Decluttering expert Marie Kondo might have a world-famous tidying method, but how exactly do you organise your space up to her standards?
Whether it's your wardrobe or bathroom cabinet, the start of a new year is the perfect time to declutter your home. With previous research by Recovery discovering that organising can help to boost our wellbeing, the team at Space Station have teamed up with Marie Kondo trained expert, Sue Spencer, to unearth the secrets of organising cluttered corners.
'With a new year upon us, it is a popular time for households and couples to set fresh goals in January,' says Vlatka Lake, Marketing Manager at Space Station. 'A popular decision for many is to declutter and re-organise the home, to give your living space a feeling of freshness whilst also ensuring the new year gets off to a productive start.'
Need a helping hand? Take a look at some of the tips below...
5 tips for a successful wardrobe audit, according to Marie Kondo
To help you tackle your space, Sue has outlined a Marie Kondo-approved audit of the wardrobe. Take a look at the simple things you can do below:
- First, have a clear vision of how you would like your wardrobe to look. This will help you to organise it in a way that's right for you.
- Next, Sue explains to 'get all your clothes out' and 'put them in one place before organising'.
- If you live with a partner, go through your items together and categorise them before sorting. For example, place jeans into one pile and jumpers onto another.
- 'Work through the categories one by one, prioritising the clothes you love and identifying why they are your favourites,' adds Sue.
- Finally, divide your clothing items into a keep and discard pile. As you go through each category, this will help you to easily remember what you're keeping or passing on.
7 tips for a successful bathroom audit, according to Marie Kondo
Looking for tips to successfully declutter your bathroom? Take a look at these Marie Kondo-approved hacks below...
- 'Categorise your toiletries before organising,' says Sue. Whether it's your beauty products or cleaning essentials, place everything together to help you efficiently declutter.
- Next, work through one category at a time. Sue says it's important to 'check which products you actually use' and have a clear-out of any that are gathering dust.
- If you live with others, highlight any shared items (such as bathroom cleaner) and discuss whether they can be thrown away.
- 'Highlight the items you know you love and use first,' explains Sue.
- Once you have done that, identify how often you use each item. For example, shower gel is used on a daily basis, while other beauty products may be saved for a special occasion.
- Sue explains that a good tip is to 'deliberately use up items you find hard to discard'. Not only will this save on space, but it's better than simply throwing items in the bin.
- Finally, discard any miniature toiletries to clear some immediate space. From holiday minis to samples, these will only take up more room.
5 wardrobe storage tips
- Got a favourite jumper that you love to wear? Keep this at the front of your wardrobe to avoid rummaging to find it.
- Sue explains that 'storing seasonal items under the bed' is great so 'they don't take up shared space'.
- 'When you've sorted all the clothes, look at your storage space and decide how you want to organise the items you love – not everything needs to be hung,' continues Sue. 'Jumpers, t-shirts and jeans can all be folded and put in chests of drawers or baskets on shelves to maximise storage.'
- Don't hang everything up: Baskets and boxes provide excellent additional storage if you don't have much room in your wardrobe.
- Separate your clothes into categories to make things easier to find.
- Don't keep things you don't wear. Whether you donate clothing to a friend or drop them off at your local charity shop, there are plenty of ways you can pass your items on to someone else who needs them.
5 bathroom storage tips
- From shower essentials to cleaning products, store similar items together.
- 'Keep frequently used items with easy reach on shelves,' says Sue, who advises this will make life much easier.
- Separate shelf space.
- Use containers, such as trinkets and baskets to store items such as toilet paper and cotton buds.
- 'Store liquids safely', adds Sue. A neat little bathroom cabinet can help you to tuck liquids out of sight.
- Get your hands on an in-shower storage caddy to make bottles easier to reach in the morning.
- Store personal products in boxes or baskets.
Like this article? Sign up to our newsletter to get more articles like this delivered straight to your inbox.
In need of some positivity or not able to make it to the shops? Subscribe to House Beautiful magazine today and get each issue delivered directly to your door.
Ignore - storage b
This ombre effect basket is the perfect ample storage solution for your home. Its ideal for towels and throws.
In a classic natural finish, these contemporary and versatile woven storage baskets are given a modern twist with a white painted strip around the bottom.
Store bits and bobs neatly that you don't mind being on display in this metal wire basket from Marks & Spencer.
Teaming natural-toned seagrass with pink and yellow patterns, this set of two nesting baskets make for stylish storage. Fill them with books, magazines and accessories, or use them as plant pot covers.
This structurally strong black and naturally-hued storage basket would make the perfect rustic addition to any interior. It has been beautifully hand woven using sustainably sourced local palm tree leaves.
Designed to be hardwearing with a sturdy and robust metal frame, this large woven storage basket is perfect in any room of your home.
We love the multi-coloured braid detail on these seagrass woven baskets. Each one is finished with matching carry handles.
This practical storage basket with a lid is perfect for the bathroom or utility room.
Made from a great sustainable material, this small cork storage basket will complement all types of decor whilst keeping belongings in one place.
Simplicity always wins. This natural seagrass storage basket will suit any room and interior for a clutter-free space.
Fill this stylish storage basket with books, magazines or accessories. Its woven from natural seagrass and patterned with a checked design in subtle pastel pink and white.
We love these felt, cut-out star design storage baskets, perfect for toys.
Looking for a sleek storage solution? This classic black mock crocodile skin basket is made from real leather. A handle at each side makes it easy to move around the home.
This chunky cotton rope basket is a lovely alternative to plastic or rattan, and it will add texture to your shelves.
Woven from tie-dyed cotton, this bobble-textured basket is perfect for the bathroom.
This super chic rattan basket comes with two handles at the top. It will elevate any space!
Add stylish storage to your bathroom with this basket crafted from polyester felt. Great for storing toiletries, the fir wood handles make it easier to lift and move where necessary.
These grey plaited storage baskets, made from high quality fabric felt, come with silver rivet fixings and a strong feature wooden handle.
Keep it simple with this small storage caddy that can easily slot onto any shelf or in any space with ease. The small size is also ideal for placing on your windowsill, keeping all those bits and bobs in one place.
Forget storage baskets, invest in a storage bucket! With a secure press fit lid, this bucket really is great for hiding everything you want out of sight. Made using water, mould and sun-resistant colours, this fully recyclable, multipurpose bucket boasts a tough, thick-walled construction for extra strength, and it's easily stackable, too.
