I tried the viral Cobwebbing method to declutter my bookshelves and finally cut emotional ties with my old books

I tried the viral Cobwebbing method to declutter and clean my home - I’ll admit it was a more peaceful experience than my usual methods.

You may have heard the term ‘Cobwebbing’ doing the rounds on social media recently. At its core, the practise is about clearing out old connections and memories from past relationships - blow away the cobwebs, if you catch my drift. But I wanted to see if the concept worked as a decluttering method - and I’m pleased to say it did.

First learning of the process from experts at Method, I decided to blow away my own cobwebs and deal with the excess of clutter in my home. Here’s how I got on.

What is Cobwebbing?

This isn’t the first time a viral social media trend has been adapted into a decluttering hack. Project Pan is a great example of a beauty trend that encouraged us to be less wasteful with our home decor. Cobwebbing is similar by design - often our clutter comes with emotional ties which can make it difficult to bin certain items, but Cobwebbing wants you to clear out those emotional ties.

‘The ‘cobwebbing’ trend, which focuses on removing lingering relationship clutter, can be extended to decluttering our physical spaces by consciously letting go of items tied to past emotions, habits, or even past versions of ourselves. Instead of holding onto things out of guilt or nostalgia, we can use this method to refresh our space and mindset,’ explains Max Wilson, Co-Founder at Pocket Storage.

‘Memories may be tied to certain items, and that is fine, just don't allow them to impose on your present. Thank the item for its past usefulness, then let it be free if it is no longer serving you.’

Trying out Cobwebbing myself

In past, I’ve been guilty of a few decluttering mistakes, in particular, chucking out items for the sake of it, only to regret it later. But I decided to use the Cobwebbing technique on my overflowing bookcase and cut a few emotional clutter ties.

I hold my hands up - I love my clutter and as much as I love the minimalist look, it’s not for me. But I also admit I have too much stuff - especially books. Looking at my bookshelf, I decided it was time to part ways with the books I didn’t finish or didn't like. While my emotional tie was that I liked displaying the pretty covers, or they reminded me of a previous time in my life (I’m looking at you A-level English Lit), realistically, I was never going to read them again.

Pride and Prejudice may be one of my favourite books, but I don’t need three copies. I may like the cover, but that doesn’t mean I enjoyed the contents. And no, I don’t need my old shorthand textbooks. Despite the memories tied to these books, I realised it was better to donate them to my local charity shop where someone else could enjoy them - which made the decluttering process easier.

As an avid reader, cobwebbing my bookcase was going to be my biggest challenge. But addressing whether my books had served their purpose I was finally able to let go.

Cobwebbing can also be applied to cleaning, and this is what I did after decluttering my bookshelf. I’d emotionally blown away the cobwebs, and now it was time to physically blow away the cobwebs.

I wiped my shelving unit down with Fabulosa Raspvilla disinfectant spray (you can get a pack of 6 for £6.99 on Amazon), which smells delicious, before mopping my floors. I used my OXO butterfly mop (£19.20 at Dunelm) and my favourite floor cleaner, the Method lemon and ginger floor cleaner (£4 at Dunelm). You don’t need a bucket for the cleaner, it squirts directly onto the floor, which makes the process even easier. Lastly, I sprayed the room with my White Company Santorni room spray so it felt even fresher.

At the end of the process, I felt lighter and accomplished. And even with a few days to mull over it, I no longer feel tied to the books I donated.

Now, I guess you could say I have room for more books…

Cobwebbing essentials