December is typically filled to the brim with present shopping, eating, drinking, socialising and cramming all sorts of wonderful events and occasions in to a short space of time! Our mission this year is to enjoy these wonderful things, but also find time to unwind, declutter and give back. If you’d like to join us, here are 9 tips to get you started:

1. Switch off – literally put your phone on airplane mode, turn off your computer and put your feet up. Pour yourself a G&T or homemade lemonade, flip through your favourite magazine, soak in some bubbles, or have a nap – whatever “me-time” you’ve been craving for the last couple of months.

2. Sort – from clothes to kitchen cupboards, set aside time to tackle all those crammed cupboards, pantries and store rooms!

3. Clean – keep a cloth handy to wipe things down as you go. A clean environment is a healthy one; as dust aggravates allergies and asthma.

4. Organise – create four piles while you’re sorting – things you want to keep, donate, recycle and throw away. Be ruthless, otherwise you won’t make much progress.

5. Donate – don’t forget that charity starts at home. Give clothes, accessories and appliances that are in good condition to your domestic worker; and give the rest to a charity that you support. Try to find community projects in your area, whether it be a local homeless shelter; a charity shop that supports an animal shelter; or a children’s home – there are many people we can support in our own neighbourhoods, before reaching out on a more global scale.

6. Store – invest in practical and stylish storage solutions to put under the bed, or placed as a feature in your living room. Use this space for winter clothes and blankets or kitchen appliances that you rarely use but want to keep. Vintage trunks and woven baskets are always a winning option, and don’t neglect using your wall-space for beautiful shelving solutions.

7. Compartmentalise – we love this idea to from realsimple.com; it’s ideal for a bedside table, or that third drawer in the kitchen that is filled with light bulbs, candles, matches, pens, and all sorts of other bits and pieces!

8. Paint – now that you have more space to work with, it is great time to further enhance your space with a new fresh coat of paint, or to liven it up with an accent wall.

9. Redecorate – identify rooms or furniture pieces that need a new lease of life, and make simple changes such as a new scatter cushion or two, or have a chair re-upholstered in a modern print. Since you have sorted through your items and only kept the most loved pieces, now is the time to rearrange your space to show these items off to their full potential.

Let us know what you’d add to the list, and how you get on!