"Use it up" - simple steps to help stay decluttered. 💚

Just a few small words that can make such a difference in your home!

The full piece of wisdom that was coined in the "Depression" era goes further - "Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without". Even just embracing the “Use it up” element is is something that can really boost our decluttering efforts and perhaps more importantly, our ability to STAY decluttered over the longer term.😀

The benefits of using up toiletries, stationary (!), food, craft supplies, medicines, make up and more are clear. It will :-

· SAVE us money.

· be more ENVIRONMENTALLY friendly than overbuying.

· save precious TIME (Don't need to shop as much).

· ultimately give us MORE SPACE (less to store and clean).

· give a lovely warm feeling when you get to the end of something !

Most of us already KNOW it's a good thing to do but are we (And the people we live with!) actually DOING it?🤔

The start of a New Year (And decade!) is a perfect time to have a good ponder on this topic, question ourselves and consider the HABITS that will help. I’ve picked 3 common areas to delve into but the principles can be applied to any consumables.

1) FOOD

FOOD WASTE has been rising on the national agenda for a while due to its damaging potential Some suggest it has a similar impact to plastic waste. The stats do not make good reading. “Which?” estimates that over £15 billion worth of EDIBLE food is wasted in the UK each year (Approximately £70 per month or £840 per year for a family of 4). We can all take action on this front.

During the festivities we are likely to have had a "leftovers" meal or 2 😆. How often do we do that during the rest of the year? Is there an opportunity to plan in a weekly “Use it up dinner”? How do you shop to avoid having way too much of certain items ?

Let’s freeze items that are just about to go off, be creative with our meal planning and happily munch on ugly fruit and veg. The internet is choca block full of handy tips in this area if you’re not feeling fully inspired.

2) TOILETRIES

Despite my best “simplifying” efforts we still had more “goodies” entering the house than necessary over Christmas. There are extra bits and pieces dotted around the place, especially in the bathroom, making it more untidy and harder to clean. It is easy to let bottles, sachets, bars and jars build up if we are not mindful.

Do you have a tendency to open your next shampoo or bath crème before the last is fully finished? Are the shelves and cabinets bulging with part used toiletries? What would it mean if you finished one item before getting started on another?

Having a slimline approach to skin & hair care products by using the 1 In 1 OUT approach (Finish one, then onto the next) and storing “extras” away prior to bringing them out for use, keeps those surfaces clearer, the products fresher and you save on unnecessary purchases.

3) STATIONARY

Two of the most common items I see whilst working with clients on their clutter is part used notebooks and pens. Most people are surprised by just how many different variants of these staples they have on the go at any one point. If this is striking a chord with you then perhaps ask yourself a couple of the following questions once you have gathered them ALL together (Yes, go hunting high and low!) :-

How many do you need on the go or out at any one time? How does most

stationary enter the house? What triggers you to start another notepad? Where is the best place to “home” them?

Getting clear on what you are using, where you are storing (Or displaying) it and halting the arrival of more supplies can make a tangible difference. Having LESS may even inspire you to use them more for the desired intention.

So all in all, USING STUFF UP is a WIN, WIN situation. Let’s get going straight away.

What changes can you take that will make a difference in your place?

This will be just one of the conversations we’ll have at the “Clutter Cut” online group course aimed at getting your home more organised. It's starting 22nd Jan 2020. Could it be just what you need right now?

Find out more HERE