A graphic of various items that when decluttered have a big impact for example video cassettes, pans, shoes, books, suitcases and coats
Episode 111 – Decluttering tasks that have a big impact

In today’s episode we are talking about what decluttering tasks you can do that have a big impact. Especially when you start out with decluttering it’s great to see space appear in your home, so you can get that positive boost and motivation to go onto your next project.
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Transcript of this podcast episode
Intro  0:07  
Welcome to today's episode of The declutter of podcast, your channel for super easy, no nonsense advice on how to declutter and organise your home. Please welcome your hosts professional organisers, Ingrid Jansen, and Lesley Spellman.

Ingrid  0:31  
Hello, and welcome listeners to Episode 111 of the declutter hub Podcast. I'm Ingrid. And I'm Lesley, if fyou have clutter and want to sort it out, this is the show for you. Now, in today's episode, Lesley and I are talking about what decluttering tasks you can do that have a big impact, especially when you start out with decluttering. It's great to see space appear in your home. So you can get that positive boost and motivation to go on to your next project. So Lesley and I have been brainstorming and thinking, and we've identified seven categories of stuff that are quite big and bulky, and will create lots of space in your home.

Lesley  1:16  
Yes, and the interesting thing about this podcast is, is you're saying what it's all about creating space. And so we were looking for big, bulky items. So if ever I go and work with someone at their home, I'm definitely looking for big things that we can that really visually make that difference in terms of the space that you've got. And there are some really obvious ones, and some that are not quite so obvious.

Ingrid  1:38  
Well, you know what, Lesley, a lot of people who start out decluttering start to ponder about the tiniest little items. And it's like, let's look at some of the big stuff first. Because if you start to see that space, if you see those bin bags full of stuff, leave cows, if you fill out that caribou to bring it either to the tip, the recycling the charity shop, your friend, it doesn't really matter. But if you see blots of stuff leaving, it just really motivates to think that was fantastic. What a great job that you I've given myself big pat on the back, I'm ready to move to the next level. And instead of if you kind of see this tiniest of tiny little bags, leave your house, you're like, wow, I just went for half or put a tiny little bag. This is not good. It's gonna take for ever to do my house. And if you see lots of big stuff, it's like, Yes, this is amazing.

Lesley  2:38  
So I think what we need to remember is this is a specific strategy. That's a bit of a tongue twister. And I've edited out five versions of that already, by the way. specific strategy designed to create space. Now, we're not suggesting this is the best way to declutter your house. But this is what we would call it our membership, a quick win. And so we are going to look at this and we're gonna say, right, okay, I want to create some space in my house when I motivate myself on what can we do to make a difference? Ingrid, what is number one on your list?

Ingrid  3:12  
Well, I'm already laughing. Now. Let's see, because we did create, we have put down seven things. And now I want to start with number six. Because I think suitcases is actually a really good place to start. Because we know people have tonnes of them. And I'm also kind of including little backpacks and travel cases and big and baggy suit, but suitcases are like incredible. I mean, rooms full of them. They're on top of cupboards, they're in cupboards, everyone loves them in basements, they go over in the garage, they're everywhere. But when they actually need something, they can't find it. So they're really big and bulky. So can we start with suitcases, then

Lesley  3:58  
we can start with suitcases and I think you've said everything really is that big and bulky. And there are only certain ones in our house that we use all the time. Now if you're a big traveller, and you do lots of different types of trips, so you might do business trips, you might do a trip on your own for leisure, you might do a trip with your family. Sometimes you use different types of suitcases for different things. But in general, people have one medium sized suitcase because we can't even take a large what we would consider to be a large suitcase on a plane anymore. And in the UK to be fair whenever we go anywhere. Normally can't say normally not in COVID times. We have to get on a plane somewhere. And so we're restricted to the amount of weight that you can take on a plane so therefore a medium sized suitcase tends to be the one that we go for more often than not and then you would have a smaller kind of almost like a plate what do they call it like a plane size and luggage size? Yeah like a handheld or a you know like a carry on luggage that kind of size. But for a lot of people that is the only luggage that you actually need. But people have got tonnes and tonnes and tonnes, especially large heavy suitcases from years gone by.

