If you’ve looked around and thought, ‘how have I acquired so much stuff?’ then the decluttering like a tourist method could be just the tonic you need to banish an excess of belongings.
During my time at Ideal Home, I’ve tested my fair share of decluttering methods to mixed results, but I’ve found the ‘Declutter Like a Tourist' method was a great option for breaking through decision fatigue and cutting ties with emotional clutter.
Looking at clutter with fresh eyes, as if it’s the first time you’ve seen your home, this method is great if you need to be a little more honest (and brutal) with yourself. Here’s how it works.
How to declutter like a tourist
The Declutter Like a Tourist method requires you to step into a space and act like you’ve never seen it before. If you stepped into your home, what would be the first thing you would notice?
More importantly, what would you remove?
‘We often become 'clutter blind' to our own spaces. The 'declutter like a tourist' method is all about radical perspective-shifting,' explains Max Wilson, co-founder of Pocket Storage.
'Picture yourself stepping into your home for the very first time, perhaps as a guest or a potential buyer. Everything is critically observed, even details that you wouldn't normally pay attention to.'
‘It is an excellent and much-recommended method for any person struggling to declutter, especially those who feel stuck. The biggest benefit is the bypassing of emotional attachment at the beginning.'
'When you are acting as an impartial observer, it is easier to see the items for what they truly are: useful, beautiful, or simply clutter, rather than what memory they hold.’
Even if you have a decluttering checklist or have nailed your decluttering style (mine is microdecluttering), we all fall guilty of clutter-blindness, which means this method is a helpful tool to use when you get a little stuck.
I decided to see for myself how the method worked, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. I was moving from a three-bed house share to a smaller one-bed flat with my partner, and I knew I needed to part with some of my stuff.
It’s hard going from having your own wardrobe to sharing one, so I needed a method to be brutal. I acted like I’d never seen my clothes before, and the result was impressive. I was methodical, a little cold, and before I knew it, I had two huge bags to take to the charity shop.
I’m also a magpie by nature, and over the years, I’ve picked up loads of little dishes, ornaments and trinkets. Deep down, I knew I didn’t need all of them. So, looking at my knick-knacks like it were the first time I saw them, I easily whittled it down to just one pretty dish to hold my jewellery on my bedside table.
‘If you’re struggling to declutter in your home because you feel attached to items, or you’re simply overwhelmed with the process, then the declutter like a tourist method is definitely worth trying,' says Lee Trethewey, interior expert at Sustainable Furniture.
'Simply, treating your home as unfamiliar and looking at it from a different perspective, can go a long way in making practical and unbiased decisions on what to keep or get rid of.’
‘However, looking at your home from a new perspective can sometimes be challenging. If you’re struggling with the process, it can be helpful for a friend or family member who doesn’t live there to join you through the process.’
Decluttering essentials
These hanging organisers are brilliant at creating extra space in your wardrobe - especially if you're sharing with a partner.
For storage on show, opt for something stylish that suits your home decor. Woven baskets never go out of fashion.
This method is also good for identifying items that don't need to be on display. Underbed stroage bags are creating items safe that you don't want lying around.
Will you give the Declutter Like a Tourist method a go?
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