Whether it’s because of the dreaded rent increaseWhen changing jobs or needing a larger space, many people who live in rental housing will move more than people who own their own home.
When we exercise a lot, we tend to big clearance on the back burner – after all, why bother to clean up until we absolutely to have until?
But procrastinating allows more time for unnecessary clutter to accumulate… meaning you’ll be living in an unpleasant space for much of the time.
Being in the same crowded space with the same boring rental furniture can bring you down, but you don’t have to move to get out of that mess.
Your space needs to evolve with you, and that usually starts with getting rid of things that no longer serve you.
And if you want to clean up sustainably (meaning you don’t just throw everything in black garbage bags), it takes time that moving doesn’t always allow. It might be better to clean up if you stay put and aren’t in a rush to get anywhere.
The benefits of tidying up
When we have too many things to sort out, it’s easy to put things off and get into a cycle where we keep things we no longer need.
While tidying is aesthetically and practically beneficial, it is also good for your own well-being, as a cluttered space can take a toll on your mental health.
Helen Sandersonauthor of The Secret Life of Clutter tells how clutter can affect different people.
“For those who need visual calm and order, living in a cluttered space can take a toll on their health as they can never really relax and recharge,” she tells Metro.co.uk. And for those who know their mess is getting out of hand, they live with an internal nagging voice constantly pestering them to fix it.
“This takes a lot of mental energy that can be put to good use doing something meaningful.”
Why a slow declutter could be the way forward?
The tidying up story often advises us to do it all at once and get all the clutter out of your home as quickly as possible, but the best process isn’t the same for everyone. Cleaning up an entire house in a few days can be stressful and daunting.
Lisa Staff, a professional organizer for 19 years, suggests that tidying up should be a regular habit, rather than something you do all at once.
“If you’re walking past something and thinking ‘I really don’t like that, or it doesn’t look nice there,’ move it,” she suggests.
Taking one piece of junk at a time creates a habit that allows you to make natural decisions about your stuff, rather than making quick decisions staring at a big pile of all your belongings.
Another reason the slow declutter might be better for you is that it’s more durable.
Selling things on Gumtree and Facebook marketplace can be a bull’s eye, and that neon green desk you regret buying may be there for a while, but cleaning up without a deadline gives you time to wait to get a to find a new home.
Many of us intend to recycle, donate and sell the things we don’t use, but so often the charity shop bag sits in the closet for months.
One of the best ways to avoid this is to come up with a plan before you start cleaning up. Sanderson recommends “spending time planning ahead of time, identifying charities and recycling centers.”
Keep your bag of donations by the front door and once it’s filled, take it to a charity shop.
To make sustainable cleanup easy for you, it’s a good idea to donate or recycle at a place that’s on your way to work or to your morning coffee.
How to restart your rented accommodation
Cleaning up gives us a better understanding of our environment. It’s only when the clutter is gone that we realize how it served as a mask over an unloved space. A space that no longer reflects us.
That’s where decor comes in. This is not to fill our spaces with new clutter, but to turn our space into something we love, and in turn, prevent the clutter from coming back.
For many people in rental, it can be a losing battle to furnish our space because it doesn’t really feel like ours.
Helen says, “People feel less safe in a rental property and collect more stuff around them so they feel more secure or just as a way to feel a greater sense of ownership.”
Renters can accumulate so much clutter to cover up all the dull furniture and chipped paint, but once that clutter is gone, the space can feel even more alienating.
However, small accentuated decor can add a lot to your space to show who you are.
Owning a rental space can be quite an undertaking, but there are a few small changes you can make that will make a huge difference, according to Melissa Penfoldauthor of Living well by design.
“Think of it like a piece of home jewelry,” she says. ‘Change the lamps. It is one of the quickest and easiest ways to create an individual look. Pile on the pillows. Update your coffee table. Add rugs. Create height with a plant. Rearrange the coffee table – stack the books with deep piles on the sides. It doesn’t just complete the room, it reflects your style.’
The great thing about home decor is that when you change a lampshade or outlet covers, you can take the pieces of your style with you to the next place.
Slow decorating can help you decorate sustainably and purposefully. Charity shops, auction houses and Gumtree are just a few options for finding sustainable decor.
Melissa recommends: ‘At least 25% of your interior should be preloved, because antique, second-hand, vintage furniture is made better, gives more weight to a room and lasts for several generations.’
After you’ve cleaned up your space, it’s important to take the time to find the decor you love, rather than the decor to fill the void and start the clutter cycle all over again.
By tidying up and decorating, you can turn the space into more than just a storage container.
Most of the time spent cleaning up during a move is spent installing everything in the moving van.
But if you clear up gradually rather than all at once, you begin to see how your environment affects you.
Creating a space that honors where you are in life is easier when you are aware of your space and the way you want it to be.
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