While spring is the season we most often associate with a proper home cleaning, as our days grow shorter and colder, I’m finding myself motivated by the start of autumn to complete this task.
It all started when I returned from my summer holiday with new Sephora purchases to put away in my bathroom. As usual, finding shelf space for what I had stashed in my luggage was tricky. Which led me to consider what had been hanging around for too long and what I was really interested in continuing to use.
I started slowly by clearing out just one shelf to make room for new-ness, but when I saw the fruits of my labour, it became clear: Autumn Adieu deserved more focus.
And with this in mind, I added the bedroom to the project and started raiding my closets for items I was hanging onto, but not wearing.
This seasonal purge has meant that I can more easily get to what I need, without moving five items out of the way first. This always makes life easier.
In choosing what stays and what goes, I’ve referenced guidance on how long to keep skincare and make-up. And the new items I’ve added to my collection have been tagged with the date they were purchased, so I’ll know when to dispose of them if I haven’t finished them by their best before date.
For the clothing that remains with me, I’ve re-employed the backward hanger technique where I have hanger hooks facing out of my closet rather than in until I wear an item. Once an item is worn, the hanger is turned to face inward. At the end of autumn / winter, I’ll easily be able to tell which items are ready for donation due to lack of wear simply by checking which hangers are still the wrong way round.
In my drawers, I’ve done a variation on this theme by putting folded items in upside down. I use the KonMari method for folding items in drawers and so with the upside down to right-side up method, I can easily tell what’s really getting used and what needs to go.
While this clear-out is largely hidden behind doors, I am finding that the outer order is leading to inner calm. And with just over two months before the end of the year and all the craziness that the festive season brings, I am all for getting a bit of extra calm into my life.
As I’m saying good-bye to stuff, this is the perfect time to remember to say hello to:
Extra Vitamin D if you’re into supplements and affected by less sunshine in the winter. I take 4,000 iu each day from now until March when I drop to 2,000 iu for spring and summer.
Richer evening moisturiser, face oil and / or squalane for extra hydration to prevent skin from drying out in cold weather.
Are you motivated for an Autumn Adieu?