Decluttering for downsizing

Ready to live a more streamlined, less stressful life? Downsizing is key. But, decluttering often stands in the way. This is where Jo Carmichael steps in to save the day. Jo spends her days decluttering homes and is here to make that much needed downsize a reality.

Jo has shared her five steps to a successful declutter and downsize:

1. Spark Joy

The classic decluttering philosophy by Marie Kondo says that you only keep items in your home which spark joy. If you don’t love it, don’t keep it. This is absolutely essential when trying to downsize. Suddenly, you simply don’t have the space to keep things that you don’t really need and want.

2. Be ruthless

It’s easy to become overly sentimental when downsizing and decluttering. Instead, put yourself in a pragmatic headspace and get a less emotional friend around to help you make good decisions.

3. Everything needs a home

When deciding on what stays and what goes during downsizing, think about your new space. Do not keep anything that does not have an obvious and practical home. This is the easiest way to avoid clutter building.

4. Be fussy

Pick a simple colour scheme or visual style and only keep things that really fit within that. Treat your own belongings as a store and only keep what you would buy again right now.

5. Back to basics

What do you NEED? Think about the absolute essentials you need in your home to be functional and joyful. Prioritise those items.