London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Jul 13, 2025

Decluttering tips from the home organisers at Maison Haven

Decluttering tips from the home organisers at Maison Haven

Decluttering your home will get you ready for a fresh start

Decluttering your home, will clear your head as much as your living space. Whether you're looking for stylish kid's toy storage ideas or cool and clever bathroom storage ideas, once you've had a clear out, you'll feel more organised and will spend less time looking for things and more time doing the things you enjoy.

Once you've cleared out items that you and your family have outgrown, if you want to donate them to a charity shop, The British Heart Foundation has launched a free postal donation service. From clothes and books to vintage toys and ornaments, pre-loved goods cleared out during lockdown or over the holidays, will help raise vital funds for life-saving research.

Yet, even once you've cleared out surplus stuff, most modern homes in the UK are short on storage space, so what else can you do?

A simple way to set a tidy tone for your home is to keep its entrance clutter-free, say Maison Haven founders, Corrie Jackson and Jennifer Bakker. "We always advise our 60-second rule: every time you come into the house, spend one minute putting things away.

If your hallway is sorted, it has a knock-on effect on the rest of the house. We often design ‘drop zones’: specific places to store your mail, keys and other essentials."

FIRST THINGS FIRST


It can be tricky to find space for shoes and coats, so they tend to end up in the hall. Store winter stuff in summer (and vice versa) in under-bed storage or vacuum pack bags. We also like to use adjustable shoe racks to make use of vertical wall space in the hall. Try to get as much off the floor as possible with hooks or floating shelves.

            

GET PERSONAL


Personalised storage is always a big hit in the bathroom. We use white plastic containers that we customise with chic labels so that each person gets their own box. This works particularly well in kids rooms too as they love anything with their name on it! Keep it clutter-free by having regular purges of out-of-date products.

            

KID'S STUFF


When it comes to kids’ clutter, use toys in rotation. Buy big clip-top bins that you can store in the basement or attic, and put half of the toys in them. Parents often panic when we suggest this, but let’s be honest: most kids have too much to play with anyway.

Zoning is very important in a kid’s bedroom. Create different areas for different activities: a Lego zone, a craft zone and a book zone. This will make it easier for everyone in the family to understand where things belong. We tend to use see-through containers so that even young kids know what goes where.

            

HANGER TEST


Here’s a crazy statistic: the average person wears 20% of the contents of their wardrobe 80% of the time. After all, the more you have, the more overwhelmed you can feel. To edit your wardrobe, we recommend the hanger test.

Simply turn all your hangers so that they face the same way. Every time you wear something, turn the hanger around. After a month, look at what’s on the hangers facing the original way: that’s what you may need to throw out.

            

BE CONTAINED


In the kitchen, we decant as much as we can into acrylic or glass containers. If you can see it, you’re likely to use it. You’ll also spend less time rooting around in the back of your cupboards. When you get home from your grocery shop, spend an extra five minutes putting things in the right places.

            

REFILL BASKETS


You can also save time with refill baskets. If you’re decanting pasta into a glass jar, for example, and there’s some left over, put the bag in the basket. You can then check it before you go grocery shopping to see what you need to restock.

            

AGILE WORKING


If you’re working from home at your kitchen table or wherever you can find space, why not get a desk caddy? This looks like a desk tidy but has a handle – plus you can personalise it. It’s your portable desk and you can take it wherever you go.

            

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
A 92-year-old woman, who felt she doesn't belong in a nursing home, escaped the death-camp by climbing a gate nearly 8 ft tall
French Journalist Acquitted in Controversial Case Involving Brigitte Macron
Elon Musk’s xAI Targets $200 Billion Valuation in New Fundraising Round
Kraft Heinz Considers Splitting Off Grocery Division Amid Strategic Review
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
EU Proposes New Tax on Large Companies to Boost Budget
Trump Imposes 35% Tariffs on Canadian Imports Amid Trade Tensions
Junior Doctors in the UK Prepare for Five-Day Strike Over Pay Disputes
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth to Avoid Self-Incrimination on President’s Medical Fitness
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
×