I have a little tip from my son Ewan, and it’s genius! I don’t know about the bowel activities of the men in anyone else’s life, but how can I say this delicately? No, there is no way…just need to be direct.

When Ewan goes for a sit-down session, he first lays down about 3-4 sheets of loo paper on top of the water. Then he goes into action and, post-flush, there are no stains left behind because everything has landed on the paper!

Bless him, he told a visiting pal to follow his instructions…and the pal was very impressed!

How often has your mascara or lipstick just leapt from your hand and landed on the (beige of course) carpet?

Speed is of the essence here. I swear by Boots Cucumber make-up remover wipes, but if you don’t have any to hand, mix some clear vinegar with double quantity warm water and dab, dab, dab (don’t rub as you could damage the pile) from the outside in.

It’s tempting not to go up there unless you absolutely have to, but it’s a good idea to keep an eye on dust and mould levels (not to mention pests).

A friend of mine had an invasion of grey squirrels whose urine, astonishingly, caused the ceiling below to collapse – a word of warning!

You can see what really matters to you! You’ll enjoy your home and the things in it much more. You will feel freer, lighter and have more energy. If you streamline and simplify your life, your head will be clearer as you won’t have to look at all the stuff just lying around the place without a real purpose.

Lastly, imagine a tree holding on to its leaves – spring would never come. It’s just the same for us.

If you let go of stuff, you will reconnect with natural cycles.

HThe things we have around us have an unconscious weight to them – the more we own, the more that can pull us down. Clutter is energy-depleting. If it all seems too much of a mountain to climb, start in a small area such as the bathroom, and go through everything ruthlessly, with fresh eyes, including the airing cupboard if it’s there. Really look at all the stuff that just sits there from one month to the next, taking up space. As you go through things one by one, keep asking yourself: do I really need this? Will I really use this? Do I really love this? Once you start, and see the surfaces clearing and space being freed up, you’ll feel the benefits, be lighter in yourself and energized to carry on.

Take as much as you can to your local charity shop – that will lessen any feelings of guilt. By giving something away, you will be restoring it to a new place and giving it a new life.

Sentimental items can be hard to part with. Just be selective. Instead of hanging on to boxes of old photos, for instance, pick out your favourites, frame them and display! Then be brave and ditch any duplicates or those that are not really special.

Face up to your fears of letting go. Nothing bad will happen, and trust this!

We hang on to stuff for all sorts of reasons (and often not really knowing why). Possessions can offer comfort and security; our identity is often closely associated with our belongings.

Sometimes we think that because we have paid for something, we shouldn’t throw it because we’ll feel guilty. Or we will lose information, which might lead to feeling a lack of control. If we hoard, it means we can put off the decision to discard, and the worry that comes with that decision (ie the worry that you might make a mistake).

When you have too much clutter around you at home, you kind of lose touch with what you actually own, and the things you value the most.

Stuff is cheap nowadays. We’re constantly buying new things and bringing them home, without getting rid of redundant items. We pile new on top of old, keeping the old stuff ‘just in case’ or because someone gave it to us, or maybe we spent a lot of money on it, so it feels wrong to get rid of it.

My mother used to have spares of everything: vacuum cleaner, iron, food processor, all bought ‘in case the one in use broke’. All clogging up space in a small house!

What’s wrong with waiting till the appliance actually breaks, then go out and buy a new one?