Expert tips to declutter your house for an organised start to 2025

Many of us accumulate a surprising amount of clutter in our homes over the years. If left unchecked, it can take over our living space.

Decluttering expert Marie Kondo’s philosophy of keeping only what sparks joy can be inspiring to some people and intimidating to others, but even small changes can help you free up space.

This three-step plan from Which? will guide you on how to declutter your home with less stress.

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Step 1: Prioritise

Start out with a clear plan and be willing to be ruthless in your decluttering mission as you move from room to room.

Cleaning expert Delia Cannings, who is the chair of the British Cleaning Council, says: 'Make a list of what you want to keep and what you’re going to throw away, and check everyone in the household is happy with the things you’re getting rid of.

'You can’t declutter every room, so maybe start with one of the bedrooms or the bathroom. Once you start going through things, one by one, you’ll be amazed at all the toiletries you find that are out of date or that you never use.

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'A cluttered home can make you feel very stressed. Once you’ve restored space, order and peace, you can feel quite rejuvenated.'

If you fancy decluttering and earning some money at the same time, consider listing products on an online marketplace such as eBay, Facebook Marketplace or Vinted.

When getting rid of an item in poor condition (or one that isn't suitable to be passed on), look at your local authority’s recycling depot to see if it's suitable for recycling.

Step 2: Organise

Once you've managed to clear your home of items you no longer need, it's time to turn your attention to organising what's left.

When thinking of ways to move non-essentials out of the way, consider the following:

• Use vertical space One of the best ways to make the most of space is to use your walls. Try investing in some vertical storage options, such as shelves, wall-mounted organisers or tall bookcases.

• Experiment with cube storage Putting up a cube storage unit or two will save you from having to drill into your walls. Plus, you can customise these versatile units with baskets or fabric drawers for a tidier look, or a hit of colour.

• Managing children's items If you've got kids, adding some door hooks can help you keep dressing gowns or fancy-dress outfits off the floor. Wall-mounted boxes, baskets and hammocks could also be an option if you'd rather not trip over soft toys on the floor.

• Don't forget the benefits of multipurpose furniture If your budget allows, you can think about working multipurpose furniture into a smaller living space. For example, a sofa bed with built-in storage or a lift-up coffee table can be game-changers.

• Try self-storage If your home really is bursting at the seams, this may be an option to consider.

• Manage (or dispose of) your cables Tangled wires trailing from your devices will make any space look unorganised, so try using cable clips or sleeves to keep them bundled together and out of sight. You can store rarely used cables in a labelled box to avoid stuffing them in random drawers.

• Turn piles of photos into beautiful books Save space at home by taking your treasured snaps and reworking them into personalised photo books. Depending on the service you use, you can add image filters, captions, borders and more

• Convert DVDs into digital files Wave goodbye to stacks of discs by creating digital copies of your DVDs. Digitising home videos also makes them easier to share with friends and family.

Step 3: Repeat

Move from room to room, repeating the formula of ditching non-essential items and organising the bits you're keeping.

When you’re satisfied your home is relatively clutter-free, you'll need to do your best to keep it that way. Trying to set aside some dedicated time in your daily routine can help you stay on top of any mess before it becomes overwhelming. You can also try the following:

• Enforcing a 'one in, one out' rule When you make a new purchase, try getting rid of something similar. Keeping this in mind will stop clutter from reappearing after all your hard work.

• Donating unwanted electricals or clothes to charity Charity shops will accept toys, clothes and books in good condition. Many also accept smaller electrical items

• Involve the family (if you can) Save yourself some time and encourage everybody in your household to tackle rooms with you.

• Choose new purchases wisely Our expert product reviews can help – get started with our vacuum cleaner reviews and steam cleaner reviews.

• Make tidying a little more enjoyable Try playing some music through a smart speaker to boost your mood. You might also appreciate a pair of noise-cancelling headphones to drown out the hum of the vacuum cleaner.

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