Anita Birges says her New Year decluttering trick will help restore order. Photo / Supplied
Getting rid of clutter in a bid to get some order into your life is a common New Year's resolution.
Now decluttering expert Anita Birges has offered a simple trick that she says is guaranteed to eliminate the common problem of bulging wardrobes and help people get more organised in the New Year.
It's called the "reverse hanger hack" and it takes just five minutes.
So how does it work?
Birges, the founder of Mise en Place, took to her Facebook page to explain the technique to her followers.
The wardrobe hack involves turning all your clothes hangers the same way at the start of the year. As items of clothing are worn, the hangers are turned the other direction.
As a result, six months later, you are able to see which items of clothing are rarely worn and what can be sold, donated or thrown out.
The super-organised Birges told her Facebook followers the reverse hanger hack was a great start to the year so it "starts calm, decluttered, organised and fresh".
"You are going to take your clothes and get your hangers and reverse them so the open end of your hanger is now facing outwards. Turn them from the inside out.
"Every time you wear a piece of clothing now — say I want to wear this red top— I am going to take it off and wear it and when I put it back I put it with the open end back to normal.
"In six months — set your clock a timer today for the 30th of June, 2018 — come back and look at what clothes have been reversed."
Birges told her followers the trick would help her followers live their lives "organised and decluttered".
Second-hand clothing can be a reservoir for many potentially dangerous microbes.