I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a nightmare for succumbing to clutter, So when I saw the smartphone decluttering method, I knew I had to try it for myself - and I couldn’t believe how quickly, I was able to declutter my kitchen worktops.
The smartphone decluttering method has to be one of the quickest decluttering methods I’ve tried, and it’s really simple, too. All you have to do is take a photo of the space you want to declutter and work from there.
I was introduced to the method by Suffolk Pocket Door who explained the practicality of a before and after photo.
‘Using your smartphone to snap your home is a great motivator to finally tackle clutter. First of all, digital photos allow you to see your room in a fresh light. But more importantly, the problems that you may have overlooked suddenly become obvious,’ explains Carl Benson, owner of Suffolk Pocket Door Company. ‘Finally, photos can help you emotionally distance yourself from your belongings, making it easier to make decisions about what to keep and what to let go of.’
I decided I wanted to use the method to tackle my kitchen side. While I spend a great deal of time cleaning my kitchen, I’m guilty of letting clutter build up around my microwave and I wanted to make it look more presentable ahead of Christmas hosting.
Snapping a photo of the side, I could very quickly see what needed to be moved or binned. Carl explains: ‘Photos can help you emotionally distance yourself from your belongings, making it easier to make decisions about what to keep and what to let go of.’
I’m inclined to agree. Straight away I could see two candles that were practically burnt out and they were the first to go in the bin. The vouchers were next and I found a new home for the Tupperware boxes - in the cupboard where they belong.
I didn’t throw out all the items on the side. There was a screwdriver which quickly found itself back in the toolbox and bottles of booze left over from a previous party, went back into the kitchen cupboard. I had multiple bottles of squash - purely for convenience. So, I decided to keep the squash I use the most out and put the others in a cupboard.
Not owning a fruit bowl (it is on my wishlist) inevitably the fruit went back on top of the microwave. But taking a picture of my results afterwards, I noticed a clear difference. It looked far more organised and intentional than before.
The whole process took 15 minutes and I have to say I was impressed. I plan on using the method to tackle the spare room next which has become a cluttered mess of laundry and a home office. I can appreciate the method was so quick for one kitchen side, but I do believe the method will still be quick when taking on a whole room.
As Carl says, I was less emotionally attached to the items in the photo which made it easier to decide what needed to be binned quickly.
The ease of the method also means you can do it regularly - therefore keeping on top of clutter and not making any decluttering mistakes.
‘Using the smartphone method, it is good to do it as often as we can. Whenever we snap a photo of our home, a quick check of the background can mean another item is gone, or mean we need to invest in a space-saving solution,’ says Carl.
Overall, I was pleased with the simplicity and ease of this method. We already spend loads of time on our phones, so it was great to put it towards something productive. I know I will have a home free from clutter in time for my Christmas guests.
