DECLUTTERING THE WHOLE HOUSE | Laura Melhuish-Sprague 

protip for the sentimental items you never wear: take a picture of them & make an album so you can always remember them!! And purge purge purge ♥

I had all my special shirts and sweatshirts into a quilt since I would never wear them but I couldn’t get rid of them.

In regards to whether to sell (depop or even facebook marketplace) or donate, from a sustainability standpoint I would definitely recommend selling! Even if for only a few pounds! The reason for this is that its not unlikely that the stuff you donate would be thrown away as the charity shops just don’t have the space or the manpower to sort through all the stuff they are given, especially this year!

Laura in a dressing gown ... complaining about her COVID pounds .... bliss ! You always seem so prefect - great to see you are as normal as the rest of us 🥰

Seeing how many sentimental clothing items you have, maybe this is an idea for you: make a DIY plaid or blanket out of all of these T-shirts or sweaters. Just cut the recognizable parts of your clothing and saw them together. It might be a big DYI project but if you’re up for it, you’ll make these items even more special.

I can relate not getting rid of sentimental stuff that either doesn’t fit, isn’t in style or has no use. My friend came up with a great idea......take a picture of it then throw out the object/clothing. That way you just have to look at the picture to transport you back in time. Cause basically I think that’s why we keep the stuff to begin with.

Hang your dresses with the hangers reversed - the ones after summer that are still hung up 'backwards' you know are the ones to go

I always enjoy seeing people throwing stuff away. About sentimental stuff- this is a huge problem for me. But I’ve found the best way of streamlining what I keep is to decide on how much space I’m willing to devote to it. 4 boxes, or a big antique trunk or whatever. Then, when they are filled, and I find something else, I have to choose which mementos to keep and it really helps me. I have enough space for memory, but it doesn’t overwhelm me.

So many clothes make me anxious. The DIY storage room / master bedroom is the most beautiful room in the house.

I'm definitely waaay too excited for this

I love your mom's idea of a Christmas box 🥰 Decluttering is a wonderful way to generate fresh energy into a space ❤

no better feeling than a good declutter 💗💗💗

I wasn’t sure how you would top last week’s video when we got a renovation and cleaning video in one, but you did it! Spring cleaning and some Marie Kondo.....awesome! That bedroom, though. I didn’t realize how big it was until you spun around. The light will be so lovely through the seasons. I feel way too excited about this, like knowing my favorite author is writing a new book. ❤️

Last year, during the pandemic I made a huge purge, but I'm not satisfied. I need to decluter even more.. It made me feel so good.. I can't describe it, energetic, lighter.. But your house is coming along so nicely, Laura.. The master bedroom has so much space. I'm sure you're going to turn it into a beauutiful space!!😊🤗🤗

Totally get it. I’ve been having a clear out and have found stuff my grandmother gave me, which belonged to my great grandmother and they’re over 100 years old ..... can’t get rid of them but, sensibly, need to find a space to put them out to display/use rather than squirrel them away in cupboards collecting dust

I'm sorry but I think you are the ONLY PERSON ON THE PLANET who can pull off pea-green. It made your complexion and hair-tone SING are you kidding? hahaha - seriously looked gorgeous on you. at least keep the hat! :D

I have to say, this video brings me joy! I love your home reno, but every time I saw the wall of boxes of clothes I started purging my own closet lol. Well done!!! I love your spirit of letting go :)

Your house just makes me so happy. It’s such a beautiful progress and everything is so calming ✨

I love decluttering!! A refresh always feels great!! Your coat collection is quite impressive! I literally have one for each season and the an extra nice raincoat! Love that you and Ollie are going through items together. Once you get on a roll, you may keep going!!

I wear my uni jumper so much. It’s soft and snuggly after years of use. Wear it!! How sweet is your Dad! I loved that story about the sorting office ❤️

Please put everything suitable on depop! Always loved your style and you’re one of the only influencers who wears a similar dress size to me!

For the dress rail - if you flip the hangers so that they all face the other way, and once you've worn something, flip its hanger the right way round, at the end of the season/year, you end up with a really easy way to see what you actually wear!

So cathartic, and it always feels so good after a clear out. I am always amazed at how much 'stuff' creeps in to a house. The Master bedroom is a fabulous size... love the bay window too.

You will make a fortune on Depop! Take a photo of sentimentals and keep them to look back on, you will never see those items in the attic!

I read once if your trying to get rid of clothes but struggling, turn the top of the hangers around and then if you wear them put them back the normal way, then by the end of summer you will have proof at a glance of what you actually wore and what you didn't.

