Think inside the box I have to confess that I’m not a natural dejunker, but I was moving house recently, and the thought of having to pack my vast collection of miscellany had me recklessly hurling possessions into bin liners. The experience was life-changing.

To reach your own neatness nirvana, I recommend hiring a nononsense professional to blitz with you. They will have no attachment to your possessions and can do the job in half the time you will – after all, a clutter consultant sees junk for what it is. DeJunk ReVamp, The Clutter Clinic and, for wardrobe-only issues, Dress Me all offer such services. Even better, they will take away the rubbish and suggest storage solutions for what remains. On that note, storage is a category brimming with chic possibilities. For keepsakes, buy Hargreaves-Gervis’s boxes, which are covered in vintage wallpaper (from £40; www.hargreaves-gervis.com ), or Pure Nomade’s stackable Hotel Boxes, which have windows, so you can see what’s inside (£13.50; www.designmyworld.net ). Ikea is especially good for compartmentalising wardrobes and sorting the kitchen.

Invest and reorganise: knowing where your keys are is a great way to start the new year.

DeJunk ReVamp: free consultation, hourly rate £35, daily rate £260; www.de-junk-re-vamp.com . The Clutter Clinic: consultation £40, hourly rate £50; www.clutterclinic.co.uk . Dress Me: £300 for a three-hour session; www.dressme.biz

Neat storage

1 Storage needn’t be boring. This quirky framed DVD shelf goes against the minimalist grain. Shelf, £85, from Heal’s

2 Fix one Ring Ring magazine rack to the wall, then hook on others below – like a necklace for your room. It’s perfect for loo literature. Ring Ring wall-mounted magazine rack, £14 per section, from OneDeko; www.onedeko.co.uk

3 Verner Panton’s Bar Boy, designed in 1963, has been reissued by Vitra. The three-tier moulded-ply storage system is a perfect booze caddy. £1,572, from Skandium; www.skandium.com

4 DJs are always anal about their record storage. Buy the melody-maker in your life handmade birch LP storage boxes by the Finnish designer Harri Koskinen. £149 each, from Store; www.aplaceforeverything.co.uk

Rocking runners

Bare stairs can look so bleak on cold, wintry days. Thankfully, the humble stair runner has had a makeover, courtesy of the playful debut collection by Rebecca von Gyer, a designer with offices in Zurich and London. Rather than straightedged runners made from scratchy sea grass, or neutral-coloured stripes, she produces handcrafted art pieces that look like patchwork quilts or flowers cascading down the stairs, all in a palette of hot crimsons, corals and aquas. The runners are made in India, using 100% New Zealand wool. And a percentage of sales goes towards the charity Rugmark, which supports rug-making families in India. So you can have a clear conscience as well as something cosier – and more interesting – underfoot than boards. My favourite design is Bloom (pictured), which has irregular edges that mimic the contours of flower petals. I see a carpet comeback. Bloom, £230 per square metre; www.gyer.co.uk

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