Ingrid  5:12  
Exactly literally because the luggage industry has changed so much. The materials that they used to make the suitcases is now all like massive like high tech fibre stuff and other materials. They used to be like this massive like leather and straps and no wheels and and now you've got these super nifty capacitive suitcases or even the tiny suitcases that have four wheels you can come they're super lightweight, because you don't want the suitcase to already weigh anywhere between three and six kilos before you've even put stuff in it. Because a lot of the airlines now are really hot on on on the on the kilos you can bring. So you want to really maximise the stuff you can take and have the suitcase as life as possible. So they have now got super light weight suitcases available. So we kind of upgrade over the years to kind of the newest available, because we're almost being forced by the airlines to really keep an eye on that way that you can bring on a plane.

Lesley  6:22  
Yeah, of course. And the problem with a suitcase is that those suitcases that we had 20 years ago, still look amazing, could still come in for certain purposes, maybe if you're moving house or something like that. So there's definitely that all but it might come in one day, they still look good, they don't need to look perfect anyway, because they're a bit a little bit battered and bruised anyway, from the travelling. And so people really tend to keep hold of them. People tend to use them in lost to store things as well if they run out of space. But ultimately, these are big, bulky items. And you can really create a lot of space by reevaluating the suitcases that you keep.

Ingrid  7:01  
Yeah. And I think it's also when you do have a larger family with children and older children. And they also have to go travelling themselves and they go away to camping weekends, and they go away with the scouting, you need other kinds of luggage as well. And you kind of go for the soft without the hard cases. And then you go into maybe backpack kind of time travel equipment. And before you know it with a family of four, you're looking at 30 different types of luggage and what are you thinking? Where did all this stuff come from? So I think it's a great opener for this podcast, Lesley is to go, think about suitcases. So what would be your next one, then

Lesley  7:40  
my next one would actually be number two on our list, and no one else can see the list that we've got in front of us, we completely did not put them in the right order. So we're just gonna have to do it off the cuff as we go through. So number two is our favourite. We've talked about this many, many times before, haven't we. And I thought when you said you were gonna go for number six, I thought oh, I'm gonna go for number two, she comes to me first. So this would be my number one, you have your number one, which was number six. And I'm gonna have my number one, which is number two, which is appliance boxes,

Ingrid  8:11  
I have one in my garage. Can I admit this at the moment?

Lesley  8:15  
You know, you can have that note. But the bottom line is you do need to keep appliance boxes for a little while if you think there's going to be a problem with them. But I think one of the things that I've said before is I spoke to John Lewis, which is a big department store here in the UK, things like TVs and who was and those kinds of things, the expectation is that you will have the original packaging for six weeks. And after that there's no expectation whatsoever, you would have the original packaging to return in. And so really think that through with the planes boxes, because if you and I know this already, Ingrid, if you and I are doing a garage, or a loft, or a spare bedroom or a dumping ground room, the first things on our radar appliance boxes, because we can get into those boxes, we can break them down, we can get them out of the house, and all of a sudden the space is freed up immediately. So please, please, please, if you are compromised for space, look at appliance boxes, there is no need to keep appliance boxes. Yes, there are some instances where something may be worth more money if you decide to sell it in 10 years time with the original packaging. But you that's where you have to find this compromise in this balance, which is what's more important for me, the appliance box or the space, you know, if I can get an extra 10 pounds for this in 10 years time when I sell it. Is that worth keeping the box for 10 years? Or would I rather lose the 10 pounds? Yeah, that's, um, that's a very simplistic way of looking at it. But you have to balance that up all the time. And appliance box is something that people religiously keep and take up huge amounts of space in lots and garages, which means that the rest of the space is unmanageable and difficult to zone.

Ingrid  9:57  
And it's so funny Lesley because I hear all the time. but I'm keeping the books for when I move house. So then of course, my first question is, oh, When are you moving on? No, no, no, I'm not moving house. I haven't. I'm like, I put you've just said you're keeping it because you're moving house. Yeah. But in the future for when I ever move house, I'm like, but have you got any plans already to move a house? No, I love it here. When I live, I'm like, okay, so you're keeping a box, because you might move out in 20 years time? Well, this TV is probably already been replaced by three or four other versions. Because we upgrade them and the technology changes so fast with especially TVs and monitors and things like that.

