I have been a declutterer for over eight years now, and worked with hundreds of clients over that time. Decluttering is a process, and almost every client has had to make those tough decisions on what to part with, and what they really can’t let go.

Decluttering is not about creating a minimalist living environment, stark and devoid of any ornamentation. It is about wanting to live with less chaos around us, less stress, and more organisation and harmony. A home provides a snapshot of the personalities of those who live there and the memories many items evoke are meaningful and bring pleasure.

However, the danger can be that we attach meaning to every item such that it becomes impossible to let go of anything at all. We therefore need to look at what we’re holding onto with fresh eyes and ask ourselves:

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My last newsletter answered a few often asked questions about the decluttering process, and my services. I also mentioned giving unwanted items away to charities, unless of course they are of value and you want to put them on Trade Me.

This month I wanted to give you some ideas on some easy ways to dispose of your clutter, which often isn’t trash, it’s just ‘stuff’ you no longer use, want, need etc. So here’s my list of worthy recipients:

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Decluttering is quite a niche industry, the concept has not been around for very long and in fact when I began my Gioia business eight years ago, many would ask me what decluttering actually meant. With exposure through television programmes demonstrating terrifying situations where people can barely get into their front door for the amount of clutter and stuff they hoarded over the years, the idea of clearing out the home of what has passed its used by date, and is no longer needed or wanted, has become a very realistic and desirable prospect.

There is still some uncertainty around how it all works so I thought I’d answer a few questions I’ve been asked over the years: [Read more…]

Christmas and a brand new year are just around the corner, and hopefully you will get to take a break and be able to relax and wind down. I will be having a break, although I’m certainly ‘on call’ if you want to do some decluttering and/or organising of your home, office or even the garage.

However, while I’m relishing the idea of there being nothing I have to do, and nowhere I have to go, I also like to make my time off a bit productive. So I’ve made a list of what I want to accomplish over the holiday period. The Christmas/New Year break is such a nice time to complete some projects that you may have been thinking about but just not got around to during the year. And when you don’t have huge demands on your time you’re able to focus on any projects with ease and with a few less interruptions.

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After our strange Spring weather, it now feels like Summer is here and we can enjoy these glorious sunny days. And now it’s warmer, it’s the perfect time to put away those heavy Winter clothes and shoes. I have always made it a practice to archive my out of season clothes partly for reasons of space, but also because I only want to see this season’s clothes in my wardrobe. It means I’m not rummaging through my entire wardrobe trying to find something to wear.

Some of you will know that my dear sister passed away a couple of months ago. While it has been a hard time getting used to no longer having her physical presence here with us, she is definitely with me every day. One of the ways she is so present is through all of the beautiful clothes I inherited from her. She was adamant that her daughter, Jo, and I should go through her wardrobe and take and enjoy her belongings. It was not a morbid process, Jo and I instead reminisced about the many fun times we went shopping with Heather… she adored shopping and her wardrobe was vast. Needless to say, Jo and I gained enough clothes between us to open a small shop.

Being a diligent declutterer, I saw this as an opportunity to update and fine tune my own wardrobe, culling the clothes I was tired of and no longer wore, and integrating Heather’s. [Read more…]