Decluttering is not a one-weekend task. It’s a set of habits that need maintaining. Sorry. You may find that a big blitz on the most cluttered room in your house will get you started  -- but now you need to maintain that lovely tidy space. But the good news is, these are all fairly achievable habits.

1.       Commit to five minutes each day

Five minutes of tidying at the end of the day can make a world of difference. Think of it as pressing re-set on your living space. Just small things like throwing away unwanted papers, straightening cushions and putting empty mugs in the dishwasher will make your home much more pleasant to wake up in. By tacking your ‘five minutes’ on to a routine you already follow (like going to bed) you make it easy to maintain until it becomes a habit.

2.       Focus on one space

A resolution to keep your entire house or a room tidy is very noble – but if you get easily discouraged, consider going much smaller. Focus on a micro-space, like a single bathroom shelf, or the end of your kitchen counter. Your mission is to ensure that space stays clear and tidy.

3.       Have a route out of your house for unwanted goods

It sometimes seems easier to hang on to an item than it is to get rid of it. You might have to make a special trip to the tip, or even pay for disposal. Or you might feel guilty about waste.

When something is irreparably broken or well used and worn out, you should not feel any guilt about disposing of it in a responsible way. Recycle where you can – this might mean breaking the item up and disposing of the parts separately. Or it might mean taking it to a specialist facility. But some items just need to go in the bin.

Items that could be used by others can be passed on. Consider donating to a charity shop, or selling your household goods on the secondhand market or using a site like Freegle to offer goods to people in your neighbourhood.

4.       Say no to items you don’t want

One major source of clutter is items that other people have passed on to you. It can be hard to say no to a freebie – but try to resist. All they are doing is passing on the problem of storing and, in the long run, disposing of it to you. Another way of controlling what comes into your home is to ask people not to give you gifts. You can always request something you can use up (like food or a bottle of wine) or an experience.

5.       Keep equipment that is not in regularly use out of your living space

If you’re having to move a surfboard to take a shower, you have a problem. The first step is to put out-of-season goods into out-of-the-way storage spaces. This might be your attic, or a secure shed; or it might mean a quick trip to your storage unit.

The next step is to make an appointment with yourself when the season changes to switch your stored goods around.

Remember that your goods might not be covered under your contents insurance if you store them outside your home. But you can get insurance coverage for the goods in your storage unit with Store and Insure – get a quotation today.

And with that, we at Store and Insure would like to wish you a happy new year!