Lesley  10:42  
And you've really got to think that through because if you if you use a removal company, your insurance probably won't be valid. If you've packed it into the box yourself, they will only insure something if they are the ones that have packed it in their way. So really think that through. So I've got a situation at the moment. And there is one, I've got a client who I am managing a house move from the UK over to the states. And she's got one sculpture, which she has had for years, which which is very kind of an awkward shape, if you will, it's got its original packaging with all the foam that's completely moulded, completely get that. So that will go into its original packaging, and it will then get packed and it will go into another box then with the removal company and get packed again. So that's a very specific circumstance, but not a capital box, or a camera box, or a TV box or a monitor box or printer box, or all those kinds of things that huge and just take up huge amounts of space down in grid.

Ingrid  11:37  
Yeah, I couldn't agree more Lesley. I know appliance boxes regularly come back, because we see it all the time. And that's why we chat about it on the podcast. So let's then move on to the next one. I think we should talk about coats now. Because I was doing a wardrobe declutter the other day with a lovely client of mine. And she said I want to sort out my hallway and I want to shop coats. And I will look when I look at winter and summer coats to get the summer coats in the wash in the winter coats out and all of that. And before we knew it, and she's got three children, husband and herself of five people in the house, we had a mountain of coats. It's like it's incredible. Where do they all come from, of course, because they've got outdoor coach and coach to do the school run and a code to walk the dog and then rain gear. And for when it gets really cold and an address the code for when they go out. It was in incredible the amount of course and I think a lot of people have a lot of coach.

Lesley  12:45  
Yeah, I agree. And I think that and some people are in love a lot of coats as well, which is absolutely fine. But the one thing that I would say if you're doing a declutter like you did with your client the other day, you can create a lot of space and that space quite often is taken up on coat racks at the front door in the hallway, behind Understairs cupboards wherever we've got hooks for coats, and they hide gently the little coats high especially like little kids coats, they hide at the bottom and all of a sudden you've got a coat there from a three year old when your youngest is nine and it's just been there for donkey's years hiding behind things. And so rather than go through things on the hogs because you only tend to get to the ones that are at the front do as Ingrid did the other day with her client take everything off gather all coats from all around the house, get the people involved and make sure that you only have coats that are fit for purpose and that are currently in use.

Ingrid  13:42  
Very very true and it's especially when you start doing the codes that are kind of not in use all the time like the rain gear you know before you know it there's another year gone and especially when they're the under tents they grow so quickly out of their their clothing, it's absolutely amazing. So they do find their way into into cupboards and only by gathering it all together. And in my client's house she actually has got two different coat racks one foot at the back door and one at the front door. So then it's even more important to actually and I've now trained her well because I said come on she said you would you like me to gather all the coats together I'm like yes, I'm rubbing off on you we need to gather it all together. And actually look at the sizing. And of course sometimes coats get a bit dusty and a bit muddy and a bit you know because just above wearing them so it's also a great opportunity then to go. I'm also going to either bring them to the dry cleaners or being put them in the wash. It's a great opportunity to when you do kind of coach and have a look at scarves and maybe now hats and gloves and, and all of those things together. And it is bulky. I mean two or three coats in one bag. It's like a bag full, isn't it?

Lesley  14:58  
Yeah, exactly. Yeah, that's exactly With three coats one bin bag, that's how much space that's taken up. Whereas regular clothes, you might get 20 or 2223 things being specific, that's a guess. But I would say you'd agree with that with 20, to 20 to 25 things probably in a bin bag, only three coats. So that just shows you the bulk that's involved in coats. And that is why they are number three on our list of things that are going to have a huge impact.

Ingrid  15:26  
I would like the next one then to be one of my favourite rooms, Lesley, because as you know, I love decluttering kitchens. So I deal a lot with pots and pans. And I think maybe it's because I have a background in hospitality. And I did Hotel Management school. So I do love entertaining and cooking and serving and all of those things and wine like wine as well.

Lesley  15:50  
irrelevant, irrelevant to the pots and pans bear. But thank you for sharing. Thank you.

Ingrid  15:55  
But yeah, pots and pans are such a bulky category in the kitchen. And it's incredible because over the years we buy, we maybe get given a special port or we buy a new one or two bolts if we have a set that's become incomplete, or we buy a new set, but we still have some leftover ones from the altar because we really like those pots and pans. And then at one point it's like, which led goes with which pan and I did a kitchen declutter a couple of weeks ago. And it was incredible went and they were just beautiful pen drawers. And it was just a matter of just getting it all together. And I was just mixing and matching lids which lid goes on which pan. Oh, that doesn't fit. Oh, go there. Oh, that's the no, that doesn't fit anywhere. So where do all these random, it's like Tupperware they appear and nobody knows where they come from.

