Clear the clutter

Sort Your Life Out’s STACEY SOLOMON and the team share tips for a mess-free home in the show’s new book

THE GOLDEN RULES Only keep what you can store

We ask most of the families we help on Sort Your Life Out to let go of at least 50% of their possessions, but in particularly cluttered homes it has been as much as 70 or 80%.

We encourage our families to halve the stuff they have to double their space at home.

The number of possessions that you’ll need to let go of will depend on the amount of stuff you own and the available storage you have.

If you keep more stuff than you actually have space for, clutter will creep back in and you’ll struggle to keep your home tidy and organised.

You need to be able to see all of your things, so you always know what you have and everything is easy to access when you need it.

With that in mind, base the number of items that you decide to keep on the space you have to store them comfortably, then the goal is to let go of the rest.

You don’t need to dispense with everything you own to live a minimalist existence and we’re not aiming for a soul-less, empty space.

We’re aiming for enough space to create a calm but welcoming environment, and to showcase those possessions that you choose to keep because they really mean something to you.

The aim is to clear the decks by reducing the amount of clutter, then bring order and harmony to your home.

Have a vision for your space

If you keep a clear goal for your home in mind, you’ll find it easier to stay motivated and see the process through to the end. This could be a photo clipped from an interiors magazine or an inspiration pic you’ve saved on Pinterest.

If you can visualise the end result and its benefits, which is a well-ordered home and a happier family, then you’re more likely to succeed.

Give yourself a reason

As well as concentrating on the deadline, focus on the main reasons why you’re doing all of this.

The end goal that you’re visualising may be the image of a clutter-free home, but that is only the “what”.

Write out a list of all the “whys” as they are likely to be even more powerful. It might be that you’d like your kids to invite their friends over without feeling embarrassed about where they live. It could be that you’d like to have more time to rediscover the hobby you were once passionate about.

Or it could be that you’ve lost your sense of self along with your confidence and now it’s finally time to get that back. Once you can understand how this process is going to change your life, you’re far more likely to finish the task. ■ Extract taken from Sort Your Life Out (BBC Books, £16.99)

1. STRIP: Empty your space, leaving nothing behind, and then clean everything 2. SORT: Choose only what you really need or absolutely love, then let go of the rest 3. SYSTEMISE: Find a home for every item and always return it to that place

Make sure you have enough storage space for all the things you want to keep

A tidy space is a calming space

Have a vision of how you want things to look... and stick to it