September often feels like a reset -- the school year restarts, evenings shorten and many people spend more time indoors. That shift can prompt a fresh look at living spaces and encourage a clear-out. Psychologists say that reducing household clutter can lower stress and lift energy, but deciding what to keep or discard is not always straightforward.
Experts interviewed on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour outline four practical methods to make the process easier and more sustainable.
For many, the hardest part is getting going. Allowing yourself to begin -- even if it means sorting just one drawer or a single shelf -- makes the overall job less daunting. Moving slowly rather than trying to overhaul everything at once helps maintain momentum and keeps the task achievable.
As writer and Interior Design Masters judge Michelle Ogundehin puts it: "It's not about thinking 'right, that's it! It's all got to go!' It's about taking it one step at a time." She recommends choosing a small area first, then expanding gradually until the work becomes routine.
Before you create piles of things to move on, think through how you will dispose of or redistribute them. Without a plan, donations and recycling boxes can quickly accumulate around the home.
"You don't want to have piles and piles of stuff building up in the hallway," says professional organiser Ingrid Jansen. She co-founded Declutter Hub, a community that supports people through clearing projects, and notes there are more options than ever for passing items on -- from charity shops and community giveaway groups to recycling centres.
Selling belongings online can be attractive, but it also carries a risk of stalling the process. As Lesley Spellman, a fellow Declutter Hub co-founder, warns: "Selling is a fantastic way to make money out of your clutter, but you have to exercise some realism." If items languish unsold and stay in the home, the clutter problem remains.
Effective tidying is not about mercilessly discarding every object. Instead, focus on surrounding yourself with items that reflect the story you want your home to tell and that positively affect how you feel when you enter a room.
Ogundehin advises people to "surround yourself with the things that tell the story that you want them to tell" and to "Keep the things that reinforce you, that uplift you when you walk through the door." One practical tactic she recommends is containment: assign specific, limited spaces for cherished objects so they remain meaningful rather than spread throughout the house.
Emotional attachment is a common barrier to letting go. Psychotherapist Stelios Kiosses, who presents Channel 4's The Hoarder Next Door, explains the difference between sentimentality and nostalgia -- and why it matters.
"Sentimentality refers to the emotional value an item holds in the present, often because it symbolises a relationship, achievement, or important moment to us," he says. "Nostalgia, meanwhile, is the feeling of longing for the past - with an item triggering memories."
"You become sentimental about your child's toy, but you're nostalgic of the time you used to play with that toy with your child," explains Kiosses. Recognising whether an object is kept for present emotional value or simply as a trigger for memory can help decide whether it genuinely needs to stay.
Jansen adds a common example: "You think you keep it for them", Jansen adds, "but actually it's your memory, because you remember going to shops and buying it with them and thinking how cute they looked." For many keepsakes, a photograph on a phone can capture the memory without occupying physical space.
Breaking the task into small steps, planning how to pass items on, prioritising meaningful possessions and understanding emotional attachments all make decluttering more manageable. Start simple, be realistic about what will actually be moved on, and aim for a home that supports how you want to live.