Declutter Your Home By Saying Goodbye To These Things


It’s that time of year again! With the blue skies, longer evenings and sunnier weather upon us, many of us are gearing up for a spring clean to get rid of the clutter that’s built up in our homes.

living room

Interior Experts at Stelrad have pulled together their top tips to reduce the amount of unnecessary items that may be taking up valuable space. From half used sunscreen bottles to old cables, free up some cupboard space and create a more organised home in no time.

Miscellaneous old cables

Are you guilty of having a drawer filled with cables that you have collected without even knowing what they’re for? Many of us are but the more cords we accumulate, the less we are likely to find a use for them as the tangled mass becomes an intimidating prospect. With technology advancing so quickly, we all tend to own more gadgets, but the cables associated with them quickly become outdated and we’re unlikely to find a use for that computer cable which dates back 5 years!

Last year’s sunscreen

Especially with the unpredictable British weather, getting through an entire bottle of sunscreen can be optimistic thinking. It is common to store an opened bottle at the back of the cabinet for next year but then forget about it when the sun eventually makes an appearance again, collecting half used bottles with no recollection of which is the newest. It’s important to make sure that the cream hasn’t expired as it will no longer be effective, so get rid of ones which have exceeded the expiration date.

Unmatched socks

We don’t know how it happens either, but it definitely does! Whether you lose socks to the washing machine, holes in the toes or on your travels, keeping a single sock without its matching pair will only add to the amount of unnecessary items that continue to accumulate in your home. Sort through your sock drawer and pair all of your socks together, saying goodbye to any loose ends that you’re realistically never going to wear again. Top tip: any old socks can be used to create toys for your pets!

Odd socks

Unused planners, journals or notebooks

We can’t say no to a beautiful looking notebook, planning all of the ways we can use it for shopping lists, work agendas, journaling and holiday planning. But realistically, are you ever going to write anything inside or will it lie in the drawer of your bedside cabinet for the foreseeable? Time management is a necessary thing in the modern world but many of us rely on phone apps instead of a pen and paper nowadays. If you’ve got plenty of unused notebooks around, they could make a great gift for someone who loves journaling or doodling.

Too many random souvenirs

Collecting memories from your favourite trips overseas is something we all love to do but not knowing where to keep these afterwards can result in excess clutter. Having too many random knick knacks around the home will create a cluttered appearance so try to keep them condensed into one place. Whether you have a special shelf, certain sideboard or even a pretty box which is kept under the bed, having a sense of organisation will help clear your mind and home of added clutter.

Old condiments and spices

Jar of mustard that is too hot? Salad dressing that you don’t like? Spice that you only used for one recipe? Clear out your fridge and pantry to free them of any added extras that you’re realistically never going to use again. The spice cupboard and fridge door are common hoarding areas which are probably brimming with products past their expiry date that should be gotten rid of. Top tip: organise your spices into nice jars to maximise space and create a tidy appearance, labelling them with the purchase date so you don’t get caught with spices that are years old.

Endless plastic bags

As great as it is to save plastic bags with the aim of reusing them next time you head to the grocery store, having too many will make it hard to keep the collection tidy. Instead of adding to the pile every time you buy a new plastic bag, keep a selection of your most used ones and recycle the rest to give them a new lease of life. To make an environmentally friendly change, switch to reusable tote bags which are not only better for the planet, but will be able to hold more weight inside.