Decluttering

David and Gabby Locke and the Entire Tech team receiving their Switched on Business Award from City of Armadale Mayor and Chairperson of the South East Regional Energy Group, Ruth Butterfield. They were joined by Cr Aaron Adams (City of Gosnells / SEREG delegate), City of Melville Business Development Advisor Stuart Tomlinson and Sustainability Engagement Officer Jess Sutherland. Photo credit: City of Melville. 

Decluttering has received lots of media attention in recent years as a decluttered space is quick to clean and saves money too! An uncluttered home is a great goal, however for most of us it’s a constant battle. Find out how to win your war on waste.

Decluttering

Switch your thinking delivers a popular decluttering workshop. Check out the details of upcoming workshops  on our events page.

Decluttering has received lots of media attention in recent years as a decluttered space is quick to clean and saves money too! An uncluttered home is a great goal, however for most of us it’s a constant battle.

Is it clutter?

Decluttering is defined as removing unnecessary items from an untidy or overcrowded place. If the item is necessary and it’s not causing you any stress then you should move your decluttering efforts on to something else!

How does decluttering help the environment?

Serious environmental degradation results from how we produce, use and dispose of ‘stuff’. Western Australians are living with more than most; we produce more waste than any other state in Australia.

How to succeed in decluttering

One of the most common barriers to decluttering is running out of energy and giving up before you’ve finished the job. To overcome this you should set a goal. Your goal should:

  • Be achievable. Focus on your stuff (not your family’s stuff) and be realistic
  • Have a start and end date. It will never get done if it isn’t scheduled
  • Have a clearly defined end point, so you can recognise your progress and celebrate your success.

Decluttering methods

There are many methods of decluttering, including

Find the right technique to help you deal with your type of clutter.

Responsible decluttering

Help reduce waste by rehoming your clutter, rather than putting it in the bin. Things like clothes, jars, furniture and homewares should be reused instead of being put in the bin. Try these ideas to declutter responsibility:

  • Sell or give away your stuff online through gumtree or ebay or look for a local buy, swap and sell or buy nothing group on facebook.
  • There are specialist charities looking to do good with a wide variety of unwanted items. Find a charity that wants your stuff through give now.
  • Find your local op-shop at opshop.org.
  • If an item is broken and can’t be reused it is time for recycling. Recycling Near You will show you the closest drop off point for a wide range of materials. Your local council’s website is also a great resource to make sure you recycle right.

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