Overwhelmed By Clutter? The 'Pick Up Every Item' Method Can Help

Cluttered roomWhile I agree with organisation principles like Swedish death cleaning in principle, something about seeing my crowded junk drawer and stuffed top wardrobe shelf just makes me think “nah, not doing that.” After all, mess and clutter can leave us stressed out and overwhelmed; even working out where to start can be a hassle.Thankfully, Paul Gray from Chums has shared a simple rule to help sort through what feels like an unmanageable mess when it’s the last thing you want to do.The “pick up every item,” he said, sounds a little intense, but can make the process much easier than it would otherwise.What is the “pick up every item” method?According to Gray, the technique works exactly as you’d think. You go to a cluttered area, like the cupboard under the stairs or your hectic desk, and pick up every item on it.“It’s all too easy to cast your eyes over a desk full of papers or a cluttered bookshelf and assume you still need and want everything there,” he shared. “But by examining each item, you may well find the manual you’ve been holding onto for the kettle you threw out three years ago.” It can make a daunting pile of papers seem much easier to manage, he continued. “Although they’re small items physically, it’s worth taking the time to go through your papers and see what you need.“Anything that needs to be kept should be filed away properly so you can find it when the time comes; anything that doesn’t can be thrown away.” By handling your belongings, you not only get a Marie Kondo-style feel for what you truly want to keep, but you can rest assured you’ve not thrown out anything you might actually want or need either – meaning you may be less anxious to sort through your stuff in the first place.Are there any other tips?Yes! Gray shared three other rules that could make handling your mess easier: The 20/20 Rule – if an item can be replaced for less than £20 within 20 minutes, bin it.The six-month trial – if you’re unsure about an item, pack it away for six months. If you didn’t miss it, bin it.The ‘ifs and buts’ rule – when you pick up an item, ask yourself why you do and don’t want it. An example might be “The cut of this jacket is perfect, but that immovable oil stain means I never wear it out.” Be merciless with these items, Gray says. If you’re humming and hawing over something, chances are it’s time to replace it with something new.Looks like that’s my weekend plans sorted...Related...No, You Don't Need To Die To Benefit From Swedish Death CleaningCleaning Experts Explain How To Master The 'Closing Shift' In Your HomeThe 1 Reason Your Home Is Always Messy, Even Though You're Always Cleaning

Comments

Breaking news

Ash Regan calls on Elon Musk to 'forget Trump and bring SpaceX to Scotland'

The Herald

Comments

Similar News

Voters overwhelmingly back tax on wealthy to protect public services

Parents Against Knives walk rescheduled due to 'overwhelming response'

'The Tiger Woods of my Life:' Luke Clanton Overwhelmed at Canadian Open

Made In Chelsea original Caggie Dunlop reveals the name of her baby girl as she shares first family photo after 'brutal and overwhelming' week with her newborn

Britain’s top cop slams Labour plans to slash jail time and says officers will be overwhelmed

Dozens injured by Israeli gunfire as crowds overwhelmed Gaza aid site, UN says

Widow of ex-footballer 'overwhelmed' as Frank's Law helps 71,000 Scots receive free care

Mothers and their babies face starvation in Gaza, where hospitals are overwhelmed

Hamilton bus service expands following "overwhelming" passenger support

Thousands of Chicks Left in Postal Service Truck Overwhelm a Delaware Shelter

Shipment of thousands of chicks found abandoned in USPS truck now overwhelming an animal shelter

Gove suggest second independence vote will happen if Scots show 'overwhelming desire'

'I Was Never As Overwhelmed As I Was At Eurovision': Reigning Winner Nemo Reflects On Their 'Whirlwind' Experience

NHS 'overwhelmed' by soaring autism as number of patients jump by a quarter - more than 200,000 Britons seeking specialist help

Business Owners Say Gen Z 'Extremely Overwhelmed': Poll

Bitter inheritance row after 'secret' daughter of rockstar tattoo artist who became the Queen's handyman demands share of his £413k estate from his disabled widow to make up for the 'overwhelming grief' from his death

King George's overwhelming realisation following Edward VIII's departure - which got him sobbing on his mother's shoulder for an hour

My Mum Abused Me For Years. After She Died, I Was Overwhelmed By What I Discovered In Her Diaries

Poll: Overwhelming Majority of Americans Support Eliminating Medicaid Waste, Fraud, and Abuse

Breaking news

Ash Regan calls on Elon Musk to 'forget Trump and bring SpaceX to Scotland'

The 'three for a pound' scent that welcomes you to Westside Edinburgh

British sailor arrested ‘after throwing girlfriend who couldn’t swim into river’

Soldier ‘stabbed’ while walking his dog near Army base

Two people stabbed and one shot during World Pride parade

'Doesn't It Look Chaotic?' Kuenssberg Calls Out Reform Over Chairman's Dramatic Exit And Rapid Return

'I'm Glad My Parents Aren't Invited To My Sister's Wedding. Was I Wrong To Tell Them That?'