Lesley  16:47  
And you'd be very proud of me then Ingrid because I have decluttered some pans this week. I think I have shared inside that I have a brand spanking new kitchen, which is not yet finished in my house. But it is I did the job of I had a great time actually reinstating my kitchen. So everything that I boxed everything up out of a kitchen and it was ready to start putting things back. And so I did that the other night. And so I've changed from gas to an induction hob. And so I thought that I would need lots of new pounds I hadn't really evaluate, I knew that I would need to go out and buy pans. And I found then there was only actually three pounds that I've got that don't work one was a work because that wasn't stainless steel, so I need to definitely get any work. And then there was another two, but I looked at what they weren't quite large pounds and one was a griddle panalytical liquors a griddle pan, which I do kind of like it's very old qualifying the crazy very heavy to work with as well. And so I looked at it and I thought to myself, I definitely need to replace the work with two of the large saucepans ones a griddle pan, can I live without that, if I've got it, I will use it from time to time. But actually, I've got two other two other frame pans that do the job just as well that I use more often because they're easier to work with. So there is actually three pans going out and only one new one coming in to replace it. So you will be very proud of me with my pots and pans declutter Ingrid.

Ingrid  18:12  
I mean, of course, because my husband and I both enjoy cooking, we've got a both a background in hospitality. So we do use a lot of different pans. But there are people who keep using the same pan over and over and over again because they just love working with that pan. And then there's three cupboards full of others struggling for space. And it's like, let's just now become realistic and go okay, what are the favourites here? And, uh, yes, at some point of favourite might need replacing, but you might then want to go back to the same brands or the same type of shape, because it takes up a lot of space that can really be especially people who have smaller kitchens, or struggling for space. You don't need to have 20 different pans if you cook with the four or five same ones all the time.

Lesley  19:05  
The bottom line is I always say to people, how many rings have you got on your burner on your heart, whatever on your stove top, I'm trying to think of all the different terminology. And normally it's five, or four, or five, possibly, or at the very most six. And so but yes, there are things that you use for certain purposes. So you're not going to have but you know, but basically the basic patterns, then you're probably never going to use more than six at one time. And then there's going to be two or three specialist pounds. But what you've got to look at there is I'm quite I see 100 All the time, shocker to the absolute brim with pounds, which is fine, but it's the accessibility of those pounds that's compromise. Yes, they fit in your drawer that's fine but you're having to rifle through every time all those pots and pans when you want to choose one they do get a little bit more damaged if you're throwing them in as well. So you have to think about that and think about the you know if you've got nonstick surfaces and things like that they get damaged and more or less going in there in that kind of kitchen when we're working with clients, and we can guarantee that 20 to 30% of those pans will go out once we start looking at them. But it's just one of those things that you just never get around to looking at. I mean, I obviously had a specific reason the other day and I probably would have kept us three pounds had I not had to be forced them by the swap from a gas to an induction hob to go out and buy new but I might well I don't need it. Actually, I'm fine with the ones that I've got. So I'm just going to replace just that one walk. And that'll be nice trying to find it find a nice stainless steel walk. I'll be a nice little thing to this weekend. Yeah,

Ingrid  20:38  
yeah, definitely. And yes, let's see well done for decluttering your pans. I mean, when leading by example here, it's it's fantastic. Okay, all right. Um, I'm really enjoying this list so far. So we've you know, we've done suitcases we've done appliance boxes, coats, pots and pans. So what's your next one that Lesley? Do you

Lesley  20:58  
know why we're enjoying it, Ingrid. We're enjoying it. Because we can see the stuff and the space being creative. Visually. That's what that's why you and I get so excited all the time. Because we know what a huge impact these big things have once they start leaving your home. And there's simple decisions. You're not going to do all these in one weekend. Although to be fair, if you set your mind to you can't do all these in one weekend. Can you say that you want to be working on seven different projects in a weekend. But if you want to make a big a big impact, these will be seven great quick wins to do. Anyway. Yes, Ingrid, what's next on our list of things that are going to have a big impact, or I'm a

Ingrid  21:35  
bit afraid that people are going to turn off this podcast when I say the next one. They're gonna go Oh, no, we were waiting until now Ingrid and Lesley, but you're talking about books. I'm not with you on this one anymore. I am. I am a book lover. Don't even go there. But we need to talk about books. We really need to talk about books.

