1. Don't try to do everything in one go. I found it easier to focus on one area at a time, for example the desk or the bathroom cabinet. This also ensures that you don't pull out too much in one go and end up with more mess than you started with!
2. Take pride in what you have achieved. Decluttering is frustrating, but it's worth it once you've cleared an area and it makes you happy.
3. Clean as you go. If you take everything off a shelf, wipe the shelf before you put stuff back. Also clean any ornaments and pictures at the same time.
4. Be ruthless. If something has been sat in a drawer for over a year without being used, chances are you won't miss it if you throw it out.
5. If you want to sell something or donate it to charity do it as soon as possible. If you put things to one side to deal with later you might forget about them and they'll still be there three months down the line.
6. Rearrange furniture. This can give your room a fresh new look and almost make you feel like you've moved house!
7. Instead of buying new things try to make use of what you already have. You might find a use for something if you move it to another room. For example, I had a chest of drawers in the bedroom that wasn't being used, so I moved it to the hallway and it now stores gloves and hats as well as making my hallway more welcoming.
8. Don't throw away other people's stuff before checking with them. I filled a box with my boyfriend's things and gave it to him to sort through. He ended up throwing it all out anyway, but at least I hadn't unintentionally thrown out something that he needed.
9. Keep at it. I still have a long way to go with sorting out our home, but I do a little bit each day and it gives me something to do if I get bored.
10. Don't feel guilty. I was feeling guilty about getting rid of things that I'd received as presents or things that I'd spent a lot of money on. But at the end of the day, if you're not using it, why keep it? You can sell things or donate them to charity and hopefully they'll go to somebody who can use them.
I hope these tips help you if you're trying to declutter and organise your home.
