They trusted their instincts

One final thing I’ve noticed? Despite all of the other variables, The Way We Met couples listen to their gut. They often talk about going on epic eight-hour first dates, and many have become ‘official’ after only a few days; one woman even introduced a guy to her parents on day three. Another woman said she felt an “instant connection” with the woman she’s now marrying; she followed her “across the country” from job to job: she was that sure.

Here’s what I like: these people took the time to get to know the person in front of them instead of getting distracted by the prospect of the thousands of other people they could be dating if they swiped right. They gave the person they were with a chance, and because they did, they felt a spark, and went all in. That takes courage – and nobody falls in love without it.

the woman who took the decluttering trend to a new level of austerity, hit the top of the New York Times best-seller list with The LifeChanging Magic of Tidying Up (Ebury Publishing; R257), and she has a new book on the topic, Spark Joy (Ebury Publishing; R302). It seems to be the time to clear out some (emotional) baggage.

Clothes

Try these easy tricks. Sweep clean “Take everything out of your closets,” advises organiser Alejandra Costello. Then allocate pieces to the ‘keep’ or ‘donate’ pile. “It should be a quick decision,” she says. “If you’re really conflicted over something, chances are you won’t miss it.” Pair like with like “Group similar items together so you can always find what you need,” says Molly Rain, who works with editors and fashion insiders. Sort your clothes into categories, and the categories into colours.