We’re in the thick of autumn, and my home looks a state. Between the overflowing laundry basket, the crowded kitchen counter and the avalanching medicine cabinet, I’m feeling more anxious than usual. It seems there’s never enough time to get on top of these things!
But now is the perfect time to take control of this clutter. We’re in the limbo between summer and winter, where temperatures are mild and we’re spending more time indoors. But where to start? I’ve rounded up 7 things you can declutter in autumn that will make the biggest difference to your home, so you don’t have to feel overwhelmed by it come winter.
Old Christmas jumpers
We collect Christmas jumpers year-on-year, but never get rid of them – how could you be such a Scrooge? Those jumpers soon mount up though, swelling to consume a huge amount of space in your drawers. That’s a bit silly considering you only have a limited time to wear them!
Take a moment to try on every Christmas jumper you own. If it fits and you still adore and wear it each year, then it’s obviously a keeper. But, if it’s shrunk, stretched, itchy or generating huge amounts of static charge, it needs to go. These can be donated to your charity shop or recycled via a local clothes bank.
Alternatively, if it’s covered in bobbles and looking well-loved, you can use a fabric shaver to restore it.
Summer appliances
You might still have summer appliances out on display, like ice cream makers and slushie machines. If these were used frequently over the summer, you can now move them into storage to save some counter space. But, if they didn’t see use, or they haven’t come out of storage in the first place, they’re good candidates to declutter from the kitchen.
Unused appliances are common in most homes. Go through your cupboards to round up spontaneous purchases that are gathering dust. I'll admit I’ve got a stick blender and a popcorn maker that’s never even come out of the box!
Small appliances that still work can be sold or donated. If it’s faulty, they can be repaired or recycled, check Recycle Your Electricals for options.
Musty winter coats
Before the temperature drops, take stock of your winter coats. If it no longer fits, you didn’t wear it last year or you just don’t like the look of it anymore, it’s worth decluttering to free up some space in your wardrobe.
If it smells musty and needs refreshing, you can wash it according to the care label. Machine-washable coats generally need a cold delicate cycle with a non-bio detergent. Any coats that need repairing or dry cleaning should be pencilled into your calendar, so you don’t forget about them.
Winter coats take up a substantial amount of space so you should wear every one of them. I move them to garment bags out of season, so they’re protected from moths and take up less room.
Laundry basket dregs
With all the thick woolly jumpers you’re wearing, your laundry basket is about to get fuller. That’s why it’s worth emptying the summer dregs from the bottom now. I’ll admit it’s been so long that I’ve even found winter jumpers at the bottom of mine, so I really need to keep on top of this!
Empty out the whole basket, and categorise your dirty laundry by wash cycles: whites, colours, sheets, delicates, sports, cleaning cloths, etc. Bag up each load (you can use pillowcases if they happen to be in the basket), then place them back in the basket and schedule each cycle on the calendar, leaving ample time for items to dry in-between.
Cold and flu medicine
Medicine doesn’t take up a huge amount of space, but as mentioned in the intro, it leaves you feeling overwhelmed when boxes are stacked and tumbling out of the cabinet. Seeing that flu season is here, it’s worth getting your cold medicine in order now should the worst happen.
First take everything out and categorise: paracetamol, ibuprofen, cough syrup, throat lozenges etc. Then take some time going through the dates on the packaging to separate what’s expired. Rogue blister packs have dates printed on, as will cough syrup, although the latter generally only lasts for a set number of weeks or months after opening. Anything expired needs to be disposed of safely by a local pharmacy.
When you return the medicine to the cabinet, stack in reverse date order with the packing facing the right way up – so the oldest gets used first, and you can easily find what you need. It’s worth going through to vitamins while you’re here to check those haven’t expired, too.
Unwanted ski gear
Ski gear is an expensive investment, and it takes up a lot of room at home. Between the skis, boots, jacket, trousers and goggles, a chunk of space has likely been sacrificed in your attic to keep it.
If you haven’t skied in some time, you should try the items on again to see how they fit. If they’re no longer suitable, now’s the time when demand spikes and you’ll fetch a much higher price online. It’s also worth asking yourself if you’re likely to go skiing again, or if you’re keeping the gear for sentimental reasons. Someone else might value it more and get more use out of it.
Itchy scarves
Lastly, don’t ignore the woolly scarf that keeps falling off the clothes rail. Try it on, along with your other winter accessories and consider how likely you are to wear them this year. If you've not worn it before and there’s still a tag dangling off it, that’s a key giveaway that it’s safe to declutter.
Lots of scarf and glove sets are given as gifts and we hang on to them out of guilt. But the giver would rather you weren’t feeling bad whenever you looked at them. Sell, donate or offer then out to friends and family (excluding the giver of course!).
If your scarf and gloves need washing, you can often use a cold, gentle cycle on the washing machine (refer to the care label to check), and put them in a mesh laundry bag for added protection. Hand wash if you want to be safe!
Wardrobe declutter kit
