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Your living room is where life happens — movie nights, coffee catch-ups, kids’ toys creeping in and the odd pile of unopened mail. It’s also where clutter loves to collect.

That’s why Week 1 of the Great Aussie Clear Out is all about your living room (and office nook, if you’ve got one).

Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you clear space, re-home what you don’t need and make your living room feel fresh again.

Need some extra motivation? Tune in to the Great Aussie Clear Out playlist with songs specially selected to help you get your spring clean on.

1. Start with a 10-minute visual declutter

Set a timer for ten minutes. Scan the room and grab anything that doesn’t belong there — shoes, mugs, random mail, half-finished crafts. Pop them back where they belong. Quick wins make the space instantly calmer.

2. Clear your coffee table or side tables

Flat surfaces are clutter magnets. Wipe them down and keep only what you use or love (like a lamp, a candle or a book you’re reading).

3. Declutter your bookshelf

Bookshelves can be both storage and styling goldmines. Go shelf by shelf.

Keep the books you’ll re-read or that spark joy. Donate or sell the rest. Secondhand books are always a garage sale hit!

4. Sort through stationery

Pens, paperclips, notebooks… they pile up fast. Test your pens, recycle the duds (you can do this at your local Officeworks), and corral the rest into a container.

5. Go through old DVDs, CDs and games

If your collection hasn’t seen daylight in years, it might be time to let go. Keep the sentimental ones and re-home the rest. These are popular at garage sales and op shops.

6. Tame the tangle: cords, chargers and cables

We all have that “mystery cord” drawer. Sort them, label what’s what, and donate or recycle extras. Tip: many councils offer e-waste drop-offs - check your council website for details.

7. Re-home 3 pieces of décor

Look around. Is there a vase, cushion or knick-knack you’ve fallen out of love with? Pick three items and set them aside to sell, swap or donate.

Rehoming options:

• Host a garage sale on 8-9 or 15-16 November as part of Garage Sale Trail.
• Donate books and DVDs to op shops or libraries. Call your local store before visiting to check what they accept and visit in store hours.
• Swap games and puzzles with friends.
• Sell retro furniture or consoles on an online marketplace.
• Recycle e-waste (cables, devices, remotes), checking your council website for local services.
• Book a council collection for end-of-life and broken items, checking your local council’s website for the services available locally and booking ahead of time.

Expert tip:

“If you haven’t read, watched, or used it in a year, let it go." - Edel Beattie, The Happy Organiser

Want more easy wins beyond the living room?

Join the Great Aussie Clear Out this October - a free 31-day decluttering challenge that gets you sale-ready for Garage Sale Trail on 8-9 & 15-16 November.

👉 Sign up now and get your free daily prompts and kit.