We all dream of that perfect home: a sanctuary you can relax in and be your true self.

Picture it now: infinite space, a luscious cloud-like sofa supporting your tired body after a day’s work, clean surroundings.  You have a book in hand. Nothing is out of place.

Does that sound like reality?

Try as you might, you cannot shake off the mild irritations that there are too many random objects lying around your living space.

And yet all seem so necessary. Remote controls are sitting room essentials. Letters routinely find a home for themselves on coffee tables. Ornaments harbour sentimentality and computer cables are part of the infrastructure of modern life.

Where are all these devices and contraptions in the IKEA catalogue then? Since we need them, why can’t they look more beautiful?

So we have come up with these seven ways to make your miscellany a little calmer so you can get on with the task of just being.

ONE: Adopt a tidy surface policy

This may seem obvious, but if you don’t implement a policy against storing your items on the table, on chairs, worktops and even on the floor, you will become clutter-blind.

This is when you just don’t see your mess anymore; you’re used to living with it.

A tidy surface policy ensures you are able to restrict your visible clutter to a minimum.

TWO: Only have one of every thing

Clutter quickly accumulates when you buy duplicates and triplicates of the same item. Be ruthless and rid yourself of the extra items so can give yourself breathing space.

THREE: Have one thing out at a time

We’re going back to basics. Do you remember when you were little and you had your toys all over the living room floor? What did your dad say to you?

“When you’ve finished with something, put it away!”

Just because Dad’s not saying it anymore doesn’t mean the rule’s gone away.

You can only read one book at a time, so put the others away. Have you finished with your laptop? Put it away. Then what’s it still doing out?

FOUR: Get rid of your post weekly

Stop the paper islands from growing into clutter mountain ranges. Have a day or time of the week where you go through all the free newspapers, junk mail and leaflets and throw them in the recycling. This frees you up from total chaos so you can stay calm.

FIVE: Have a drawer or box for cables

With all our laptop cables and tablet chargers, we are used to living in a forest of wires. These are unsightly when not in use and sit in corners collecting dust and grime from the environment around them.

Give them a home such as a drawer where they can live when they don’t need to work.

SIX: Have a storage cube to house the items you can’t do without

Whether it’s your newspaper, Radio Times or your Sudoku book and pen, you need a beautiful cube to keep all your essentials in. Storage cubes come in all designs and colours, so pick one that is in keeping with your décor so that it looks like another part of the furniture.

Don’t forget to organise the contents of the cube on a weekly basis so you don’t start accumulating too many pens or puzzlers.

SEVEN: Rent a Storage Unit

If it’s all become a bit too crazy for your small living space, remove some of the crowdedness by putting a few boxes into one of our storage units.

Give yourself back the harmonious living space you deserve and check out our range of storage options.