Hayes Green WI members get tips on decluttering their homes
Hayes Green WI members picked up some handy tips for tackling clutter and creating a more organised home
The ladies of Hayes Green WI could soon have really neat and tidy homes after picking up some helpful tips from their latest speaker.
Katie Shacklock from Room to Breathe Decluttering visited the group to talk about decluttering and explain how clearing the clutter can have a positive effect on both homes and wellbeing.
Katie explained that she was never naturally a tidy person as a child, but after becoming a parent she found herself feeling down and depressed, with her over-cluttered and untidy home adding to her worries.
She discovered Marie Kondo's book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up and spent the following 12 months putting its advice into practice and decluttering her home.
Living in a more organised environment had a huge impact on Katie's mental wellbeing, and she decided to turn her newfound skills into a business helping other people sort out their homes.
She told the WI that research had found women's cortisol levels could be higher when they were in an untidy and cluttered environment, while people sleeping in cluttered bedrooms could experience more problems with sleep. Untidy kitchens could also encourage people to snack more and have a less healthy diet.
Katie's top tip was to only keep things that are useful or bring joy to your home. She encouraged people not to keep things for best, but to enjoy wearing and using their favourite possessions every day.
For anyone planning to declutter, she suggested deciding what to do with unwanted items before starting and beginning small – perhaps with a single drawer or shelf.
She also advised people to organise their belongings in a way that suits them and their family, rather than buying lots of storage products which could simply end up being filled with more stuff.
Katie demonstrated how to fold T-shirts and trousers into neat rectangular shapes that can be stored side by side in drawers or baskets, making it easier to see exactly what you have.
The next meeting of Hayes Green WI will be held at 7.30pm on Tuesday, September 1, at The Five Ways Inn, Hednesford Road, Heath Hayes, when local author Anouska Knight will be sharing her books.
Ladies interested in attending as a visitor to find out more about the WI will be made very welcome by the staff at the Five Ways Inn and members of Hayes Green WI.