A coalition of British decluttering specialists, led by the team behind the BBC’s ‘Sort Your Life Out’, has published a report detailing four common organisational errors that, they claim, are costing households and businesses millions of pounds annually in lost time, storage fees, and unnecessary purchases. The mistakes, outlined in a study released this morning, range from sentimental hoarding to inefficient spatial planning.
The first error, termed ‘functional blindness’, describes the failure to assess the actual utility of items. The report estimates that the average British home contains £4,500 worth of unused goods, from kitchen appliances to clothing, amounting to a collective £120 billion nationally. The experts recommend a rigorous audit: items not used in the past year should be sold, donated, or discarded.
The second mistake is ‘overstocking’, driven by bulk-buying habits and a fear of scarcity. The study calculates that households waste up to £800 a year on expired or spoilt products. It advises shoppers to resist promotions unless they can genuinely consume the goods before their sell-by date.
Third on the list is ‘storage hoarding’, where people purchase additional storage solutions instead of reducing clutter. The report indicates that the self-storage industry now holds over £4 billion in annual turnover in the UK alone, much of it for items that owners have not seen in years. The solution, according to the experts, is to keep only what is regularly accessed and to repurpose existing space.
Finally, the report identifies ‘sentimental cluttering’, the tendency to retain objects for emotional reasons. While acknowledging the value of personal history, the researchers argue that a curated selection of meaningful items is preferable to a accumulation that overwhelms living space. They suggest a limit of one memory box per family member.
The findings come as ‘Sort Your Life Out’ enters its fourth season, with viewing figures up 12% from the previous year, reflecting a growing public interest in minimalism and efficiency. However, the report’s authors stress that the issue is not merely aesthetic but economic. They calculate that poor organisation costs the average household £2,300 a year in wasted time and money.
Industry reaction has been guarded. The British Self-Storage Association declined to comment but noted that its members often help people through life transitions. Consumer groups have welcomed the report, though some caution against shaming individuals who struggle with clutter due to mental health conditions.
The government has yet to respond, but the report’s call for a national ‘declutter day’ has already gained momentum on social media. For now, the experts behind ‘Sort Your Life Out’ offer a simple message: what you keep should earn its place in your home.
