IF you’re feeling motivated this ‘Twixmas, a simple decluttering technique will have your space looking better and feeling calmer in no time.
Head into the New Year with a freshly organised home thanks to this handy hack.
Between parties, visitors, shopping, and all the festive prep, your home likely looks anything but spick and span right now.
If the thought of tackling the clutter sparks more dread, don’t worry because a simple trick can streamline the process.
The experts at Good Housekeeping broke down what is known as the snowflake rule.
Snowflake rule
The idea behind this rule is quite simple: like no two snowflakes are the same, nothing in your home should be either.
This involves seeing your belongings as individual and purposeful, rather than duplicated or redundant.
Online organisers have popularised the technique, believing that by eliminating duplicates, you create a more functional and streamlined space.
Whether you’re sorting through gifts or decorations, the snowflake rule works brilliantly for determing what to keep, donate, bin, or regift next year.
And most importantly, it helps make space for any new items you may have acquired over the festive season.
How to begin
Start by picking one category, such as kitchenware, clothing, or books, and look for items that do the same job.
You should aim to keep only your favourite or the most useful option, letting the rest go.
And don’t worry if you have a hard time letting things go, this hack is not about stripping things back to nothing.
Instead, think of it as curating what you already own so everything feels intentional.
Once you’ve started, the real trick is to stick with it, only adding or replacing items when you truly need to.
So you will also want to resist the urge to stock up on unneccessary items in the current sale season.
This simple mindset shift works fast and before long, your home will feel lighter and calmer, filled with unique “snowflakes”, not cluttered duplicates.
The Style Sisters Top 3 Decluttering Tips
Charlotte Reddington and Gemma Lilly have over 15 years experience decluttering and organising celebrity homes…
- Out with the old, before in with the new
“It may sound a little ruthless but a one in, one out rule in your home and wardrobe can be effective to avoid over accumulating items in your home,” they said.
“It can also make you more mindful about the purchases you are making.”
“In any space, however big or small – from a utility room to your make-up box – organising items by category is the perfect way to keeping super organised,” they said.
“This allows you to know exactly where everything is and what you’ve got.
“Plus, it will make it super easy for the rest of the household to put away and keep tidy.”
- Storage, storage and more storage!
“Storage is key, especially if space is an issue in the home or if the room is used for items like storing toys for children,” they said.
“Consider decorative storage baskets, side boards with plenty of storage or even a media wall or bookshelves with doors.”
