How to declutter your home and make room for yourself

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Getting rid of the superfluous is not just a trend, but an exercise in well-being that allows us to live our spaces to the fullest. We're not talking about tidying up or cleaning, but decluttering: a fundamental way of looking after ourselves and taking care of the place that represents us most: our home.

• Decluttering: what is and why it is important for mental health?

  Have you heard of decluttering? Marie Kondo - the inventor of the world's most famous decluttering method, the KonMari Method - says that tidying is not about throwing things away, but about living in a place that gives us joy. This means that the only objects we should have around us are those we really love.

  There is a powerful connection between the objects present in our home and our mind, because our home is our story: everything we choose connects us to our deepest values, expressing our genuine emotions.

  When our environment is free of unnecessary things and reflects the way we are, a new harmony is created around and within us. Therefore, getting rid of excess stuff can benefit your health by making you feel calmer, happier, more in control of your life, and less anxious and stressed.

  The process can be long or short, depending on your willingness to change. But what is the first step?

• Start again with what really matters to you

  Choosing what stays and what goes encourages you to make active decisions about what belongs in your life right now, living firmly in the present rather than clinging to the past. This allows you to take away material, mental and emotional clutter.

  A great way to understand what to give up from the past is to project yourself into the future by trying to imagine your ideal lifestyle, the kind of home you want and the way you would like to live it. Can you visualise this? This projection will help you to define your goal and work in the present to achieve the mental well-being that will lead to self-enhancement.

  It's an interesting theory, but how to put it into practice? Here are the first 5 steps to greater mental well-being.

• 5 rules for effective decluttering

  1. Deal with one space and one room at a time. Decluttering is linked to mindfulness, so take one thing at a time and make your efforts effective. Start in the kitchen, the heart of the home and where we spend most of the time.
  2. Create a checklist. Before you get down to business, look around you and create a list for each room, itemising everything that should be sorted, thrown away or donated. Don't you think it's time to give away that set of dishes you've never used?
  3. Spend 5 minutes a day. Don't overdo it! Be slow and focus on the most visible areas. For example, you could start from the messy shelves in your kitchen.
  4. Create a sorting system. Use the quick and easy three-box method. Take three boxes with you in each room: get rid of, donate, and keep. After going through each item and placing it in the right box, you will realise which things really matter to you.
  5. Keep only the things you love. The joy is personal. So, don't feel obliged to make space at all costs, but create space only where you think you need more space for yourself.
  • Deal with one space and one room at a time. Decluttering is linked to mindfulness, so take one thing at a time and make your efforts effective. Start in the kitchen, the heart of the home and where we spend most of the time.
  • Create a checklist. Before you get down to business, look around you and create a list for each room, itemising everything that should be sorted, thrown away or donated. Don't you think it's time to give away that set of dishes you've never used?
  • Spend 5 minutes a day. Don't overdo it! Be slow and focus on the most visible areas. For example, you could start from the messy shelves in your kitchen.
  • Create a sorting system. Use the quick and easy three-box method. Take three boxes with you in each room: get rid of, donate, and keep. After going through each item and placing it in the right box, you will realise which things really matter to you.
  • Keep only the things you love. The joy is personal. So, don't feel obliged to make space at all costs, but create space only where you think you need more space for yourself.

• Does working to create an oasis of calm in an otherwise chaotic world seem too much work for you? Once you get started, you will find that the feel-good factor comes into play quite quickly.

  Our advice is to set positive goals and focus on what you want to get out of the decluttering process, whether space, order, clarity, freedom and more. Follow it step by step and celebrate your progress. The results will be truly transformative, not only for your surroundings but also for your mind, body and soul.

  Are you ready to start your journey to well-being?

  Welcome to Whirlpool, where well-being starts at home.