CLEAR THE GARAGE

No room for the car? Professional declutterer Kate Ibbotson of A Tidy Mind (atidymind.co.uk) puts

everything in its place

Don’t try to sort this space on your own. You need help from friends, family or a professional. Find an expert at The Association of Professional Declutterers and Organisers (apdo.co.uk).

It’s best to get the job done in a day, as you may need to use outside space as a sorting area. If possible, lay a tarpaulin outside, gather everything from the garage and place it there.

Use a stick to clear the cobwebs from the ceiling and give the garage a good sweep.

Throw away things that are broken, useless or out of date and load the car for a tip run. Most recycling centres can safely dispose of gas canisters, paint, metal, wood, rubble, broken electrical items, batteries, white goods and light bulbs – but check yours before setting off. If you have petrol or hazardous waste, ask your local council for advice.

Categorise similar items together. If there are duplicates, can you declutter down to one?

Bag up unwanted items in good condition for charity shop donations. British Heart Foundation will pick up some furniture including sofas and beds with fire safety labels. They also collect smaller items, including electricals. Some recycling centres have reuse sections, or consider animal shelters or homeless refuges.

For storage, use labelled boxes and fill the wall space with shelving. Try Big Dug (0800 088 6300; bigdug.co.uk). A peg wall is useful to hang tools; try Trade Counter Direct (01803 666630; tradecounterdirect.com).