As an interior stylist who also has two toddlers this means I own A LOT OF STUFF.
The interior stylist side of me owns a million and one vessels, vases, notebooks, candles, match boxes, small plates, egg cups, absolutely anything that is ceramic and made by hand.. I have to have all this random lovely stuff because I need to be able to put my hand on a prop or two when I do a shoot because I always like to have something personal in the images I create for my clients. It helps to make it feel more ‘real’ to the person looking at the image in a magazine or online.
And then there is the toddler bit. Well, we have games, blocks, diggers, trucks, trains, prams, dolls, animals… you name it.
So combine all of that together and you have an actual nightmare when you think I live in a small victorian terrace in South London with no loft or basement!
However, now that we’re in lockdown (well, not that you would know it… if you go the common for a short walk you’ll see 100,000 people in bikinis soaking up the sun…)
It means that I am constantly, ordering, tidying, and shuffling things around the house. But, it works because our house is always a fairly tidy and this is how we keep on top of stuff:
I am constantly sorting things out. I am very organised with the kids toys in crates so they know where their toys are at all times. It’s a Montessori principle that if children can put their hands on the toy that they want when they want it, they will be more content and happier to play on their own.
I hate having things stored under beds. It creates dust (which I hate) and if you shove it under a bed you’re almost guaranteed not to use it… If I feel that my only option is to store something under my bed then I know I have accumulated too much stuff again and I do another clear out.
I always have one or two things on eBay at any one time! I also use Shpock and Gumtree too- they have no fees and you have more of a local sales-base. One tip is that when you put something on one of these sites then immediately wrap it ready to post. This means when it does sell all you have to do is label it and you can send it straight away. If I don’t so this I end up with a pile of things to wrap at an inconvenient time and it’s a real chore. My second tip is to start you eBay auction on a Sunday night. It’s a real thing. People like to shop online on a Sunday night and look at 7-day auctions that will then end on the following Sunday.
Marie Kondo the sh*t out of your house. I have been de-cluttering since January and I love having a clear out! I have become much more ruthless with what I get rid of. I don’t know if it’s getting older or what but I just cant stand to hold onto to certain things anymore. We don’t need so much stuff in our lives. And I think lockdown has taught us to enjoy the simple things and not to waste money on things that aren’t important!
I love giving things away. I get so much joy from giving something from my house to a friend who will love it more than I do. And I do it a lot. I try and give away a couple of things a month – if not more.
I’d love to know what you do to keep on top of all your stuff!
Lx
Image styled by me and photographed by Jon Day for Furniture Village