Don’t just pull up the covers, actually make the bed properly as if you had your mother coming to stay! Plump up the pillows and tuck your sheets in properly.

Not only will making your bed help your bedroom feel instantly more decluttered, but it means that come this evening, you’ll get to experience that lovely feeling of climbing into a freshly made bed.


*GO FURTHER*
Already a serial bedmaker? Turn your attention to the floor, clearing away stray items and folding up any clothes that have been left lying around.

A clear floor will make the space feel calmer, reducing your stress levels and aiding in the ease of sleep. The bonus of a tidy bedroom is that you will also set yourself up for the following day as you wake up to a tidy room in the morning.

*Resources*
At Home Sanctuary we believe that the set-up for a quality sleep starts in the home, so to help you catch more Z’s for longer we have dreamt up our favourite Sleep Sanctuary night-time rituals.

Check out our Your Sleep Sanctuary Night-time Rituals blog.

For beginners, we suggest starting with simple items like t-shirts. Watch our "How To KonMari Folding Techniques" videos to see how it’s done.

Don’t forget to take a ‘before’ photo of your drawer before you start!


*ADVANCED OPTIONS*
If you’ve already been folding your clothes vertically for a while, then move on to one of the options below.

1. Arrange your clothes by colour, lights at the front of the drawer, darks at the back.

2. Fold your underwear. It deserves to be stored properly just like your other clothes! In fact, we suggest using shoebox lids for socks and jocks, they fit perfectly. Watch the video to see how.

3. Plastic bags. Yep! Let’s go there. We all know that they’re terrible for the environment, but let's use the ones we have. Fold them in thirds as you would a t-shirt, tuck the handles in, and store them standing up in a small container under the kitchen sink.


*SHARE*
Show us your folding skills by posting your ‘before’ and ‘after’ shots using the hashtag #homesanctchallenge. Don’t be shy, we want to see the transformation!


*GO FURTHER*
Declutter as you go! Don’t refold items you don’t enjoy wearing, donate them instead. If you need some help click the EXTRA button below.

Think about the home you want to create.

*YOUR YASK*
Write down what you love about your home. What things are you most proud of? Is there a particular room or aspect you love the most?

*Writer’s block?*
What you love can be physical, emotional or stylistic attributes. Feel free to think about other spaces you’ve loved too, whether it’s a historic museum, a friend’s cosy kitchen, or a hotel room with soft lighting and gold trim which made you feel like you were in a Parisian daydream.

*RESOURCES*
Goal setting is a great way to get clear on what we want and need.

Your task for today is to clear it all out. Completely empty your bag and wallet and get rid of anything that you can’t see yourself using in the immediate future.

And be honest with yourself – will you really use all those things you carry around?

How often do you chip a nail that you absolutely have to file before you get home?
Will you go back to that cafe for that seventh free coffee?

And what about all those retail membership cards? You might find you never shop at some of those stores.

There are no rules to this process, just be honest with yourself!


*GO FURTHER*
Switch to an electric wallet like StoCard (link in the button below). This little baby has reduced the weight of so many of my client’s wallets, it’s a must-have.


*SHARE*
Show off your tidy skills and share ‘Before’ and ‘After’ snaps of the contents of your bag! Or the number of cards you have decluttered because they are now on StoCard.

Your task for today is to know exactly what is in your fridge.


Check bottles and jars for their expiration dates and discard anything that can no longer be used. Condense items if you can (three open pickle jars can become one!). By reducing the number of items, you’ll improve energy efficiency, and by reviewing what you have you will be better placed to use things up, reducing potential food waste.


*GO FURTHER*
Clean as you go! Wash shelves and walls. If you’re really on a roll, move on the freezer, making sure everything is fit for consumption, easy to access, and properly labelled.


*SHARE*
Show off your kitchen and share ‘Before’ and ‘After’ pics of your fridge. Don't forget to tag @homesanct

Even if you have a busy day planned, try and block out some time for yourself to enjoy your home sanctuary.
But most importantly, do something that brings you joy and helps you celebrate life, whether it’s exercise, reading that book you’ve been putting off, or playing with your kids.


*GO FURTHER*
Buy yourself flowers. Not the on sale close to dying ones, select a bunch that will lift a room. Choose a colour and fragrance with your sanctuary in mind. If you are lucky enough to have a garden take a stroll and create your own bouquet. This is your day, add as much colour as it needs.


*SHARE*
A photo of what you are doing today to celebrate life!

*HOW TO HYGGE*
Start by switching off the TV and if possible, your phone and laptop too. If it is summer where you are, it might be a little harder to achieve that ‘cosy’ feel, but even on warmer days you can still light a few candles, throw open the windows to let in the fresh air and decorate your home in flowers. If you are in winter, your weather is ideal!

No matter where you are if you can, turn one of today’s meals into a celebration. Enjoying nourishing food and conversation over a meal shouldn’t just be a holiday thing! Set the table, use those napkins tucked away for special occasions and get out your favourite china. You could even set up dinner in the backyard to make the most of the weekend, or take a picnic to your nearest park. If you live alone take the opportunity to create a special meal for yourself or invite a couple of friends over for a chilled night in.
Happy hyggeling!

Message us on Facebook, Instagram or via email to let us know how you are going with the challenge and to ask any questions you might have.

We all know that heavy feeling of knowing we’ve got a backlog of unread emails to sort through. 

Just like with any other kind of decluttering and storage process, the ideal inbox will vary from person to person. Anyone, however, can benefit from less unread emails stacking up, and more time away from the computer.


*How to declutter your inbox*
..see day 8 email

Our digital clutter is growing, and you may have thousands of photos on your phone, and many more on your laptop, not to mention in photo albums. Imagine though, opening your phone and at a glance seeing just the ones you love, not 1000s you can’t appreciate.

*YOUR TASK*
Delete some of the photos not bringing you joy. Make a goal to declutter a certain number – whether it’s 50, 100, 200, or 500. It is unrealistic to try and declutter them all in one day.

*GO FURTHER*
Empty a physical photo album (yes – take all the photos out) and put back only those you love and enjoy looking at.

*SHARE*
A photo you found that brought back happy memories! Don’t forget to use the hashtag #homesanctchallenge

Do you avoid bringing out the special china in case it breaks? Is that expensive candle gathering dust because you simply can’t bear to use it up? What about that beautiful item of clothing you are saving for a ‘special occasion’ that never actually seems to arrive? These items were made to – and deserve to – be used!

Today we challenge you to use a sentimental item. Open a delicious bottle of wine and use the ‘good’ glasses. Organise a date night and get dressed up in that special outfit, or if you don’t want to head out, take it out of the wardrobe and hang it on the back of the door so you can admire it for a few days.


*GO FURTHER*
Give a sentimental item a new home. Sentimental items are the most emotionally highly-charged objects we own. Often they bring us the most joy but we tuck them away for preservation. Is there an item you love but never see? Can you give it a new home? Or just bring it out for a week to enjoy?