Sort It September! A Time To Declutter And Regroup

So, where did that go? If you are a parent, or know anyone that has children of school, college or university age, you will know that the summer break has simply flown past, just as always.

During those months, when the children and students are home, it may feel that you may never reclaim your home as toys, books and boxes of things from uni litter every corner of your home.

Sadly, no sooner have you been bemoaning that very fact, they are disappearing again into a new academic year and another step closer to flying the nest. Oh, will you miss their clutter then!

Emotions aside though, and looking at this purely from a practical point of view, we thought we’d offer a little advice on how to reclaim your home after the summer holiday is over.

Your little darlings

Once the little ones have returned to school, it’s a great time to take a look through their toys and a bit of a clear out. We know that there will be some things that they haven’t played with all summer; some that they simply don’t like any more so, if they are in good condition, why not consider upcycling them by giving them to a charity shop or playgroup?

Tackling their rooms is also a good job well done even if you feel like you can’t face it initially. Perhaps it’s a great time for a tidy up, a lick of paint, new beddings and accessories and a time to cosy up before those autumn nights and winter days are upon us.

Terrific teens

Gone are the toys but the ‘chair-drobe’ or ‘floor-drobe’ is probably an almost permanent fixture! To try and encourage your teenagers to be a little tidier, take a critical look at their rooms. Do they need more storage? Would some decorative hooks on the walls encouraging handbags and sports bags from the floor to somewhere else?

We all know that teenagers like to spend time in their rooms so could you introduce a seating area for them, or at least ensure that they have somewhere to study and get ready?

Again, it’s a great time to give rooms a spruce up. Some well-chosen accessories – selected after some discreet questioning – can make a real difference and will definitely earn some brownie points in the parent stakes when their room looks warm and welcoming.

University

Before any grown-up children return to or start university, make sure you have a candid conversation with them about what they have in their rooms. Many will want a more grown-up place to relax and you may find that they willingly pack up some of their clutter and younger self belongings; ready to store and perhaps enjoy with their own children at a later date. You could also agree a new room scheme and have this done ready for when they return for the weekend or at Christmas. This way they will still feel very much part of the household, have their own space but also see a marked shift from when they lived at home full-time.

House guest

So, the summer house guests have all left but it won’t be long until the festive ones are here! If your spare room has seen better days perhaps creating new storage would work along with an accessory overload. Shelves adorned with baskets, tasteful lighting and houseplants can make a real feature out of necessity.

Artfully arranged towels, decorative candles, cushions and throws on the bed, and a vase of flowers can all contribute to a wonderfully welcoming room scheme that is functional and appealing; all at the same time.

One thing is for certain. A new academic year is a great time to declutter, spruce up, re-accessorise and look forward to those cosy nights in your lovely home – a place to be happy, a place to relax and a place to be.