The Softly, Softly Approach To Decluttering

IN these days of political polarisation, the concept of ‘hard’ versus ‘soft’ has extended to our everyday lives. For example, there are now two schools of decluttering: the ‘hard’ method preached by Marie Kondo in her Netflix series and the ‘soft’ version of Debora Robertson in her new book, Declutter.

I’ve studied both methods and, although I’m impressed by Miss Kondo’s perfect white teeth and cardigan, her sparkling smile, her special way of folding pants and her mantra that you have to ‘thank’ items before throwing them out, I’ve come down on the side of the soft declutter.

Like the best diets, where you aim only to lose 1lb a month, but really ‘keep it off’, the Robertson method suggests that 20 minutes a day is enough: a single shelf or drawer. This is the ‘short bursts’ method and it works.

Her advice galvanised me and I’ve spent blissful hours getting rid of things, a shelf a day that won’t be missed by anyone, ever. As with the parable of the loaves and fishes, it’s astonishing how many basketfuls (or bin-liners-ful) emerge.

Then, there’s the embarrassing task of dumping them at the nearest charity shop. Apparently, the decluttering craze means that charity shops are being overwhelmed. I’m impressed by how grateful they seem when you leave your bags under the counter and run. At the very moment you experience that exhilarating lightness, they’re coping with musty old jumpers and the radio that’s lost its cable.