Dedicated to all Londoners who swear they’re just “a bit messy”…
“It’s Just a Pile of Post… Right?”
I used to think I was tidy. Not tidy-tidy, but tidy enough. Shoes vaguely by the door, keys somewhere on the kitchen counter, and only a small mountain of unread letters on the sideboard. Nothing alarming.
Then one night, I knocked over a half-empty suitcase trying to get into bed. Not because I was packing or had just returned from holiday—but because I had nowhere else to put it. That’s when I realised something wasn’t quite right.
Living in London comes with space compromises. We pay through the nose for boxy flats, and most of us don’t have the luxury of a garage, loft, or even a hallway longer than two paces. But even allowing for that, there’s a point where mess turns into mayhem. If you’re constantly shifting things from one surface to another, or if you feel a vague sense of dread every time you open the airing cupboard, you might not just be messy. You might have a full-blown clutter problem.
Here are the top five signs it’s time to face the chaos—and maybe start clearing some space, both physically and mentally.
Sign #1 – You Keep Things ‘Just in Case’ but Can’t Remember What For
The Myth of Future Usefulness
We’ve all done it. Held onto a broken toaster because “someone might fix it” or kept that weird, single-purpose kitchen gadget from Lakeland because we swore we’d make courgette spaghetti one day. But when months go by and it’s still gathering dust, it’s probably time to admit it: you’re not going to use it. Ever.
London homes don’t leave much room for daydream storage. Those six glass jars you saved for a DIY pickling project? Not happening. That folding chair with a wobbly leg? It’s not coming back into fashion. The truth is, holding onto things “just in case” usually means you’re stockpiling guilt and clutter—not usefulness.
Cupboards of Guilt
And then there’s the sentimental stuff. The jumper your mum bought you that makes you itch. The vase from an ex that you hate but feel bad chucking. Or the stack of unread novels you bought during a fleeting self-improvement kick. These items carry weight—but not the good kind.
You’re not alone. Brits are brilliant at guilt-hoarding. But all these things take up room, not just in your home but in your head. And in a London flat, neither kind of space comes cheap.
Sign #2 – Surfaces Are No Longer Surfaces
The Rise of the ‘Permanent Pile’
If your kitchen table is more of a storage depot than a place to eat, that’s a red flag. Same goes for the sofa that’s permanently covered in laundry, or the bathroom counter overwhelmed by expired toiletries. When flat surfaces turn into permanent resting places for random objects, the clutter’s won.
You tell yourself you’ll “put it away later”, but later never comes. Because there is no “away” left. What you have is a system of rotating piles—mail here, bags there, receipts floating in a strange, migrating flock around the flat.
When Every Shelf Becomes a Shrine
Bookshelves are meant for books, right? Not in Clutterland. They’re stacked with knick-knacks, candles, potted plants (some dead), quirky mugs, framed postcards, that ceramic pineapple you thought was edgy five years ago… and maybe one book you’ve actually read.
We’ve all fallen victim to the #shelfie trend at some point. But truthfully, those Instagram-worthy shelves usually exist in houses with actual space. In London, overloading shelves creates visual noise, and the flat ends up looking like a curated museum of indecision.
Sign #3 – You’ve Run Out of ‘Temporary’ Hiding Places
The Cupboard Under the Stairs is Begging for Mercy
You know things are bad when the “dump it and run” hiding spots have reached capacity. Under the bed? Full. Bottom of the wardrobe? A minefield. The airing cupboard? Jammed with board games, tangled fairy lights, and a hoover with a missing nozzle.
If you’ve ever crammed things into a corner just before friends arrive and thrown a blanket over it, you’re not alone. Everyone has that one room or cupboard they’re quietly terrified to open. The problem is, when every room starts becoming that room, you’ve got a problem.
The Storage Solution Spiral
Ever thought, “I just need better storage”? Cue the late-night Amazon binge for collapsible boxes, shoe racks, under-shelf baskets and more. You buy the storage, but the clutter remains. It’s the illusion of control.
Truth is, London’s booming storage unit industry thrives on our inability to throw things away. But all it really does is shift the problem. Unless you’re moving or renovating, renting a storage unit is often just a procrastination strategy dressed up as productivity.
Sign #4 – You Can’t Find Things You Definitely Own
The Missing Sock Dilemma Grows Up
How many times have you bought a second umbrella because the first disappeared into the void? Or picked up another phone charger, only to find three hidden under the bed a week later? Clutter breeds chaos. And chaos hides your stuff.
The worst bit? You probably spend more money replacing things than you would’ve done just clearing the mess to begin with. That’s the clutter tax. Silent, sneaky, and very real.
The Drawer of Doom
Everyone has one. Usually in the kitchen. It contains: two tape measures, three empty pens, six old receipts, half a roll of Sellotape, random foreign coins, a takeaway menu from 2017, and keys to things long lost.
The problem comes when one drawer becomes two. Then a cupboard. Then a full-blown filing cabinet of forgotten nonsense. That’s not just mess. That’s a system breakdown.
Sign #5 – You Feel Anxious in Your Own Space
The Emotional Weight of Mess
It creeps up on you. That unsettled feeling when you walk through the door. The fact you can’t quite relax. The low-level dread when you look at the bedroom floor and realise there’s no clear path from door to bed.
Clutter has a sneaky way of stealing peace. In a city as hectic as London, your home should feel like a breather, not another stress source. But when the mess becomes part of the furniture—literally and emotionally—it’s no wonder your anxiety kicks in.
The Mood-Shifting Power of Letting Go
Here’s the good news. You don’t need to bin everything and move to a yurt. Small changes help. Pick one drawer. One shelf. Set a ten-minute timer. Get rid of anything broken, expired, or entirely pointless.
There’s a strange satisfaction in letting go. In reclaiming a table or finally seeing the bottom of your wardrobe. Every bag you donate or bin gives your home a little more air—and your mind a bit more space.
“It’s Not Just Clutter. It’s a Lifestyle Choice You Didn’t Mean to Make.”
Let’s be honest. If you’re ticking off four out of five of these signs, it’s probably time to stop telling yourself it’s all under control. Clutter doesn’t just happen—it creeps in, slowly, while you’re busy living.
But this isn’t about shaming anyone. Life gets busy. Space in London is tight. And sometimes the easiest thing is to throw it in a bag-for-life and shove it behind the sofa. We’ve all done it.
The key is recognising when the stuff stops serving you—and starts suffocating you.
Because a home that’s bursting at the seams won’t just stress you out. It’ll stop you living in it properly. You deserve a place that works for you. Not one that feels like a storage cupboard with a kettle.
And who knows? Maybe next time you trip over in the night, it won’t be because of clutter. It’ll just be the cat.