WHEN it comes to tackling the all important spring clean, it can be really hard to know where to start.

The key at the beginning to get into the swing of it is to try and tackle areas that will make a really big impact – with as little effort as possible.

Here, Lemon and Lime Interiors expert Elaine Penhaul shares the specific key areas you must tackle now before February to get your home looking tidy and clutter-free as soon as possible…

Kitchen clear-out

We are all prone to storing a surplus of cleaning products under the sink.

Elaine says: "Remove everything from your overflowing cupboard and sort through it – you’ll be amazed by how many half-used bottles can be consolidated and save you from buying new ones.

"Identify a unique space for everything in your kitchen to avoid surfaces from accumulating clutter.

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"Use airtight jars to store loose food items, helping them stay fresh for longer.

"Adding labels to your jars will help you to identify an order, whilst also making your pantry look stylish."

You've got mail

We're all guilty of opening letters and then leaving them in a 'neat' pile to deal with later.

The key is to relocate items such as mail and paperwork to a specific location though so they don’t pile up on the worktop.

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Elaine says: "We all seem to have that classic kitchen drawer that holds household knick-knacks that we just don’t need.

"Decide what to keep as it arrives – if it’s junk mail recycle it straight away, but if it’s a bill, file it in the a ‘to deal with’ area and ensure you do so that month."

Banish bathroom clutter

Dependent on family size, you can quickly accumulate a lot of clutter in your bathroom too.

Elaine says: "It can quickly escalate – from bathroom cupboards filled with bath salts, cosmetics, toiletries and medication, to surfaces and floors messy with damp towels, laundry baskets and bath toys."

If this sounds familiar it's time to sort through – and get rid.

Elaine says: "Start with sorting out items into categories.

"Is the item better kept elsewhere or should it stay in the bathroom?

"Do you have a linen closet for instance where the laundry basket and excess toilet rolls can comfortably be kept, or do these things need to find a place in the bathroom?

"You can buy affordable makeup organisers and clear storage baskets to go inside your bathroom unit and neatly house each item.

"Additionally, a small box with a lid can tuck away toys, while a nice wicker basket can hold neatly rolled extra towels on display."

A sleep solution

Wardrobes and cupboards tend to hold a lot of items we don’t want on display, but often they are not very organised.

Elaine says: "To clear out linen, simply consider if the bedding still fits the feel of the room you want to create.

"Has it bobbled or snagged after plenty of washes?

"Consider how many sets you have too – you don’t need four different sets of bedding for a guest bedroom for example.

"Try storing matching bed linen sets together to save space and simplify your bed linen storage.

"Place the bed sheet, duvet cover and extra pillowcases
inside of the pillowcase."

Cleaning out the closet

From a clothing perspective it’s simple.

Elaine says: "Firstly, find a friend. Decluttering clothes can become a mammoth task, and often a boring one when you haven’t got a second opinion to keep you from stashing away that dress that you wore once, ten years ago.

"It’s also helpful to group clothes by item type – that way it is clear what items you may have in excess.

"If you don’t want to just throw clothes out or send them
to charity, particularly branded and expensive clothing, then set yourself up on apps such as Depop or Vinted.

"These are a great place to sell your best items and make a bit more money."

Home is where the tidy hallway is

There's always at least one person per household who will dump their shoes and coat at the door when they come in, and as a result decluttering a hallway can often seem like a never ending task.

Elaine says: "With the constant incoming and exiting of people on a daily basis, this area of the home can quickly feel dirty and cluttered.

"It should feel welcoming and allow you to put down the things you need to as you walk through the door, such as coats, hats, scarves, wellies, shoes and even dog leads, towels, car keys and post.

"Perhaps try to limit yourself to a single type of each shoe.

"If you have to have more, keep surplus shoes upstairs in shoe boxes and out of the hallway zone.

"Condense coat storage downstairs to those you use most regularly.

"In winter this might be a raincoat, in summer perhaps a lighter jacket.

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"Have a designated area for hanging things like outerwear which can be shut off to the naked eye and try to use systems such as stair baskets to hide away knick-knacks that need to go upstairs.

"To discourage clutter in smaller homes, we recommend avoiding storage furniture in the hallway."

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