people who can’t stay tidy can be categorised into just three types: the ‘can’t-throw-it-away’ type, the ‘can’t-put-it-back’ type and the ‘first-two-combined’ type.

One of the main reasons for rebound is the failure to designate a spot for each item. Without a designated spot, where are you going to put things when you finish using them? Once you choose a place for your things, you can keep your house in order. So decide where your things belong and when you finish using them, put them there.

There are only two ways of categorising belongings: by type of item and by person.

‘Am I having trouble getting rid of this because of an attachment to the past or because of fear for the future?’

When your room is clean and uncluttered, you have no choice but to examine your inner state.

The work involved can be broadly divided into two kinds: deciding whether or not to throw something away and deciding where to put it.

FOR THE REASONS described above, my storage method is extremely simple. I have only two rules: store all items of the same type in the same place and don’t scatter storage space.

The basic order for sorting komono is as follows: CDs, DVDs Skincare products Make-up Accessories Valuables (passports, credit cards, etc.) Electrical equipment and appliances (digital cameras, electric cords, anything that seems vaguely ‘electric’) Household equipment (stationery and writing materials, sewing kits, etc.) Household supplies

People commonly assume that it is cheaper to buy things in bulk when on sale. But I believe the opposite is true. If you consider the cost of storage, it is just as economical to keep these things in the store, not your home.