Decluttering expert Karen Schravemade on stuff you need to ditch now

Overly high shoes and ill-fitting clothes should all get the cut from your closet. Phoyo / Getty Images

We all know how good it feels to declutter and throw away things that have been sitting in drawers unused for years.

But sometimes it's hard to know where to start and how to organise all the new space you have created.

Mother-of-four and decluttering expert Karen Schravemade has made it easy, sharing with Daily Mail Australia the items you should throw away now and revealing her top organisation tips.

Cleaning out the closet

The top things Schravemade recommends tossing from the closet are old handbags, dirty duffel bags, and poorly fitting bras.

She also suggests getting rid of extra pyjamas recommending holding on to no more than three pairs for summer and winter.

Shoes that are too high, or too painful to wear should also be on the list of things to cull.

Her tip for deciding which clothes to keep and which to throw away: ask yourself "Would I buy this if I saw it in the shop today?" If the answer is no, bag it up for donation.

Create space in the bathroom

While many bathrooms are small to begin with, the way you store certain things has a big impact on space.

Throw out samples from hotels, broken or expired makeup, mascara older than six months and those curling irons you swear you'll use one day.

Any old toiletry bags, hair ties that have lost their stretch and hair products that have been sitting untouched should also be thrown out.

Get crafty in the kitchen

Kitchens are notorious for being overly cluttered, but Schravemade says this is the best place to get started when doing a clear out.

Duplicates of utensils, gimmick appliances, rusty or worn out baking dishes and naff novelty mugs should be cut first.

Herbs that have gone stale, takeaway shop chopsticks and freezer bags are all common culprits for taking up space.

Karen Shravemade's top seven decluttering tips

1. Start small and work your way up
2. Do a little bit every day - it all adds up
3. Create a throw out, a keep and a donate pile
4. Focus on the things you love and throw out anything you don't
5. Fight the mental barriers and challenge yourself to create a space that brings joy
6. Constantly maintain the space by having a donate basket you fill regularly
7. Follow the rule of one out, one in