walk through the shed (the one he hasn’t used in 7 years) you can’t. That is his. You can ask him (in a kind tone), why it is important to him, maybe more important than a clear path to the door, but you can’t throw it out.

“For communal items like gifts, kitchenware & furniture, it’s important to decide on who is responsible for what”

This also means for those communal items like gifts, kitchenware & furniture, you need to decide on who is responsible for what. This will not only make it quicker as you zoom around making your home a sanctuary , but it will also save arguments later. Remember you are creating mindful homes, not domestic arguments. If you agree an item is shared, great! Then declutter it together and respect each other’s wishes.

3. Declutter by category

If you take away only one thing from this article, this is it. DO NOT DECLUTTER BY ROOM. As tempting as it is to open the hall cupboard and jump right in… don’t. Before my KonMari training, I did this all the time. Open a draw and organise. 50mins later I was tired, cranky and unsure where things should go.

When we declutter by room, or by drawer, we miss the opportunity to see a clear picture of what we own. We also force our brains into overdrive; it is too much to ask ourselves to make multiple decisions on multiple objects. Decluttering by category will improve your decision making efficiency, speeding up the whole process.

4. Only keep what “sparks joy”

Deciding what to keep through this decluttering journey is easy; it must “spark joy”. Every item you keep must make you feel good when you wear it, proud when you display it, jog a happy memory when you hold it or serve a purpose. If you get stuck, come back to your new mantra…does that item fall in line with how you want your home to feel and function? If it doesn’t then you can let it go with confidence.

5. Thank what you discard

“Thank you”, two little words my clients hear me say over and over. Thanking an item before discarding is one of the most humbling parts of the KonMari Method. Not only does it force us to verbally express gratitude, a proven technique to increase happiness levels, but it forces us to see objects as more than “stuff”. We are living in a consumer-driven society, encouraged to buy more with little consideration of the discard. The KonMari Method asks us to stop before we throw away and give thanks for all the items we have been so lucky acquire.

6. Resell, repurpose and recycle

Sustainability is key to Home Sanctuary’s ethos , many unwanted things can be resold or recycled. The Garage Sale Trail is the perfect way to reduce your environmental footprint after a declutter.

Sign up to this annual event give your decluttered items a new home. Check out our blog on Selling Secondhand Clothes.

Sally wearing the “Trailblazer Jacket”, as a 2019 Garage Sale Trail Ambassador 

What to learn more?

Visit our interview with Broadsheet , on How To Spring Clean Your House.

For decluttering tips, visit our blog on Tips For Downsizing.