10 New Year's resolutions to make your home run smoothly in 2022

As we're still spending much more time at home due to the pandemic, many of us are trying to reorganise our space to suit our needs. And now Christmas has passed, it's an ideal time to get your house back in order – once the tree and decorations are down, of course.

Here are 10 must-make New Year resolutions to help your home run at maximum efficiency in 2022.

Re-stock all your staples – flour, sugar, condiments and tinned goods – but as you do so clear out all the items you know you aren't going to use until next Christmas. The New Year is not the time to be hoarding half-opened jars of cranberry sauce or mincemeat so use it up now or lose it. If there are food items or other non-perishables that are still in date and you no longer use, donate them at your local food bank or collection point. Visit The Trussell Trust.

Read more: 14 things in your kitchen to get rid of right now

Tackle the challenge of finding a home for presents and special Christmas items by operating one simple rule: store 'like with like'. Keep all decorations in one place – attic, garage, loft – labelled for ease next year. Organise children's rooms so similar toys and games are stored together, likewise scarves, jewellery, socks and underwear.

Read more: The one thing you should do before you pack away your Christmas decorations

Vow to check your stocks of toiletries, cleaning materials and other household staples before you buy more. Too many of the same item creates chaos in your cupboards, and will also cost you money. Keep a memo pad in the kitchen or utility room to make a list of what you really need to replace.

Read more: Cleaning products you should NEVER mix

A shoe rack is a great idea, however, a wooden crate, storage bench or tub by the front door or in the hallway might work better if you have small children who 'forget' to put their shoes, boots and trainers in order when they come home.

Top tip: allow only two sets of footwear downstairs at a time per person. Encourage the family to take everything else to their own rooms daily.

Don't allow letters, bills and circulars to accumulate on the kitchen table and worktops. Assign one place for all post and treat this as a 'holding area' (this wire rack from Cox & Cox is ideal). Set aside some time, twice-weekly, to go through the pile, dealing immediately with urgent matters, and filing away the rest.

If paperwork and important documents terrify you, don't make it too complicated this year. Simply take a pack of card document wallets and mark each one with categories, for example – 'gas', 'electricity', 'broadband', 'school'. Pop each letter or bill into the relevant file and find an accessible place to keep them all. Better still, opt for paperless billing whenever possible.

Because more of us are working from home, it wouldn't be too surprising if you've also built up a stash of work documents. Keep what you truly need, file alphabetically, and colour code documents if possible.

Read more: Expert tips for a happy, healthy & productive workspace – even if you don't have a home office

Make this the year when you really get to grips with recycling. Place bins and bags in a spot where they are easily reached, and if collection facilities are not readily available, try your local recycling centre.

You can separate your household waste with ease by investing in clearly labelled recycling bags (try this set from Amazon) or a nifty recycling unit (Joseph Joseph stock a good range of waste & recycling bins).

Instead of a laundry bin in the bathroom, invest in a set of drawstring cotton laundry bags (buy from Amazon) to hang on the back of every bedroom door. This avoids dirty clothes piling up on the floor and is also more hygienic, as the bags can be washed too.

It's easier to clean the bathroom, for instance, if cleaning materials are to hand, so keep a basic kit in every part of the home: bathroom, kitchen, nursery. This will also save you time and effort and make an ongoing domestic routine much less of an overbearing burden.

Enlist the help of every family member to help your house run smoothly. Hold a family meeting and for kids and agree a range of age-appropriate tasks which can be undertaken at a specific time each week.

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