The New Year is always a good opportunity to give yourself a fresh start. It’s also the perfect time to let go of clutter, both mental and physical. In fact, studies have found that getting your stuff under control can lead to less anxiety. Not only that, but a clean, organised space can help you relax and decrease your stress levels, too.

That being said, cleaning up your house is a task that is often easier said than done. More often than not, most people give up because there’s just too much stuff to handle. Fear not, though. With a few tricks, you’ll be able to tackle even the messiest of homes!

To help you get started on your decluttering journey, here are four tips you can keep in mind.

1. Make Specific Decluttering Goals

Before anything else, you'll need a clear idea of what you want to accomplish. Otherwise, you’ll likely end up overwhelmed by the amount of stuff you have to go through.

To overcome this, write down a list of what exactly you want to achieve, and when you want to finish them. For example, you could focus on tackling your junk drawer first. Then, you could move on to clearing your kitchen cupboards.

That said, it’s generally a good idea to break down bigger tasks into smaller ones so that you don’t burn yourself out.

2. Clear All Horizontal Spaces

For whatever reason, horizontal spaces are a hot spot for clutter. You'll often find junk on kitchen countertops, office desks, coffee tables, and nightstands. In some cases, you might trip over stuff scattered across the floor, too.

It’s probably not so surprising, though, given that they’re in areas of the home people spend a lot of time in. It’s also a natural impulse to dump your belongings onto the nearest available flat surface.

To counter this, try assigning specific places to put different items on. Invest in some hooks for your keys, bags, and coats. Get a bin or two for paper items such as bills, letters, and other documents, too.

3. Sort Your Clutter into Categories

As you make your way through each room of your house, sort your stuff according to what you intend to do with them.

You can start by preparing bags or boxes for each broad category. You'll need one for tossing, one for donating, one for selling, and one for keeping.

Take a moment to think about what you want to do with each item. Then, drop each of them into the appropriate category as you clean.

Having trouble deciding what to hold on to? Remember this simple question popularised by Marie Kondo: “Does it spark joy?”

If so, you can definitely hold on to it. If holding it irritates or depresses you, it’s okay to dispose of it.

4. Hire a Skip Bin to Dispose of Your Trash

After you’ve sorted through your clutter, you’ll likely have to deal with piles of junk to throw out.

The thing is, you can’t just dump it all on the kerbside and call it a day. You’ll first need to sort your trash into several categories, depending on the materials they’re made of. Afterwards, you’ll have to bring your waste to a proper recycling and disposal facility.

Instead of handling everything by yourself, it’s far more practical to look for a look for a skip bin hire in Sydney. Not only will they take care of segregating your rubbish, but they’ll haul it away for you, too.

Decluttering your home can seem like a daunting task, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to pull off. As long as you keep these four tips in mind, you’ll make your house spick and span in time for the New Year.