Although I don’t particularly believe in new year’s resolutions, I do believe in the power of new beginnings ​and fresh starts.

The reality is that many of us hold onto things for way too long, be they feelings, grudges or clothes, which is why I usually elect the beginning of the year to be the right time for a spot of spring cleaning.

Not only will spring cleaning at this point in time give you more room for your January sale purchases but it will also help you achieve that all-important fresh slate mental state. Here are a few tips to help you do it right:

Sort your clothes into piles – Unfortunately, many of us are consummate hoarders. I am by no means suggesting that people be wasteful, however, if you’re one of those women or men that still has T-shirts in your wardrobe from 20 years ago, maybe it’s time to cut the cord. Unless something is of very sentimental value to you, if you haven’t worn it in a year or two, you should probably either donate it to a charity shop or chuck it. Sort your clothes into piles: the ones you definitely want to keep, the ones that you might need on some random, rainy Thursday and the ones which you should get rid of. Please note that charity shops are not your private dumping ground: if something is torn or in really bad condition, throw it away, ideally by making use of the fabric recycling points scattered around the country.

Edit and review what you have – as time passes, your body, style and needs will change

Edit and review what you have – As time passes, your body, style and needs will change. I used to be extremely comfortable in short skirts yet lately I no longer feel drawn to wearing them. Don’t hold onto things because you think they will come back into fashion because even if that trend returns, it will probably have evolved since you bought your item and as a result your clothing will still look dated. Also, just because something looks good on you now, it doesn’t mean that it will cut it in 10 years’ time.

Be aware of what you have – Many people don’t realise the worth of certain things they have in their wardrobe and this is where sites like eBay come in handy. Before you throw something out run a quick search on the internet. I once had a pair of shoes which were too small for me which I was just going to give away. It turned out that this particular pair of shoes had something of a cult following and were much sought after; I ended up selling them for five times the amount I had bought them. It gave a whole new meaning to the old idiom: One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.