Don’t expect total change immediately, but try and do one problem area a month going forward. Decluttering is a long process of changing your attitude to your belongings, as much as changing the layout of your home. Be kind to yourself and remember there will be periods in life when clutter will happen. Thinking hard about what you want and how you want to live will stand you in good stead for the ongoing process.

Reference links to original sources may not appear in this version – to view the piece in full, please see www.loveproperty.com

Tame the chaos with 40 genius decluttering tips from the experts