7 post-Christmas decluttering tips from the professionals

A good home and garden declutter does more than just clear space; it “changes how people experience the space,” says Sian Pelleschi, President of the Association of Professional Declutterers & Organisers. Some of the benefits she reports in her clients are: “more confidence, happier households, and a sense of calm that carries into other parts of life.” Here are seven brilliant professional decluttering tips to try.

1: Learn the four-box method

This is a classic decluttering method used by many professional organisers, and with good reason. It’s simple and easy to stick to. You just label four boxes: Keep, Donate, Recycle, Undecided. As you work through an area of clutter, you put everything into one of the boxes. This technique allows you to work quickly, because each time you hesitate over something, you can simply put it in the ‘undecided’ box without interrupting your flow; this box can be kept until you are ready to sort through it.

2: Soothe a friction point

Every home has one particular area where clutter builds up with lightning speed. Tackling this will give you an immediate sense of calm. “Pick a spot that’s been bothering you every day”, Sian says, “such as the hallway drop zone, or the kitchen worktop.” Once you’ve cleared it, ask yourself why clutter builds up here and how you can pre-empt it. Are floors cluttered because you need more coat hooks and vertical storage, for example? Would a better filing system help prevent papers from piling up on a worktop? Ask someone neutral for advice if this feels overwhelming.

3: Detox the doorstep

“People often think of decluttering as an indoor job, but your outdoor areas can have just as much impact on how you feel,” Sian says. For a quick win, start with thresholds. “Try the step outside the back door”, suggests Sian, or tackle the front porch. This will make transitions easier as well as boosting your home's kerb appeal if you’re planning on selling in the future. When a space is flowing well, “it gives a stronger sense of trust in the property overall,” Sian explains. “Outdoor areas are especially powerful; a tidy patio, balcony or courtyard suddenly reads as extra living space rather than an afterthought.”

4: Try a 10-minute patio reset

Winter is a great time to reclaim the patio, and you can do this in quick 10-minute bursts when the weather is on your side. Sweep paving stones or decking, put away garden tools and tidy up children's toys. “It’s an easy way to feel you’ve done something productive, without trying to do the whole garden at once,” Sian says. Keeping a patio swept and tidy in the winter also means you’re more likely to get outside and actually use it on sunny winter days.

5: Tackle winter pruning

Light exercise can help lift a sluggish mood, and a spot of winter gardening is particularly invigorating. “It gets you out in the fresh air, and we already know how powerful that is for your mood,” Sian says. Now is a good time to prune deciduous shrubs and trees. But don’t be too vigorous with your garden tidy-up; leave the cutting back of herbaceous perennials until temperatures have risen to avoid unseating and exposing insects overwintering there.

6: Try micro-decluttering

“In the depths of winter, giant clear-outs aren’t particularly appealing or necessary”, Sian says. “Small, achievable wins are far more motivating.” Micro-decluttering breaks down a big job into smaller sections over the course of a few days. Choose a cupboard and concentrate on a single shelf. Dedicate 15 minutes to clearing it, using your four boxes. The next day, clear the next shelf, and so on until the entire cupboard is tidy. Then move on to the next piece of furniture. This technique helps to avoid the dreaded situation of tipping absolutely everything out of a cupboard, then losing the energy to put it all back again.

7: Stop clutter returning

Professional organisers know a successful declutter is one that ensures the mess doesn’t come back. “We set up processes that suit how you and your family actually live,” Sian says. To do this yourself, focus on a friction point and, once it’s tidied, introduce extra storage to help corral the inevitable clutter before it builds up again. For a hallway, try named boxes or pegs to give accountability to each family member. Outside, try waterproof storage boxes for common clutter culprits, such as one for children's garden toys and another for stray garden tools.