How to ensure you ALWAYS have a tidy home, by decluttering expert Marie Kondo – from making the bed to having a designated key spot

WE'RE already thinking about New Year's resolutions, and top of the list is making sure our homes are always perfectly tidy.

Thankfully, decluttering expert Marie Kondo has a few tips to help us on our way.

Marie - who's the author of best-selling book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up - has revealed her top tidying tricks to .

They're super-simple and easy to incorporate into day-to-day life, including making your bed and finding a space for your keys.

Want your house to be clutter-free in 2019?

Below are a few mantras we'll be living by next year.

1. Don't put products on the sink

According to Marie, we should be considering the practicalities of where we store things.

She explains: "Think about the condition that will allow you to put things back in an orderly manner.

"For example, with the bathroom, you wouldn't put items around the sink, because if they get wet, it wouldn't spark joy.

"Try to keep that area decluttered, so it's easy to clean."

Marie recommends designating a place for easily-lost items, so that they "always have a home".

This way, you'll never end up in a Monday morning panic scrambling to find your car keys.

This is the easiest trick for creating a calmer atmosphere in your bedroom.

Marie says: "With bedrooms, the bed is always the focus.

"Make a habit of making up your bed when you first wake up. If you don't, your bedroom won't feel organised."

For "maximum potential", Marie suggests keeping the items in your draws categorised.

This means you'll be able to find things easily, rather than having to shuffle through a messy pile.

If you stack items up vertically, they'll be easier to see and you'll have more space to play with.