Lesley  21:57  
I feel like it's a therapy set. I think it feels like the podcast is turned into a therapy session for all us book lovers out there now. Yeah.

Ingrid  22:03  
That's why it's a whole course in our in our membership alone about books, right? Because books are there is so much to say about books, hence the whole course in our membership. But we really wanted to touch upon books because books can be Space Invaders, especially in book lovers, houses, they're everywhere. They're double stacks, they can be you Mungus. I mean, it's not only little small books, I mean, we have seen books the size of half a coffee table. So they really have to earn their keep. And if you are struggling for space and you can't even get anything else in your living room because you've got four bookcases actually filled to the brim. I really want to suggest having a look at books and ducking under a desk now let's see.

Lesley  22:54  
I can see, I can see I just like scared we're really scared to even say declutter books to people. Because we've we've had that backlash with clients for many years who were like, don't you I really want you in my house to come in here. But don't even think about asking me to declutter any books. That's what our life looks like, which is hence the reason why we're so scared. But all we're gonna say we're gonna leave it there. We can't go into how to declutter books, because as Ingrid says, this is four or five hours of learning because it's huge in terms of emotional connection. But what we will leave you with is 15 to 20 books is one big bag of stuff going out. And it will create one shelf worth of space on a bookcase. So you don't have to make many decisions to make a big impact into these things are big and bulky, and very easy to create space with.

Ingrid  23:45  
Yeah, and I think you know what, I think once books start to live in boxes, in lofts in garages, in basements, in under stairs, cupboards under the bed. Why are they in your house, you can't even see them. It's the same with books that are double stacked behind each other. You can't see them. So that basically means you don't even know they're there and that they exist. I love books because people always think, Oh, you are a Declutter. You must absolutely hate books. I'm like, No, I love books. I mean, I go to the library all the time. I have read books on a Kindle. I myself have two bookcases full of books. I have nothing against books, but when they are hidden in your house, or there are so many bookcases around your house, that you can't fit other stuff in and stuff starts to live on the floor over stuff on top of cupboards because you've got no space at all. To grab the things you need as well in your life, then I think it's time to have an honest look and go right. What are the important books here? You know, do We do what do we find? 15 coffee table books? Yes. And then they're in a cupboard somewhere. Because at the moment, there's a couple of little kids walking around with their little, little, little grubby hands. So there's kids always have when they're tiny. And so the coffee table books have moved into a cupboard somewhere. Nobody's they've not seen the light of day in many, many years. They're like, but it's nice to have them on the table. Do we know anybody who goes and visits a friend's house and things? I'm going to look at their coffee table to see what's on? I don't know anybody like that. Let's be let's keep it real here. I don't I don't know. How about you Lesley. But do you think I would come to your house and go let me have a look what coffee table book last he has in her lounge and have a browse through? Well, let's these make him. I'll probably have a look on my phone for five minutes. But looking into a coffee table book. I mean, I'm not saying they're not gorgeous. But is it really practical?

Lesley  25:56  
Let me give you an example. Say you won't be able to look at any coffee table books. We haven't got any. So number one, so you can't lead through them. Sorry for that information. But no, can't leave through any coffee table books. I was staging a house yesterday for estate agents photograph. She is a book lover, the owner of the house. I put two coffee table books on the coffee table for estate agents photographs because they are aspirational. Yeah. Let's leave it there. That's the reason why you would have a coffee table book because people oh my god, it's so cool. To have these beautiful books. Yeah, I agree with you. No one's gonna leave through somebody's books. So books we dad go there. I know. Yes. So if you want to make a big impact, tackle those books, big job, that is not a quick win. It certainly is not a quick win. And the problem is that the ones that are closer to the front, the ones that are out the ones that are under the bed, those kinds of things, those are the ones that you tend to be looking at. So it's the ones that are hiding behind, which are the ones that you need to tackle. Now we're moving on nicely through our list. And this is one of my absolute favourites because to me, it's a complete win win situation, which is videos, old VHS videos that you've had around for donkey's years, it's time to let them go. Now this is hard because of the landfill situation, and the lack of ability to recycle them appropriately. So that is why videos are very, very hard to declutter. But in terms of space, they take up humongous amounts of space. And they stick around for years and years and years. Now, I'd imagine that most of you have probably already got rid of your videos. But if you're one of those people that have got the old VHS or Betamax videos hanging around, now's the time.

