ARE you a hoarder? Do you move boxes of stuff from one house to the next just in case?

Moving house is, in fact, the ideal time to reorganise your belongings and get rid of the clutter in your home.

There are a number of tips to help start life in a new home without the debris accumulated since you first married.

1. Begin early. Start de-cluttering your existing home as soon as you know your moving date. Starting early will make the process less daunting than leaving it to the last minute.

2. Be ruthless. You don't want to have to pay a removal company to move clutter. All too often unopened boxes are moved from one house to the next without justifying their needs.

Go through each box looking at the last time you used each item, if it's more than a year throw it out.

3. Start de-cluttering in the attic. Any items that are a must to keep should be packed into clear plastic boxes with lids, this way it's easy to see the contents.

4. Go through your wardrobe. Wardrobes should be cleared out removing any items of clothing you've not worn in the past year; it's unlikely that you'll wear them again. Make the most of your space in your new home by only keeping your current season's clothing in your wardrobe. Look for less accessible storage such as under the bed, over the wardrobe to store cleanly laundered out of season clothing.

5. Edit your music and books. Look at your music collection and let go of things you no longer listen to. You can donate both to a good cause such as a local hospital or charity. Leave extra space in your new storage to allow for new collections.

6. Nothing lasts forever! Clear out your kitchen/utility room cupboards, put the old leaking iron and chipped crockery in the bin and remove any items that you've not used for a very long time. Similarly, assess which furnishings would not fit into your new space. Sell as much on to find things that reflect your current lifestyle.

7. Sift through the children's toys in the house and garden. Dispose of old broken toys and keep aside good ones that the children have outgrown and give away to friends or charity.

8. Go through your paperwork. Dispose of all out of date documents, warranties and instruction manuals. Purchase a large ring binder and plastic pockets and catalogue all of your important documents into it and this way you can find anything from your car insurance to your passport at a moments notice.

9. Don't forget the shed. Sheds and garages are famous for hoarding everything from old tyres to old tins of paint. Ask yourself if you will ever really use any of it? If not, throw it out.

10. Have a car boot sale. When you've gathered up all of your unwanted items from toys, linen and old crockery, have a car boot sale. You'll be amazed at how much money you can make. If any of the items have not sold, drop them off at your local charity shop don't take them home!