Do you constantly feel you’re living with too much? Do you never have enough space for the things you really love? Or maybe you’re starting to feel as if your developing an unhealthy relationship with your possessions?

About 6 months ago I felt completely overwhelmed with the amount of stuff I had accumulated over the years. I realised that in some instances I started to let my possessions become more important to me than my own well-being. I can recall countless times when my siblings would want to borrow an item of clothing or a DVD to watch and I would allow them to (the majority of the time!). But whilst this item was in their possession I would fret about whether or not they were taking care of it correctly or if it was damaged and would look at the space of where it should be and would feel as if something was missing. I would then become very obsessive and pester the person if they were finished with it or not.

These sort of instances happened more often than I would like to admit and I realise now, after my phase of decluttering, how irrational these feelings really were. I had so many DVDs that I hardly watched any of them (in fact it made it increasingly difficult to choose something to watch) so it wasn’t to do with the fact that I wanted to use them. I realised that my DVD collection had become an  obsession – something to show off to people whilst they were over.

This needless worry and fretting needed to stop. I had decided that I have too much stuff, which I no longer have use for and it was time for me to part with it. But how do you take on such a challenge? With over a thousand items or so to get rid of, it can become overwhelming just thinking about where to start. Well here’s how I did it:

1. Tell your friends and family what you are doing – This is a crucial factor about making this work. If you become open about it then people are interested in how you’re getting on and it makes it more ‘real’.
2. Separate tasks – I wrote down what I needed to do and sorted out my tasks out into different subheadings. The first was getting rid of my text books, and then my clothing and then CDs/DVDs. This can help you get a little bit of focus when you’re starting out. After then, when you’re more comfortable and into the swing of things you can start doing them all at once. Make sure you make piles for things you want to keep, things you’re unsure of and those which you want to get rid of.
3. The internet is definitely your best friend – Some things are just too difficult to give away to those close to you (and sometimes it’s better to not give away your stuff to people in the same house as you as you land up getting it back some way or another). The internet helps you branch out to the rest of the country (and the world!), the greater the potential pool of customers you have the easier it is to sell. Using large and reputable companies such as Amazon or Ebay allows you to keep track of supply and demand (in order for you to get a decent price for what you’re selling). These sites also provide a large traffic of customers to their websites so it won’t be long until you have your first sale!
4. For certain items charity shops are best! – Sometimes it’s just good to let things go and give them to those that need them to most, free of charge. Alternatively, you could choose those charity collection bins you see in supermarket car parks. I used these to give away all of those clothes that I had which didn’t fit me or I simply didn’t like anymore (Just remember to check if they are wearable first! No one wants your clothes if they are torn up!) I would like to take this opportunity to thank my housemates and my brother for helping me carry all of those black bags full of clothes. I couldn’t have done it without your help! . These charity bins usually give your clothes directly to those in need in countries that are poverty-stricken, so what are you waiting for? Spread some wealth and joy
5. Constantly evaluate what you’re doing – Remember, if you’re wanting to declutter don’t think you need to get rid of everything all at once! Start slow and constantly re-evaluate what you’re doing to give yourself clarity. Once you’ve started to get rid of the stuff you know you don’t like, take a look at the maybe pile and see if you feel you need them anymore. You’ll find, for instance, in six months time after making the ‘maybe list’ that you really don’t need any of the things or you’ll find out that some things you really need in your life so you can move them over to your essentials list. Remember that your needs change, so don’t be afraid to change keep something. This isn’t about all or nothing. This is about scaling down your items to a size that is workable to you.

Soon enough you’ll be into the swing of things and it becomes an easy task and you’ll start to think to yourself why you even collected so much stuff in the first place. I found out that the most important things that belong to me are my friends and the experiences we create together. Owning all of those DVDs didn’t make me happier, it just distracted me from what made me truly happy. You’ll find yourself making a fair amount of money that you can use on the important things that make you happy

But my decluttering phase isn’t over, I still have a lot to go through but I’m pretty sure that I’ll be able to give my DVDs to those who really want them. It’s just a matter of time.

There’s more to come in the following weeks so just keep your eyes peeled to see how things get on!