Ingrid  27:43  
I still find them Lesley I still find them. And every time I think surely there's there's no more out there. Surely, I mean, VHS. That was when I was like little that we're talking 35 years ago. Surely they must all have now been gone. But then there's at one there comes a point when that cupboard opening goes. Oh, and there the VHS tapes come out and it always gives me the giggles so much. I just add. I love it. I'm like, Haha, Ingrid. Somebody else has fooled you. They're still here. They're still there. It's just like cassette tapes, you know, off course if it is like a very important party. And I

Lesley  28:30  
just tell you, Ingrid is literally cry. It was just, I didn't realise it won't be quite so emotive. He mentioned that

Ingrid  28:41  
I just find it so funny because every time I think they must, they must have now all gone to video heaven, but it still they're still around. It's the same with cassette tapes. I mean, our kids are like, they don't even even know anymore what they are. They're like, what is this? What is that? I don't even know what it is. It looks like but if you find in your VHS archive of a very important wedding or family party, put it on a DVD, there are still people who can do this for you. The equipment is still alive.

Lesley  29:16  
You don't need to put it on a DVD, put it onto it onto a USB drive in the cloud and skip a couple of generations. So Ingrid, for the people have been laughing at you in five years time telling people to put things on DVDs, but I'm Ingrid Johnson all this stuff. I've not gone to DVD heaven yet. Let's love her.

Ingrid  29:36  
Oh, gosh, well, I did put my wedding DVD onto my cloud now. So the kids had a look at that. So we still have a DVD. But you know, the thing is that technology, especially in the last kind of well 2025 years has just gone so fast. We can't almost keep up with it ourselves, even DVDs. They're kind of like people wondering why we have them because we're now doing Amazon Prime, and we're doing Netflix and we're doing streaming, and we've got sky cinnamon, and there's not enough hours in the day to watch all the stuff that we want to watch. And do we still want to have those videos, DVDs in our cupboards that we never get around to, you know, so and they take up lots of space. That's, that's the reason why we're talking about this.

Lesley  30:23  
Yes, it is. That's the reason why we're talking about it. And one of the reasons why people struggle with it is because they're a little bit scared that something very important is going to be on one of those VHS tapes. So one of the what I would say to you as a little tip is, if it's a pre recorded VHS video, or Betamax, or whatever the chances are, it can go. But if it's a bought on a blank VHS, so it's pre recorded, be very careful with that and keep those to one side. But nine times out of 10. If that is a christening, or a wedding video or whatever other things that we have a holiday video that you want to keep, we will undoubtedly have written on that video what it is very, it would be very foolish of us to have a wedding video with no acknowledgement that that is your wedding video on the actual video. So normally, people have annotated it in some way. So don't be too scared. But if you are in doubt, then do double check them and then do the final discard of them. In terms of recycling, there are some insert areas, there will be VHS recycling schemes. But for the most part, and I hate saying this, they have to go straight to landfill, which is really sad, because it's so much plastic, isn't it. But it's still waste if it's sitting in your house. So video, so we're nearly at the end, really the end of our list. I mean, there's many, many other things in the decluttering world that can have an impact. But these are just seven biggies that we thought about. So what's the last one, Ingrid?

Ingrid  31:55  
Well, Lesley, our last one for this podcast is shoes. And I'm kind of hiding under my desk and once more because people are gonna go, oh, no, not shoes. But the interesting thing is, we have far more shoes than we think. Because I even surprised myself recently when I actually counted my shoes. And I found out that I had eight or nine more pairs than I thought I had.

Lesley  32:28  
And why are you counting shoes if I don't ask? I mean, I know you can count shoes, but what oh, I know. I know. I know the answer. Go on. Tell me

Ingrid  32:36  
Yes, because we did the challenge. One of the things was the counting of fashion, it says count your shoes. So I counted my shoes as well because I wanted to know and in my head I thought I probably got about 20 or so. And to my own surprise I found out I had like 28 or 29 pairs of shoes. It was including wellies and snow boots. But that's beside the point is shoe is a shoe in the end. So I you know very decluttered organised but I even underestimated how many shoes I had.

