I’m a self confessed neat-freak – all the best buys from B&M, Aldi & Matalan to make your home totally clutter free
SPRING is soon on its way which means dusting, sweeping and mopping every nook and cranny in your home.
But whilst cleaning your pad is important this season it’s also great to spend some time decluttering your home.
And whilst some think of decluttering as throwing a bunch of stuff away, the key is actually how you organise things in your home.
We spoke to Jessica Barclay, a self confessed ‘neat freak’ who is a lifestyle and organise coach, with seven years experience in decluttering people’s lives.
Jessica believes decluttering shouldn’t cost a fortune and she has shared her top buys from budget stores, like Matalan and B&M. They are all under £20 and will help completely transform your home.
Mesh style wire basket
Jessica says: “These £4.99 baskets can be found in a number of colours and sizes. The metal mesh provides a great alternative to clear plastic, as you can see what’s inside. The metal and wood combination create a high end feel, but are also resilient and versatile.”
“Due to the handle design they are particularly useful for items that need moving around like arts and crafts or a cleaning kit. The handles fold down so they can be tucked away into a box if you need to. They are made of a nice strong sturdy material so will last long.”
Wire peg board with accessories
The decluttering expert says: “These fantastic £20 peg boards can become functional art on the wall and offer uses beyond the desk space. They are particularly handy for the kitchen, bathroom, utility room, or home office, but can also serve well as a landing station for small hallways.”
“Freeing up desk space not only helps you to be more productive and organised but also makes cleaning easier and quicker.”
Classic under bed storage bag
Jessica says: “These may seem like a very generic organising tool but when you have a small room and lots of stuff it’s important to make use of any space especially when considering height, so above and below.”
“Budget under bed storage has a habit of looking cheap nowadays but this £14 product bucks that trend and creates elegant extra storage under your bed and is also useful for linen cupboards too. They’re soft and collapsible so you can tuck them away when you don’t need them.”
Chic felt storage caddy
Jessica says: “Again this is a simple, but tasteful storage item. It can be used alone or as a liner for bigger items. A caddy (£12.50)like this works great for grouping similar items together into ‘kits’. The handle means it’s super easy to move around and it makes life simpler.”
Over door wired bathroom baskets
Jessica said: “While designed for the bathroom, the metal and wood create a classy way of adding extra storage to any door in your home. These items help to create shelving space out of nowhere and in a really practical place, where you are leaving or entering the room.”
“It’s also a very simple style so will go with most decor around your home. This one (£14.50) requires no screws to install so you can move it around between different rooms when you need to.”
Tiered storage caddy
The organisation fan said: “These simple but versatile £15.50 caddies, can help organise small spaces or add additional shelving to tall spaces.”
“Most commonly used for bathrooms, they also work well for a variety of other organisation projects like paperwork, fruit and veg, utility and toys. They are light to lift so you can move them around your house easily.”
Essential garment rack
Jessica said: “A landing station is one of the most forgotten parts of a home. And as time goes on coats, scarves and other outerwear for different seasons pile up. It’s important to have somewhere to place shoes and coats once you come into your home, it’s also the first thing your guests are going to notice when they visit.”
“Being greeted by a messy entrance way can really put you out of sorts and this item (£15) is a really cost effective way to create a hallway ‘closet’ space that many homes miss having.”
Time saving draw dividers
“This is also a very generic but useful item. When you open your draws to get ready in the morning, knowing exactly where your socks are can save you five minutes.”
“Drawer dividers £3 are a simple but cost effective way to get your drawers organised, but they also offer versatility and can be adjusted to different drawers or items as needed. So if you have more clothes for a certain season like fluffy socks you can move the dividers around so your fuzzy’s have more room.”
Space saving turntable under sink organiser
Jessica says: “It’s hard to stay organised when spaces aren’t functional and turntables (£6)are both functional and fun. They make items easier to sort and access. They are super adaptable so you can use them in the bathroom to organise your toiletries.”
“Or sort out the sauces in your fridge. Every item in the is equally accessible so you can place it in hard to reach spaces.”
You can find more of Jessica’s organisation tips online or joining her declutter March challenge.