By Cherry Whiteside, John Taylor Hospice Business Development and Retail Manager
We’re all familiar with the phrase ‘tidy house, tidy mind’ and it’s probably an adage that many of us can relate to – even if we don’t relish the process of getting there! There are many studies and expert opinion pieces which support the idea that clearing the clutter from your environment can really have a positive impact on your wellbeing by boosting your mood, creating a sense of calm and even increasing your productivity.
But if contemplating a good old spring clean remains way down your ever-growing to-do list, or you’re clueless about where to start, we hope this blog helps to inspire you and makes the task at hand feel more manageable!
Clearing out your closets will not only give you a boost – it can also benefit local charities. By saving items to donate to John Taylor Hospice charity shops, your pre-loved wares will be raising vital funds for local families in the most difficult of times. Gifting items is a great way to give and show your support so please pop them to one side for us and, when we reopen, we’ll accept your donations with open arms!
So, let’s roll up our sleeves and get stuck in. Our Retail Team has been scouring the web for expert advice on how to spring clean like a pro and for tips to organise your house so it’s sparkling and super organised – all while benefitting your local hospice.
Here are a few of our favourite finds:
- Mrs Hinch
Instagram cleaning sensation Mrs Hinch, aka Essex-born Sophie Hinchcliffe, has an eye-watering 3.3 million followers on her video and photo-sharing Insta account – @mrshinchhome. Known widely as a top ‘cleanstagrammer’, Mrs Hinch has also shared her top tips for decluttering in a recent blog.
- Gemma Bray – ‘The Organised Mum’
After the birth of her first child, Gemma Bray founded The Organised Mum Method (TOMM) to stop her household chores from getting out of control and to relieve anxiety. Join her 188k-strong #TeamTOMM Instagram followers @the_organised_mum and see her household hacks, or read why she’s a firm believer that ‘there’s more to life than housework’ in her blogs which can be found at https://www.theorganisedmum.blog
- Marie Kondo
When her series Tidying Up with Marie Kondo premiered on Netflix in January 2019, her tips to declutter and organise your home seemed to spark a national conversation – with many charities reporting a much-welcomed increase in shop donations as a result of the ‘Marie Kondo effect’. Read more about her KonMari Method of tidying by visiting her website at https://konmari.com/ and you can also find her on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/konmari.co/
- Organise My House
Mum-of-one Chrissy, who lives near Manchester, runs her blog as a full-time business from home. She provides ideas, tips and inspiration for anything and everything related to ‘organising’! Former home organising and styling business owner Chrissy has won awards for her work – find out how to be a ‘home boss’ (and take the fun free quiz on the homepage) here: https://organisemyhouse.com
- A Tidy Mind
From how to tackle those ‘junk’ draws in your house (we all have them right?) to how to declutter your wardrobes, blogs written by professional organisers A Tidy Mind offer some great advice – along with a handy free printable decluttering guide.
- Lynsey, Queen of Clean
‘Cleanfluencer’ Lynsey is a busy mum-of-three who blogs, appears on TV, has written a best-selling book and has 188k followers on Instagram. Lynsey’s tips are mostly about how to keep your house clean and sparkling, but she does also offer advice about decluttering and home organising. You can find her blog at https://queenofclean.blog
The difference your donations make
Today, and every day, more than 600 people across the West Midlands will receive the care they need from John Taylor Hospice teams. Every item you donate to our shops will be raising much-needed funds to help ensure everyone that needs hospice care can receive it. Thank you so much for your support.