1 Change your mindset
Think of decluttering as a way to rediscover and reclaim your home, rather than as a chore. Envision the benefits of your new well-ordered surroundings: time saved hunting for things, space to display objects you love and a place you enjoy living in.
2 Make an action plan
Come up with a system to make decluttering more manageable. Tackle one room at a time, or go shelf by shelf, drawer by drawer, cupboard by cupboard, or approach things category by category – going through clothes first, then books, for instance.
3 Set your criteria
Whether you resolve to get rid of anything you haven’t used for a year or, Marie Kondo style, ask yourself, “Does it spark joy?”, working out how you’ll decide what to keep is half the battle. If in doubt, remember William Morris’s maxim: “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.”