Pro organisers say these are the 4 things to declutter in October if you want to be prepared for the colder months
Your future self will thank you
If you feel like September came and went in the blink of an eye, and you didn't manage to tick anything off your decluttering checklist, then don't worry: knowing what things to declutter in October will get you firmly on track.
October is a great month to try one of the best decluttering methods and get organised. Whether you think it's too early to start thinking about the C- word or not, it's a good time to get ahead and purge our homes of anything we don't need before things start to get super-busy.
And according to top decluttering experts, there are four key things to declutter in October. Focusing on these areas will set us up for the colder months ahead, and all the cosy nights we have to look forward to. Heed the experts' advice, and you'll be able to enjoy a calm and clutter-free home this autumn.
1. Halloween decorations
With so many great options available now, Halloween decorations have become one of the easiest things to accumulate over the years. If you're the sort of person who likes to go all out in spooky season, now is the perfect time to have a quick sort-through and decide which ones are worth keeping.
'Take a look at what you have and consider whether there are decorations you haven’t used for a couple of years, are broken or no longer suit your taste,' advises Shannon Murphy, founder of Simpl Living Co. 'If you have decorations in good condition that you no longer want, donating them now means they still have time to be sold to someone looking for some second-hand.'
Shannon Murphy is the founder of Simpl Living Co and a minimalist-minded professional organiser based in West Sussex. Her mission extends beyond merely assisting individuals in decluttering, although that is an important aspect. Her overarching goal is to empower people to adopt a life free from the societal stereotype that buying more will make you happy.
2. Wardrobes
As we put away our summer clothes and bring out the cosy knits, October is the perfect time to streamline our wardrobes. Shannon recommends reflecting on what we didn't reach for over the warmer months, and asking ourselves whether it's worth storing these items for another year.
'Are there items you didn’t feel comfortable in, didn’t like the fit of or simply never reached for? Perhaps some pieces have become damaged or no longer suit your lifestyle,' she prompts. 'Now is the ideal time to let them go, while the season is still fresh in your mind and you can clearly remember what you enjoyed wearing and what you didn’t.'
There are some fab techniques that can give you a hand here, from the 90/90 decluttering rule to Project 333. I'd also recommend the SKUBB Storage Case, £9 from IKEA, for storing out-of-season clothes – it's helped a lot with keeping my garments organised.
3. The baking cupboard
As the weather gets chillier and we retreat indoors, October is the perfect time to do some baking (Bake Off being back on our screens helps). Which means it's also a good time to organise and declutter our baking supplies.
'Check use-by dates, get rid of anything you know you won't use (including those ingredients you bought for one particular recipe and haven't touched since) and see what's hiding at the back,' advises pro organiser Rebecca Crayford. 'Arrange everything so it's easy to see what you've got too. It's easy to end up with several half-used packets of the same thing simply because you couldn't see the first one.'
And if you are looking for a baking upgrade, Stacey Solomon recommends easy-release cake tins, like this 3-pack for £27.25 on Amazon.
Rebecca Crayford is the founder of RCLM, a lifestyle management business helping busy, midlife women reclaim their time by decluttering, getting organised, and putting simple systems in place to make daily life run more smoothly.
4. The medicine drawer
One of the not-so-fun things about this time of year is how easy it becomes to pick up colds, coughs, and the flu. Make your life easier by organising your at-home medicines – you'll thank yourself if anyone does get ill this season.
'Take everything out, check expiry dates and see what you've actually got before buying anything else,' Rebecca says. 'I recommend putting similar things together so you can find what you need easily, and take any unwanted or out-of-date medicines to your local chemist for safe disposal rather than putting them in the bin or flushing them away.'
Storage essentials for a calmer home
Knowing what things to declutter in October is a real game-changer for getting the most out of the cosy months. You're getting your home prepped and organised ahead of one of the busiest times of year – and your future self will thank you for it.