Been here since the move in house tour video and realised over time how I slipped away from commenting!! So just wanted to share how lovely it is to be a part of the joy and excitement, thank you to you both x

I still have my graduation dress from 32 years ago (lbd with sheer sleeves and back). No daughters but one of my boys did try it on when he was about 16 (just before his shoulders got really broad) along with a pair of black patent wedges that he squeezed into. We had a great laugh and 6 years later he loves sharing the pics with friends. I have always had regular clear outs of clothing, shoes etc, but I have put off sorting out since we bought this house a bit over 4 years ago as we have a large walk in wardrobe - but I really, really need to have a clean out as I only wear about 1/4 of what’s in there 😱

I've seen people make fun cushion covers of uni hoodies and shirts, just keep the fabric and an emblem for example, could be a cute personality feature in your decor.

What to wear when you go skiing? Always a helmet! Protect that beautiful head of yours!!

So I discovered you're youtube last weekend... I've watched every video in your renovation playlist and this was the first video I've seen pop up as a new upload. I've been loving your journey, how you're doing some on a budget, some diy. I've always wanted to do up a house and make it my own and I've never had the confidence to do so much myself, I always thought I'd have to pay for so much. This has been so much fun to watch and see you guys tackle it all. It looks hard but so worth it. I can't wait for the next video or home haul. This is the kind of stuff I've been looking for and since finding this channel its made me want to do this so much more so I'm saving properly and hopefully in a year I'll be able to start my own journey! Thanks for the uploads I'm sure it's a lot of effort to edit them all down but I've really loved watching them all x

Best idea ever! A Christmas clothes box! Thanks!

Something I did about twenty years ago was to get rid of my huge, cumbersome wardrobe, so that I could make half of my large bedroom into an art studio with a big trestle table workbench. Fortunately, I've got an airing cupboard in my bathroom with some good sturdy shelving, which take all the towels and bedding plus piles of folded up clothes and a couple of trays for small stuff. And it's brilliant because not only can I get dressed straight after a bath but it also means that if I buy new clothes I get rid of something that I haven't worn for ages in order to make room. I don't buy clothes very often, lol! Covid weight; love it. I seem to have some of that, too! ;)

I adore these videos! Your home looks so beautiful, I absolutely love your office! Hope your enjoying the top floor, you've certainly worked hard for it x

🥰 love decluttering. Excited for next week.

That was impressive. You all did such a good job.👏I think definite items go, "maybe" items go back in the box! Probably the 2nd or 3rd purge will have some of those memento items. Purgings do get easier but I found the same thing- too hard to get rid of on the 1st purge. Some people can do it all at once but I think sentimental personalities need more time to adjust. Sandi

Can't wait to see what y'all do with the bedroom! I've definitely been in a decluttering/organizing phase for the last few weeks - I think it's spring cleaning! Loved this video as always :)

I can’t wait for you to start renovating the other rooms, I love your videos and your style of designing rooms, your videos are so inspiring!💓

Declutter always a work in progress...team work makes it go better & out of the house. Donations are wonderful & people appreciate it.

And I will be the one to tell you to keep some (not all) of things that bring back great memories. I’ve always had one to two boxes. I’m 61 now and I love looking back. And over the years I’ve gotten rid of things. You don’t have to decide everything now. It can be a review over time thing. You know your own heart.

You could keep the square coffee table in the middle of your new closet room for now with all the “for sale” clothes on top and shoes and purses underneath (you might even be inspired to add a few more to the pile😂🤣😅)

I've just taken delivery of that Wilko glass and brass lamp on your recommendation. It's lovely (with a boring shade). Thank you!

I love you both and o love how passionate you are ❤️❤️❤️❤️

The urge to get those really useful boxes and organise my storage cupboards is REAL!!!

So excited to see the pink room renovation!! 🙌

Ollies red trousers , love them ❤️

Cannot wait for your renovations to begin in your master!!!! You get me excited for when I buy my own place :))))) xxx

Ah that bedroom will be stunning, the light is beautiful... I think I may de-clutter soon but for the moment I have a garden project that seems to have taken over my life. What seeds are you growing? I have sweet peas, Cosmos and shortly will be planting Larkspur.

Use Vinted instead of Depop, easier app and the person buying pays for packaging. I absolutely love Vinted and hated depop. Give it a try, you’ll make loads as your stuff is lush! 💘

In terms of your memento clothing, you can look at turning them into a tshirt blanket! It's a fun way to keep the memories while having something useful :)

What a great room and it’s just so spacious, very grand and why not 😊

For the sentimental clothes, you could look into making shadow boxes

I will be the one to tell you: Get rid of those things. You have the memory. You don't need the stuff. :)

I love your videos - I found them as we were in the process of purchasing out Edwardian garden flat last year, with some renovation and gardening inspiration much needed! And I am so excited for the bathroom video, although sad to say however well you have done sorting out I’m still putting it off!

