Turning 40 and renovating our home seemed to arrive hand in hand this year, like a little nudge from the universe to finally get rid of things I'd been holding on to for far too long.
I'm a collector of pretty things and I've been collecting for the past 20 years since I moved out of my mum and dad's and into various flats, apartments and houses. Think photo frames, artwork, the odd vase, dinner plate and bedding set.
When I approached our renovation and building work, I had a clear focus, which entailed new flooring, lighting, storage and designing places for everything.
But as the builders got to work, I found myself implementing a fair few decluttering methods and finding things in drawers like candles I really didn't like anymore, curtains that I'd kept from our first flat and accessories that just looked dated and didn't suit our lives. And none of it was to my taste anymore. Here's how I decluttered my home decor to reset my interior style.
Decluttering my home decor
What started out as a practical clear-out quickly turned a tad more emotional when I realised I was clinging on to a lot of 'just in case' decor.
For example, I have a collection of lights that I've kept in case I need them if we move again (we don't plan to because we've ploughed a ton of our funds renovating this house), I've kept shabby chic Christmas decor in case it makes a comeback and just in case I decide to revert back to the person I was 10 years ago. Spoiler alert: I'm not going to.
Creating an interiors decluttering checklist became a chance to reset my style at the start of a brand new decade. These are the three things I tackled head-on first.
1. Outdated lighting had to go
I had collected lamps and pendant lights that have followed us through five different homes. Some of them are actually so lovely but just don't suit anymore, and some are just beyond keeping. Think lamps with wobbly shades and random fittings that don't work anywhere in our house.
Really, none of them suited our home anymore, or how we use our home. Since we moved in, I've been slowly replacing them with simpler, more sculptural lights that gave our rooms a cleaner look and made everything feel slightly more considered and, dare I say it, timeless.
I've sold quite a few of my old lights on eBay, and quite a few have found new homes with family and friends, so there's no hard feelings about letting them go.
2. Bedding that no longer felt like us
I've collected bed linen since the dawn of time, it seems. It started when we moved back to London and got our first rented flat, where I went for floral duvet covers, for a double bed, may I add. I used the 90/90 decluttering method like I did with my wardrobe to organise my linen cupboard.
I've also been collecting an obscene amount of cushion covers - some of which just don't go with anything now, will never see the light of day, and just take up cupboard space now.
Once I let these go, I was able to choose the linen I actually want to use, whether it be neutral bedding, details and textures that feel calm and cosy. And keeping the really good sheets (hello thread count) makes me feel fancy and makes our bedroom feel like a soothing sanctuary (even if I inevitably end up getting rudely awakened by the kids in the middle of the night).
3. Home accessories I didn't even like anymore
This was by far the hardest thing to declutter for me. I love collecting nick-nacks, trinkets, picture frames and artwork, some of which I never really wanted to put up on the walls.
Before the reno started, I started the microdecluttering method, getting rid of the accessories I found in the kitchen as we wanted to have as little to move as possible. I knew that lots of bits and pieces from kitchen drawers and shelves wouldn't work in our brand new kitchen, so it was a good place to start.
From there, I knew what I needed to focus on throwing out in other areas of my house. I was amazed at how much calmer each space felt when I cleared the shelves and surfaces and pared everything back.
It's far from minimalist because I know I'll never have that aesthetic, but now every collected piece I love has a meaning or a function, which is a huge feat for this avid collector. Plus, I've honed in on my style now, so I won't be buying new things that don't fit or suit that style.
And the biggest silver lining? I've managed to earn some money by selling unwanted items that are still in good nick. That's a win-win.
My decluttering essentials
These bedding organisers are brilliant for keeping bedding sets together, so it doesn't become a mad mess after a good rejig.
Keep things clean and tidy by opting for something stylish basket that suits your home decor.
Keep a few of these crates (one for items to sell and one for donations) by the door to fill with accessories and things you want to take out of each room.
Has decluttering reset your interior style? Let me know in the comments.
