\u201cIn consumer society it\u2019s very easy to acquire, but a lot of people find it difficult to get rid of things,\u201d says Julie Whiting, founder of The Decluttering Co.<\/p>\n
Clutter \u2013 stashed in cupboards and drawers, spare rooms, and storage facilities \u2013 usually involves items that people have been avoiding, she says. Decluttering is hard because it requires people to make multiple decisions at once, as well as the logistics of where to take things and the emotions of letting go.<\/p>\n
Sorting through stuff may be physically and emotionally draining, but is it sustainable?<\/p>\n
Keep, donate, recycle, discard<\/p>\n
Jennifer Macklin, who researches waste systems and behaviour change at Monash University\u2019s BehaviourWorks, says the overall aim is \u201cto rehome what you can, then recycle and appropriately dispose of what remains\u201d.<\/p>\n
Aside from navigating the various platforms, collections and drop off points, the process can be emotionally fraught. People hold on to things because they value them, she says, so part of the difficulty with giving things away or selling them is the realisation that other people may not want them.<\/p>\n
Whiting recommends people tackle the area that is most annoying, first. Then start processing things into piles: keep, donate, recycle, discard.<\/p>\n
When it comes to giving things away, donating to a charity store may seem like an easy option, she says, but it\u2019s not always the best. Re-sale platforms and buy nothing groups can ensure the item goes to someone who wants it.<\/p>\n
\u201cGet familiar with your council recycling options, and what sort of things they take,\u201d she says, adding that these services are often available free of charge.<\/p>\n
Tackling your wardrobe<\/p>\n
Decluttering by yourself is tough, says professional organiser Susanne Thiebe at Less Mess, and people shouldn\u2019t feel ashamed to ask for help.<\/p>\n
\u201cI really coach people through: does it have to stay? Can it go?\u201d<\/p>\n
Thiebe will often start with clothing, because the state of someone\u2019s wardrobe can have a big impact on their daily lives. \u201cYou wake up and you see a mess,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
Clothing and footwear are a common source of frustration and can be the hardest for people to part with. One study found<\/a> about 84% of Australians owned garments they haven\u2019t worn in the past year.<\/p>\n Clothing must be quality and in good condition to be given away or sold. Textiles can be challenging to recycle or compost<\/a>, Thiebe says, and some may end up in landfill.<\/p>\n Once clothes have been sorted, it\u2019s time to organise what is being kept. Choose a system that works \u2013 for example, a teenage wardrobe, where each shelf or cube is dedicated to a different category of clothes, could be organised even when things are thrown in without being folded.<\/p>\n \u201cTidy is for other people, organising is for us,\u201d she says. \u201cTidy is about putting it away and making it look nice. Organised is not just about putting it away, it\u2019s about finding it too.\u201d<\/p>\n Fix your furniture<\/p>\n Furniture can be especially challenging, says Ashley Eriksmoen, a designer and woodworker living in Canberra. When people downsize or a family member dies, they can end up with heirloom-quality pieces that need a new home.<\/p>\n skip past newsletter promotion<\/a><\/p>\n Sign up to Five Great Reads<\/p>\n Each week our editors select five of the most interesting, entertaining and thoughtful reads published by Guardian Australia and our international colleagues. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Saturday morning<\/p>\n after newsletter promotion<\/p>\n \u201cPeople have a kind of moral hesitation about it, they don\u2019t feel OK throwing out furniture the way they do Tupperware,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have this caretaking stewardship mentality about it.\u201d<\/p>\n But there\u2019s a huge amount of unwanted furniture in Australia, she says, more than can be accepted by charity stores, reuse hubs, or rehomed in buy-nothing groups. The excess is driven by the availability of cheap furniture, people\u2019s desire for their house to look fresh and stylish, and the limited channels for repair or refurbishment.<\/p>\n \u201cThe most sustainable choice is the piece of furniture that already exists,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n If you can find a way to modify furniture to keep it in use, that\u2019s preferable. \u201cYou don\u2019t have to keep all eight dining chairs and the dining table,\u201d she says, \u201cmaybe you can cut it down and make it into two tea tables.\u201d She encourages people to give simple repairs or paint jobs a go \u2013 especially if the alternative is hard rubbish. Local repair cafes or tool libraries<\/a> may be able to help.<\/p>\n Recycle or toss<\/p>\n Books are one of the hardest things to donate, as many charity stores don\u2019t accept them. But they can be recycled if you take the covers off, Thiebe says.<\/p>\n Many council depots and recycling stations accept paints and chemicals, batteries, light globes, cables and other e-waste, as well as things like baking trays, CDs and DVDs. Some retailers offer take-back schemes for certain types of furniture<\/a>, office supplies<\/a>, sports gear<\/a>, toys<\/a>, clothing<\/a>, and medicines<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cIf in doubt, put it in the red bin,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s better a wrong item in the red [rubbish] bin than contaminating your whole yellow [recycling] bin<\/a>, or ultimately the whole truck.\u201d<\/p>\n Learning from the experience<\/p>\n Dr Melissa Norberg, director of the Behavioural Science Laboratory at Macquarie University, researches ways to help people consume less<\/a>. Acquiring things can make us feel good, she says, but the feeling doesn\u2019t last, so we buy more.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you\u2019re having a tough time getting rid of something, and when you have to put something to landfill because no one wants it, really stop and think about what\u2019s being thrown away and can you prevent bringing those types of things into your home again. Take it as a learning lesson, rather than beating yourself up and feeling bad about it.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1787976498_554_500.jpg\")
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