Make room for the new year

         Keep your clutter at bay with appropriate storage.

         Organize your items by colour, it makes it more

         restful for the eye. Storage cabinet from Crate and

         Barrel.

"When in doubt, take it out!" How about that design mantra for 2013? Having too many things on our shelves, walls and on the floor drains energy. Better then to leave space for what is truly useful, beautiful and what we really love. The new year is a great time to edit our belongings. Look at it as a cleansing process that will free up space for new, positive experiences. Here are five tips on how to kick start your clutter control:

1) Go room by room and define the function of each room. Think about what you need for that specific room and get rid of everything else.

2) Old magazines and books can take up an incredible amount of shelf space. Weed out what no longer interests you. Tackle the rest a little at a time. File magazine clippings in binders organized by theme.

3) Dishes in your cupboards are like clothing in your wardrobe. If you haven't used them in the last year, you probably never will. To realize that some things simply aren't for you is quite OK. That also applies to items that were given to you. Pass them along to a thrift store. They will be somebody else's treasure.

4) Have an empty corner somewhere? Use it for extra storage. Clutter control requires a good organizational system and appropriate storage.

5) Make a promise to yourself to buy fewer things, but to buy better quality. If budget is an issue, put up a picture of the piece you are craving, and look at it regularly. It will be an incentive to save up for what you really love, and to avoid impulse purchases.

Do you agree with me that less is more when it comes to design?