Marie Kondo has made tidying up your space the new hip thing to do.

A wave of decluttering is sweeping the nation. St Vincent de Paul has reported a 38% increase in donated goods in some areas compared with the same time last year. However much of this is, frankly, junk. “Donating” broken, shabby or useless items only shifts the cost of sorting and sending it to landfill onto charities, which the National Association of Charitable Recyclers has reported collectively costs A$13 million a year.

Here’s how to make sure your Marie Kondo-inspired tidying spree doesn’t create a bigger mess for someone else to sort out.

We all have stuff that we need and want and love in our lives, and stuff that’s hanging around our homes because it’s junk that we haven’t yet realised is junk. For Marie Kondo, asking “Does this spark joy?” is the way to tell the difference. If that doesn’t work for you, try these questions instead.

Most 9-to-5 workers leave home each morning in a mad rush which can affect their happiness when they are confronted with the trail of destruction later that evening. Fortunately, with a tiny bit of effort, it's possible to maintain a welcoming abode for your return home. This infographic explains how it's done.