Give your home a fresh start for the new year. A little light sorting, swapping and organising will make your rooms look great – plus you’ll feel better without the need to give up chocolate. Result.
1. Go through the 'man drawer'
Own up to having a drawer you chuck random things into and sort it out. Throw out what you don’t need, then think about where things could more logically live. For example, would spare buttons be better in a small emergency sewing kit together with needles and thread? Drawer organisers, such as those at Store, are great for rounding up similar objects by compartment. The same principle works for bigger clutter magnets, such as wardrobes. Divide – into more sections – and rule!
2. Make recycling easier
A small box for batteries alongside your paper and bottle containers will mean you won’t be guilty of putting them in with the general rubbish. At Recycle Now you can find out if your council collects batteries and all sorts of other recyclables, such as unused paint, or where you should drop them off.
Don’t forget that used or out of date medicines should be safely dealt with, too. Keep them aside in a container locked safely in a cabinet, then take them to the chemist’s for disposal.
3. Improve your storage
There are really clever buys out there so you can keep the clutter under control in a purpose-built solution instead of rummaging around in the bottom of a box. Think, too, about the spaces you could put into service as storage. Could you put shelving above a door? Swap a coffee table for storage ottomans? What about using the space under the sofa for small items on a large tray? Can you build box seating with storage below a window?
4. Clear the clutter constructively
Have an eBay day to sell the things that have been superseded by what you received for Christmas. Take pics, and get auctioning. Alternatively, help out charity shops with your unwanted goods. Don’t just think of the usual: bikes, computers, sewing machines and spectacles are among the more unusual items that can do good elsewhere in the world. The Association of Charity Shops has links in its FAQs on donating. Alternatively, use Freecycle to give something you don’t need to someone who does, keeping goods out of landfill.
5. Do some DIY
Do the chores that’ll improve home life and you might save some money on expensive repairs in the long run. Touch up damaged paintwork, clear blocked gutters, remove moss from the front path. To make sure it all gets done in a day, check that you’ve got all you need for each job beforehand, so you aren’t delayed by an unscheduled trip to the DIY store.
6. Revamp cleverly
Revamp your rooms without buying anything new. Try relocating a standard lamp from the living room to your bedroom, a throw from a bedroom neatly folded from the top of the sofa down across the seat cushion, or cushions from the sofa dressing the guest bed – small changes can make a big difference. Your pictures, too, can take on a whole new lease of life if you hang them in a group that’ll really make an impact. A similar picture theme, or frame colour will make the display cohere.
7. Reorganise your wardrobes
Give the clothes you or the kids do wear space to hang. Cramming them in means you’ll be doing extra ironing when you really don’t need to. If you’re hanging on to what you’ve removed, try Pack-Mate Storage Bags from Lakeland. The Roll Bag will compress the contents, and the valve allows you to squeeze the air out to reduce the size further. The VacuSac bag lets you suck the air out with your vacuum to reduce items to a quarter of their original size for easier storage.
8. Spring clean now
Yes, we know it’s not spring, but nothing will make you feel better than to freshen up every room. Removable sofa covers make things easy, but check whether they’re dry clean only. To spot clean marks, try HG Spot and Stain spray cleaner. Sort out marks on the carpet, too. The Carpet Foundation recommends OxyKIC from Bissell to remove stains such as red wine, oil and lipstick. Clean painted walls to revitalise them.
