Hello, we are Sue and Claire and we run New Leaves, a professional organising and home staging company based in the beautiful Cotswolds.
We recently worked with Emma and Yasmin of Radnor Martin helping one of their lovely clients who relocated from London, and were delighted to be asked by them to share a few thoughts on decluttering and organising for Spring.
We don’t know about you, but we think Spring is a lovely time of year. The blossom is coming out, the days are getting longer, and although it’s been a little damp lately, warmer days are on the horizon.
The change of the seasons is a great time for a bit of a declutter and a reorganisation at home. And of course it’s traditional in many cultures to do a “Spring clean” – freshening and cleaning the entire home to mark the transition from Winter. Decluttering can also be a great way to lift your mood and burn off a bit of energy, which makes us feel good.
So here are a few ideas from us to get you started. We’ve deliberately chosen a few smaller projects that are not too overwhelming or time consuming but will go a long way towards helping you feel lighter and brighter and ready for Spring.
Smarten up your doorway – the entrance to your home is the first thing you see when you come home, and the first thing visitors see when they arrive. Now is a great time to have a bit of a tidy up around your front door or porch, declutter and clean it, and perhaps add some finishing touches like a smart new doormat or a pot of colourful flowers.
Freshen up your living room – spring is a great time to give everything a little facelift and you don’t need to spend a lot of money. Open the windows to let the fresh air in and give everything a dust with some nice smelling polish, take all your sofa cushions off and vacuum underneath them, plump up the cushions – a good cushion thump is a great way to work off any frustrations! Remove any obvious clutter like out of date magazines or newspapers, put away board games and stash children’s toys out of sight (a big log basket or wicker hamper can be great for this). Add a vase of fresh flowers or even just some foliage from the garden if you have one. Scented candles make a nice finishing touch.
Organise your Kitchen – clear out cluttered kitchen cabinets and drawers. Start with something easy like getting rid of expired food, duplicate utensils, and unused gadgets. Then go on to streamline your kitchen essentials to make meal preparation more efficient and enjoyable. We have many inexpensive tips for organising kitchen supplies, creating designated storage zones, and maximizing cabinet space.
Wardrobe – it gets boring wearing the same clothes over and over again, but that is what we all tend to do, especially during the Winter months, our ‘go to’ is to reach for the favourite warm jumper. Going through your wardrobe at the change of the seasons is great way to remind yourself of what you have for the season ahead, and the clothes that could be worn now but have got stashed at the back! Start by going through your closet and removing any clothing or accessories that you no longer wear or need. Donate gently used items to charity and discard anything that is damaged or no longer usable. Reorganise what you have, making it easier to find clothes you want to wear but tend to forget about. This is always a good project to do, before you go shopping!
Paperwork – sort through your paper clutter, including mail, bills, and documents, create a filing system to organise important papers. Make a designated place for paperwork that needs action, writing a ‘to do’ list at the same time is always a good idea. Shred or recycle outdated paperwork. Establish or update your paper management system, and sort through your filing. You may even want to digitize your paperwork.
Wherever you choose to begin, the important thing with decluttering is to remember that it’s a journey and not a destination – don’t try and do it all in one go. We always suggest focusing on the areas that bug you the most – so whether it’s the ones we’ve mentioned, or something else, take one step at a time.
And if you’re still struggling or you would like to turbo charge your decluttering, why not give us a call? We can work with you to identify your decluttering goals, and can declutter, sort and organise just about any space in your home including the outside areas. As there are two of us, we can really power through and you will be amazed at how much can be done in just a short space of time.
Is it time to move? If you are thinking of moving, Spring is a good time to put your house on the market.
When you are preparing your home for sale, it’s really important to make sure that it looks it’s absolute best, not only to reduce the time it takes to sell but also to maximise the price you get. This process is known as “home staging” – you can think of it as setting the stage, creating an image of a beautiful home that photographs well and will appeal to buyers.
Over the years we have gained much experience in helping clients make the most of their home. We bring a fresh pair of eyes to help you see your home as a buyer would, and can help you with the whole process from decluttering to rearranging the furniture right through to refreshing the interior décor and styling. We can even work with professional photographers on the day to make sure your house stands out in the listings. Again, if this is something you would like our help with, do get in touch for a free, no obligation consultation.
A smooth move? – moving house doesn’t have to be a stressful experience, and over the years we have helped many people move house. We can help at any stage of the process from decluttering prior to packing, to unpacking and organising your new house so that it feels like a home.
If you would like to talk to us about the many different ways we can help you, we are always happy to book a free telephone consultation.
To contact us by phone call Claire on 07720 887205 or Sue on 07989693263. If you’d prefer to email us you can reach us at enquiries@newleaves.info
