Clearing the way

HEATHER is a great cook but never has friends and family over for dinner because her house is so untidy.

"I'd have to spend the whole week gutting it first before I even began peeling a potato... I just can't face it," says Heather, who is so ashamed of her slovenly ways she asked us to conceal her identity.

Jill Lawday understands how people's lives can be blighted by disorganisation.

In her company, Business Skills Armoury, she offers life coaching as well as a de-cluttering service.

"I once worked with a businessman whose office was so disorganised he couldn't see the wood from the trees," said Jill. Once everything was properly filed away, she said, his stress levels eased and he was able to focus better. "That year he made a record profit," she added.

But messiness doesn't only cause stress in the world of work.

"If you're the sort of person who is always late because you can't find your keys, or your mobile phone, or your other glove, then that can cause stress too," said Jill.

Equally, if like Heather, household disarray stops you from inviting friends and family over, that can cause unhappiness too.

Ultimately, it's time to tackle that clutter.

Jill acknowledges that sorting out an entire home can feel like a monumental task.

"It can feel overwhelming, so the trick is to take it in small steps," she says.

If you need to do a top-to-toe clearout, Jill suggests starting with the garage. "Then you have somewhere to store the stuff from the house before you take it to the charity shop or tip."

Next stop should be the loft, then work methodically room by room through the house.

It is best, says Jill, to draw up a plan of action and decide on a timeframe for the work.

"If it starts to feel overwhelming, there is something wrong," she says. "Take it easy, make it easy, keep it simple. Work on one room or area for a certain amount of time, then stop. That way you are not likely to get to the end of your tether."

Jill also has golden rules to help sort the jewels from the junk.

"Ask yourself three questions: Is it useful; does it look good; do you love it?'"

When she called round to my house, I was mid-way through a mammoth clearout, which began during the festive break.

My husband, Nick, got the ball rolling when he braved the under-stairs cupboard, a dumping ground for bags, coats, shoes, tennis kit, cleaning items and about 100 plastic bags. I was amazed by the transformation. It was returned once more to a walk-in space, with room for new additions.

Impressed with his good work, I encouraged him to tackle the video cabinet which was so full of computer leads I dreaded having to open it to recharge the laptop.

He even unearthed some goods to sell on eBay, and is a couple of hundred quid better off as a result.

Spurred on by his sterling results, I geared myself up to carry on the work elsewhere: tackling my daughter's toy cupboard.

I was surprised how easy it was to fill a black sack full of stuff she thought she needed but I knew she'd never miss.

Next I moved on to her room and filled another two black sacks with toys she could live without. This week, the dining room cupboard awaits - a floor-to-ceiling challenge that I've been putting off for about two years.

Nick also got a head start on me in thinning out his wardrobe, leaving a tower of clothes for the charity shop.

One wet afternoon, I emptied all my drawers and threw out anything I either didn't like or hadn't worn for a year.

Then I applied the same principle to my wardrobe. Another large bag was filled, which was greatly received by a friend.

"Thanks for the lovely clothes," she texted me later on.

Passing on your clutter' to a good home, makes the task easier, points out Jill.

"Everything can be used by somebody else. Take your old paperbacks to a charity shop and clothes to a recycling stop. Even your old specs can be used again," said Jill.

If you decide to hold a car boot sale, Jill has one word of warning. "Don't bring it all home afterwards. Take what you don't sell straight to the charity shop, or to the tip."

Once you've done all the hard work, the key to keeping the clutter at bay is to tidy up little and often.

"Keep on top of things," advises Jill. "Follow the adage, there's a place for everything and everything in its place. I never understand why it's easier to plonk something down any old where rather than put it in the place where it belongs."

The benefits of living clutter-free are immediate, she adds.

"You feel a lot freer and less stressed. Your brain can only hold between five to nine things at any one time and if some of these are: I must do the breakfast dishes when I get home' or I must paint the bathroom' or I must clear out the loft', then that leaves less room for more important things.

Jill is offering a de-cluttering service to Press readers a special rate of £47 for 90 minutes until the end of this month. To find out more, contact Jill on 07808 919070

Jill's top tips on removing clutter

* Be clear on what you want to achieve
* Take small steps so you are not overwhelmed
* Start with the easiest task
* Keep the end result in mind
* Make it simple, then it is easy
* Find good homes for the things you've loved but no longer need
* Keep it going - put things away, in their place.