Great progress....and soooo therapeutic.....love a good declutter! As for those personal items...some times it’s just not the right time🤷🏻‍♀️! 😉😉🙋🏻‍♀️🇬🇧💕jane

Ooooo I feel motivated to have a good clear out , but you are right , its hard to be ruthless with some items xxx

It’s so motivating seeing people getting rid of things they don’t use. Ps: if you didn’t know boots opticians can take old glasses for donations 😉

I love the lboro grad photos, I graduated from lboro last year but am still waiting for the ceremony.... Hopefully one day! Love the video 😍

Use one of your newly empty boxes as a single memento box, and make it a rule that if it overflows, you gotta purge! I do this and it helps me prioritise the most important things and keep it under control x

So satisfying of a task..well done👏🏻👏🏻

You could make a shirt blanket. My mom made a quilt for my brother with all his old sports jerseys

I can relate it’s just so hard to let go of some items

Oh my goodness! You went to Loughborough? My husband went to uni there as well! Small world 😊

Cant wait for master bedroom transformation. About mattress you have to check with manufacturer because my mattress can definitely go into Murphy bed so you can keep it vertical.

Love the white polka dot dress in the beginning 😍

I thought you could use your Really Useful Box for some of the DIY supplies you can easily lift from room to room. I have a good supply of the smaller boxes but they are very sturdy.

You're both such hard workers. I really enjoy your website and watching you do all the hard work instead of me (ha ha ha).

Spring cleaning.... oh yeah

Haha I definitely thought there was going to be old teeth in that little box 🤣

the progress is amazing! you both are doing a great job! I'm just very curious, do you rent out that beautiful room on the first floor that you renovated first as you planned or did the COVID blocked this opportunity for you?

Ahhhh I love decluttering videos!!!!!!!

Also, I have that exact little glitter/jewel pot and I can't part with it either. Maybe keep it for your child one day and they can have the pot and love it haha

The chipmunk voice! 😂🤣😂🤣😂

I love a good declutter! I need to do one too 😬🤦‍♀️❤️

Great job decluttering 👍

oh man, I really want that Zara blazer 😍

The colour of the pea green jumper and hat actually on camera suited you

That dress is amazing! 😍

I graduated from Loughborough too 😍 xxx

I want the barrel bag.😍

Cut out the crests from the favourite clothes and frame them ❤

put it on depop!!

Cornish cream before the jam!? What an absolute insult 😭 ;)

Been there done that. 2015 we moved from 1875 sqft (190 sq m). We now live in 550 sqft.

I really good idea for momentos is take really clear pictures of them and put them all in a photo book. Means you’ll always be able to look at them but won’t have al the clutter

i have old marathon t-shirts. I now cannot fit in any of them. A family member made a quilt of all the shirts I earned from finishing the races. It is one of my prized possessions.

I have a small momento chest that I have kept a few special clothing items in. If it won’t fit in the chest it goes.

Would you please consider sanding the hole filler on the doors 🚪 a bit and then applying some type of natural type varnish? Your work is brilliant.

Holly smokes! That is a s**t ton of coats! They’re all lovely...but wow.

Good job!!!

Built in this room a bathroom and in frond of it is going to have your bed. Block the door and create in the other side of this wall inside your on suite . Basically right your go to your room and left tou the walking closet. Built a fireplace and left and right put bookxases and up to fireplace the tv. And in the bay window a built in sofa with drower or space for books.

Ihr seid so sympathisch 👍😍

Love your denim jumpsuit! Where is it from? Also have you deleted the depot account, because the link isn't working. xx

Great video

Take a photo of your sentimental items and make a really lovely photo book out of them. This way you'll have the memories, but not the stuff.

What if you put the ensuite on the wall where you said the bed would go, across the whole wall and then effectively brought that wall forward a few feet. Then your tv would be closer too haha

I was waiting for this!! Haha

Curious as to why you wouldn't make that room a living room? Your ground floor rooms are so small for entertaining and lounging and you could fit a large amount of people in this room comfortably. The light coming in is amazing so why relegate it to a room you are going to be in at night with your eyes closed?

NOOOO THE INFAMOUS PEA GREEN SWEATER

Where did you get your hangers please? X

Could you tell me where your hangers are from please.