Lesley  33:05  
That was counting confess Yeah, it sounds very judgmental, and we don't want it to sound judgmental. Do it. But that was a reset your home challenge that we did back in September. Yeah. Which leads me on because we've got another challenge coming up somewhere. And actually, we could do shoes again. We could do another counselling conference for shoes, couldn't we? Yes, we

Ingrid  33:25  
were. So we're so looking forward to this because we're going to do the reset your wardrobe challenge. And it's going to start on Monday. So how fabulous is that? So if you're thinking to yourself, you know what, Ingrid and Lesley got me thinking I actually probably do need to sort out my coats and I do need to sort out those shoes. Why don't you come and join us for the reset your wardrobe challenge. Starting on Monday, we're going to do five days, and we're going to teach you how to declutter and organise your wardrobe.

Lesley  33:53  
There are very few people who don't feel overwhelmed with the amount of clothing in the house. That's true, isn't it? Yeah. So wardrobes is a good place to start. So the reset your wardrobe challenge on Monday sign up, we'll drop the links in the show notes and everything went way.

Ingrid  34:09  
Yeah, yeah, definitely. We had such a fabulous challenge back in September, and we can't wait to do it. Again. We had I think, I mean, we had hundreds and hundreds of people join into our challenge. In the Facebook group. We did live session every day. We had a bonus we had were a workbook. And that's all going to happen next week as well. So there is still time to sign up. So if you're like, you know what, I do need to sort out my wardrobe. It's a big mess in there. I've got no idea what I have. I keep wearing the same stuff over and over again. I'm so bored with my own clothes. This is a perfect opportunity. Come and join us on Monday. The link to the wardrobe challenge is Declutter. hub.com forward slash wardrobe dash decluttering dash challenge, but we'll put it in the show notes to make it easier for everybody.

Lesley  35:05  
Yes. So anyway, we digress, we digress with our challenge. But let's go back and talk about shoes again.

Ingrid  35:11  
Yes, so shoes, take up lots and lots of space. And the thing is, shoes are actually really awkward to store as well. So they end up normally stored in 3456 different places. There's very few people who have a wardrobe, just for shoes. I mean, I once once worked with a client who had a cupboards designed into shoe with shells, so she could fit exactly three shoe box in between the shelving, but that's not a normal situation. Normally, shoes live in the bottom of cupboards, under beds in the hallway, in under stairs, cupboard all over the place. And then you've got when you've got kids growing. I mean, in teenagers growing up, they go through shoes, like there's no tomorrow. So before you know it, there's lots of shoes hanging about nobody knows anymore what size who therefore what season they are. So they take up a tremendous amount of space.

Lesley  36:13  
Yes, so little job for the weekend shoe decluttering that's quite hard, isn't it quite hard, emotionally, but again, can create a lot of very, very usable space carnate. That's our seventh

Ingrid  36:26  
ditch. I really enjoyed it. Lesley, I enjoy talking about seven kind of random things, but they're all massive and bulky, and great ways to get some space close some space back in your house, isn't it? So listeners? Are you thinking to yourself? Hmm, what a great idea. I hadn't even considered doing it this way. And I do need to create some space and get some motivation, or are you thinking to yourself, this wardrobe challenge sounds amazing. Unless you Ingrid. I mean, I'm gonna sign up. We're here for you, we would love it. So thanks so much for listening to this episode. We really hope you've enjoyed it, and are inspired to take action because that's what we're all about keeping it real and inspiring you to take action. So we appreciate you taking the time to listen today to us. If you've enjoyed this podcast, please share it with other people. Maybe your friends and family would love our show too. And on our show notes page on our website, you can find the sharing buttons. If you want more handy tips and advice from Lesley and I you can find this in lots of places. We have a fab support a Facebook group called to declutter our community, which is a great spot starting points. And we are also on Instagram On Facebook. You can find this at declutter, hop and we'd love to see you there. Take a look at members dot declutter app.com To find out more about our VIP membership. If you don't want to miss our next podcast, subscribe to the cutterhead podcast and it will pop into your notifications each Friday. Thanks so much for listening, and we'll see you next time.

Outro  38:03  
Thanks for listening to this week's episode of The declutter hub podcast. Check out declutter hub.com for more inspiration, and don't forget to tune in next week.
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