Ask Elle: How can I reorganise my home?

Supermodel and WelleCo founder Elle Macpherson shares her life lessons with Get the Gloss.

Dear Elle, I’ve recently divorced and am determined to clear out the clutter of my old life and reorganise my home to help boost my mental health – tidy house, tidy mind, after all. How can I best sort my kitchen, living space and bedroom? – Grace*

Elle: Congratulations on your new beginning. I know it’s not always easy. In my experience, a fresh start is always worth the effort. Go easy on yourself as you go through this powerful transition and remember to ask for support as you need it. In my book (elle, Penguin Publishers), I share the changes required to be courageous and take a new direction. Admittedly though, it doesn’t go into home organisation!

Sometimes, at the end of a relationship or after a pivotal life phase, there is a deep need for the stability and comfort of home, for belonging and for healing. Your space should change to reflect that.

When a relationship ends, we need to anchor our creativity and our nervous system in something new. And ideally, sooner rather than later. Otherwise the rupture can feel never ending. A craving for ‘home’ is really a desire for emotional stability and in turn, regulation. It’s more than just a person you are separating from: it’s a way of being.

I always feel much better – while solo or in relationship – when things are in their place. This helps when you’re in a rush or simply needing familiarity and comfort. We all need to know exactly where those keys are or that screwdriver. I also believe that beyond just needing to find the necessities, your home reflects your psyche. If your mind is in disarray, then it’ll be more difficult to overcome confusion; to muster the attitudes and principles that you’ve relied on in the past to guide you through challenges. And that inner disarray becomes reflected in your home or office, so you’re unable to effectively face changes and perform necessary tasks.

Decluttering can mean hiring a professional to help with this emotionally charged process. However, I prefer to make the decisions myself when it comes to what needs to be jettisoned. It’s important to contemplate what needs to be let go, rather than having someone handhold you through it because your contemplation process establishes a new mindset and revises your value system when it’s needed most.

Ready to get started? Here’s how I like to manage the main areas of my home.

Read the rest over here at Get the Gloss.

Find 'elle' by Elle Macpherson here (Penguin Books)