When we decide to start our annual spring clean, our initial reaction is to empty our house of as much clutter as possible, and to throw it all away.
The repetitive issue with this mindset however is that we end up buying new clutter throughout the year and find ourselves in a vicious cycle of spring cleaning our previous post-spring-clean shopping haul each year. There is, however, a more creative way of making your home feel more peaceful.
Four piles
When clearing your house of clutter, create four piles: Throw away; Give away; Upcycle; and Keep. Try to throw away as little as possible and give as much as possible to charities or friends and family who may appreciate it, and who will give your old belongings new life. Or make ways to give them new life yourself, by creating something completely new from something old.
Try thinking twice before you throw something out. Look at the object you want to get rid of in a new light. What else could it be?
Inspiration
A few examples are:
- Turning that old teacup into a quirky pot for your smaller plants.
- Seeing if you can convert that broken ladder into a rustic bookshelf for the piles of books you can’t bear to part with.
- Transforming your old light bulbs into hanging vases.
Allow your creativity to flow and try to view spring cleaning as an opportunity to spruce up your home. If you’re really stumped; try searching for inspiration on Pinterest. There are countless tips and tutorials to be found on reusing objects for totally different purposes. And who knows, you may find that this leaves you even more satisfied with your spring clean than you have ever been before.
- You can order our new book Keep What You Love here.
Text Moya Gorodecky Photography Adrien Olichon
