It seems everyone wants to get organised, including us here at HCME HQ. But it’s no easy task and requires some order and method. Our expert panelist Shelina Jokhiya, founder of Dubai-based Decluttr Me, is here to offer her pearls of wisdom on getting organised and clearing out that mounting pile of clutter, ready for a new year and a new decade!

Are you feeling lost trying to clear that path of clutter at home? I have five key decluttering tips that will enable you to start the process today.

Ask yourself, “Do I like this, or can I let it go?” Whatever you say first is the honest answer. Ask yourself, “Is this a part of my life?

Letting go is a process and it can be very difficult. Take ‘before’ pictures of the area and then ‘after’ pictures so you can see the difference you have made to your environment.

When you start to notice unwanted clutter – toss, donate or recycle.

If you have children, teach them to declutter early. Ask them to go through their things and find the toys they don’t play with anymore that they could donate to kids who don’t have toys. This is a great task to do before Eid and during the school holidays. But if they can do it on a regular basis, they will get into the Declutter process early.

Clutter extends beyond material goods. Get rid of toxic ‘friends’ who may be cluttering your life, and that includes on social media such as Facebook. I did it recently and it felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.