I’ve just spoken to a customer who wants to sort out the storage in her utility room.  I’m sure she won’t mind me sharing my ideas to make the best use of her space with you…

To make the laundry less of a chore, put up open shelves and racks on the walls. Clips or pegs mounted over the washing machine can hold stray socks, keys and clothing care labels. Decant detergents and softeners into sturdy, clear containers that are small enough to handle and pour with ease. Apothecary bottles or vintage-style jars are perfect for the job and add colour and style. Enamel flower buckets stand up to the humid atmosphere and are attractive organisers for spray starch, distilled water and dryer sheets etc.

A customer asked our Saltney shop manager the other for her top tips to make the best use of space in their home. Always keen to here my colleagues organisational tips I listened in and here’s my summary

1. Whether you’re intending to spend the entire weekend tacking a room full of clutter or simply wanting to organise your shoe collection, start your de-cluttering in bit sized chunks so you don’t feel overwhelmed. Don’t try and re-organise the entire house in one go but concentrate your efforts in one area trying not to “zig-zig de-clutter” by moving things from one area to another creating even more mess!

2. Think vertically when it comes to storage. If space is tight use the walls. Stacking recycle bins for example can free up precious floor space and help with better kitchen storage and bathroom caddies can keep surfaces clear of clutter in a small bathroom where storage space may be at a premium

3. When thinking about how you use your space at home also consider multi-functional storage products. E.g. a leather storage box or cube that could double as a side table and allow you to clear the clutter by throwing kids toys or newspapers and magazines inside

4. Clever storage products won’t just help you make the most of your space, it’s all about organising your live and saving time too. Something as simple is a key rack in the hallway to store you bunch of keys with say a shelf above for your phone and wallet is going to help you get ready faster in the morning without the normal “where are my keys / phone” etc. conversation.

5. Finally, doing something practical to de-clutter your space is going to make you feel a whole lot better about yourself too but if you’re not the kind of person who’s going to keep things super-tidy then don’t present you are. Instead make sure you’ve effective ways of managing the clutter your create. Something as simple as a small plastic storage box or container to manage the daily post is a great example

Decluttering isn’t about throwing everything away. It’d about losing what’s useless and ugly in order to have space for things that are useful and beautiful.

Feeling overwhelmed by clutter? Tackle a single drawer or shelf at a time. Set a timer for 20 minutes and stop when the alarm goes off. You’ll be amazed at what you can get done!

To get over that mental block that prevents you from organising your life, tidy up first thing in the morning. Once the chore is done, you’re free to do what you want for the rest of the day.

Perhaps I shouldn’t say this (!) but always start to declutter before buying storage boxes, sheving etc. otherwise you’re shooting in the dark. If you don’t know how much you own, how can you buy the right solution for your needs?

Get rid of broken appliances, computers or sporting equipment. If you haven’t fixed them by now, you never will.

The nightmare of cable clutter! Do you really still need all those obsolete chargers?

Creating a sense of order can be an imaginative process, so think laterally. Wicker trunks, woven baskets, seagrass drawers and antique valises work just as well as more conventional storage boxes or files.