Peter Kyle says England fans calling Keir Starmer a c*** was ‘in the spirit of the game’

Central Asia’s largest Lenin statue taken down to be replaced by flagpole

Athletes express concern over NCAA settlement's impact on non-revenue sports

Experts warn that weight-loss jabs may need to be taken for life

Chad to suspend visas for US citizens in response to Trump’s travel ban

Chinese hackers and user lapses turn smartphones into a 'mobile security crisis'

Ukraine accuses Russia of ‘dirty games’ in planned swap of dead troops

Israel vows to prevent an aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg and other activists from reaching Gaza

Minister refuses to rule out cuts to police and housing budgets in spending review

Cops hunt vulnerable schoolgirl, 13, who vanished from house & may be on train as desperate mum pleads ‘come home safe’

Elon Musk has PTSD & made a mistake by helping Trump, his dad claims as he reveals verdict on what caused explosive feud

Children face new social media BAN including ‘two-hour app limit’ and curfew in plans to limit time spent on smartphones

Mum left upset after in-laws call her daughters' names 'disgusting'

Minister dismisses US misgivings over Chinese 'super embassy' in London - as Tories warn of 'espionage base'

'The only people I've ever seen in Gaza with weapons are the IDF,' says British surgeon

Rivals actor arrested on set in front of crew hour after filming with Danny Dyer

Michael Schumacher's three visitors as truth about F1 icon's condition emerges

Noughties playboy who dated Katie Price and married Jodie Marsh unrecognisable now

Cardiologist issues message to 4 types of people who should take magnesium supplements

People in one of seven jobs at higher risk of cancer - and could claim

Coronation Street star gives birth to second baby with very unusual name and meaning

Elon Musk believes he has made Donald Trump 'mistake', dad Errol claims

Everything we know as body found near Gatwick Airport in car 'abandoned for months'

Was Meghan right to share twerking video? Take our poll and have your say

Meghan Markle shrugs off twerking backlash with carefree beach snap

Marise Wipani dead at 61: Soldier, Soldier star dies as co-stars devastated

Hollywood's go-to skincare brand debuts SPF 50 sunscreen clinically proven to diminish and protect against wrinkles

Gemma Collins reveals why 'you couldn't pay her' to go back to Spain and the surprising budget hotel chain she's a fan of

I was in so much pain I couldn't WALK but doctors simply sent me home with painkillers... and failed to diagnose condition that changed my life forever

Nico Parker declares she is a proud nepo baby and 'reaps the benefits' but adds she was embarrassed by her famous mum at school

The six-year-old albino boy whose hand was hacked off by his FATHER to make potions for witchdoctors in Tanzania

We love living in Britain's WHITEST neighbourhood: Two Sri Lankans are the only ethnic minorities in the area - and here's what they think of it

People are only just realising where cashew nuts actually come from: 'We've been lied to for decades'

Chelsea 'FINALLY reach breakthrough for Serie A star' - but Blues face a race against time to get £15m deal done before the Club World Cup

Love Island's first winner Jessica Hayes says the fall out from instant fame was so bad she is now celibate and 'doesn't miss men or sex' following shock split from fiancé

Everton emerge as shock contenders for Jack Grealish as new owners look to make statement signing ahead of move to Bramley-Moore Dock

The REAL reason why Omaze's youngest ever winner is selling her £3million mansion for a knockdown price after less than a year

Getting up to eat at night? Doctors reveal there's a little-known cause that can leave you at risk of chronic health problems... but there ARE ways to fix it

Coronation Street's Rebecca Ryan welcomes her second child with husband Dan Acraman as she shares a sweet snap and name

Flight attendant reveals why they are legally required to travel with two flashlights at all times

Pair brutally murdered father and dumped his body in caravan after mistakenly believing he was a paedophile

Groom forced to have his toes partially amputated after being given wedding shoes that were too tight

Adam Rickitt and GMB host wife Katy's new life in Sicily as the couple fulfil 'life long dream' of buying holiday home on Mediterranean island

I've been arrested at the airport for eating fermented foods including 10-year-old butter and seal blubber - why I do it

The six million skeletons hidden in over 150 miles of tunnels under Paris' streets

People left disgusted by bizarre new 'hairy' Dubai chocolate bar and say it looks like 'loft insulation'

'I felt unconfident, unattractive and hadn't had sex for half a decade': How Miranda Levy found her soulmate at 51 after a traumatic divorce

Children could be handed a social media 'curfew' under 'app cap' plan to increase online safety being considered by ministers

DR MAX: Alcohol ruins marriages. It's like a jealous lover. Here's how to tell if yours is at risk

We live in Britain's 'most depressing' council estate - there's no pub or GP surgery and two-thirds of the homes have been demolished... but here's why it's not as bad as you might think

'For anyone who's felt hopeless' - Harrison wins UFC title