As many of us are most likely spending more time at home than ever before, now is perhaps the perfect opportunity to fill some of those hours by tackling that household to-do list you keep ignoring. And whether that list is long or short, it’s likely that somewhere on it is what many consider to be one of the biggest Herculean tasks of all: organising an overflowing and messy wardrobe.

Understandably, this is a chore you’ve probably been putting off for aeons because nobody wants to be faced with dubious impulse buys or clothes that don’t fit anymore. But actually getting to grips with this unenviable job doesn’t have to be as daunting as it at first sounds; we’re not talking a full-scale sartorial renovation here but more of a determined tweak, helping you to navigate what you own, and wear, with comparative ease.

With that in mind, begin by separating the wheat from the chaff, extracting all of the clothes that you haven’t worn in the last year, and lay them out in front of you. This obviously doesn’t mean those big spend items such as outerwear and expensive knitwear but instead the T-shirts and shirts you’d actually forgotten you owned.

And here’s the thing. If you haven’t worn any of these garments in the last 12 months, then you’re probably never going to wear them again, so put your emotions on hold, be ruthless and purge. Once you’ve bagged-up these unwanted clothes for the local charity shop, what you’re left with is space in your wardrobe to navigate the task ahead.

Begin by organising your suits; assuming that you’re not wearing them as you WFH ( if you are, gold star for you) then for the time being at least they’ll be spending the foreseeable future hanging in your newly spacious wardrobe. Zip them into suit bags to stop them from collecting dust thus keeping them spotless.

As for your shirts, separate the smart from the casual and buy a set of sturdy wooden hangers to hang them on. The wire ones you collect your dry cleaning on just won’t do and by actually using hangers that match you’ll instantly make your wardrobe look a lot more organised. Once all of your shirts are in place, fasten the top two buttons only.

All T-shirts, lightweight jumpers and cardigans and jeans can be folded and stored away, while trousers – both smart and casual – can be hung from wooden clip hangers.

Your underwear should be folded and kept in a separate draw from your socks which, when freshly laundered, should be balled into their matching pairs straight away. Also useful; invest in a good quality laundry basket because even dirty clothes need to be tidied away too.

A simple rack that hangs over your wardrobe door, or hooks screwed onto the inside, is a brilliant way to store your collection of impressive ties and belts, while footwear should be kept at the bottom of your wardrobe in their boxes.

Which, finally, brings us to the vexing issue of how to safely store your above mentioned favourite winter knitwear. Fold, never hang, and keep in storage boxes with the very important addition of cedarwood sachets or balls. This should go some way to keeping your knitwear nemesis, the pesky clothes moth, firmly at bay; unfortunately, if they do arrive uninvited for the all-you-can-eat woollen buffet, they tend to be the dinner guest that never knows when to leave.

Ask someone who regularly works from home and they’ll tell you kicking about in pyjama bottoms for the day quickly loses its appeal. You might be able to see your bed from where you’re working, but that doesn’t mean you should be dressed for it.

And while we appreciate a three-piece suit will probably feel ridiculous in the confines of your own home (though, if it works for you, go for it), we’re firm believers that dressing to distinguish work-you from home-you will put you in the right mindset for a productive day.

So, when you get up in the morning to work from home, don’t just get dressed. Dress up for the day. A little effort will do a lot for your state of mind.

For those who are used to a more formal workplace, it can be challenging to find the at-home version of your weekday norm. The answer is to go for pieces that are familiar in type but more relaxed in nature.

For example, wearing a suit jacket or blazer is short-code for feeling business-ready. However, choose one in a less formal fabric and you’ve got the benefit of feeling smart as well as that of feeling comfortable. The jacket shown above is cut in pure wool flannel from Barberis – one of Italy’s oldest mills that has perfected its flannel over 350 years – so looks impeccable when you need to dial into that video call, but feels more like wearing a super-fine sweater.

Continue the theme by styling your jacket with the business casual take on a City favourite, the pinstripe suit. The chalk stripe trousers pictured may look like formal trousers, but a touch of stretch and a brushed finish make sure comfort is firmly at the top of the agenda.

If your day doesn’t include doing face-time with the boss or clients it can be tempting to let outfit standards slip. But there is an alternative – not smart, not casual, but that just-right spot in the middle.

We’re going to suggest you wear a shirt. But, wait: while there are all sorts of shirts for men to wear when doing remote work, there’s really no need for the pristinely ironed formality of your office-bound colleagues.

Instead, the overshirt will become an essential piece of your WFH line-up. Exactly how it sounds, it’s often worn open over a t-shirt or light-knit jumper, but button it up and this workwear classic artfully balances looking pulled-together and feeling relaxed.

Keep a couple of buttons open at the neck, roll your cuffs back a turn or two and tuck it into a pair of smart trousers that are woven with added flex for maximum ease of wear.

Working from home may free you of much of the office’s less appealing policies and processes, but here’s the kicker: now there’s only you to keep the tea and coffee station topped up at home. So when the inevitable happens and you need to venture out for supplies, don’t let your well-considered outfit go to waste.

Even if your version of braving the outside world means nipping to the newsagent on the next street over rather than a more rural adventure, a field jacket‘s an easy layer to reach for. Water-repellent, wind-resistant and with plenty of pockets for stashing essential kit (wallet, keys, survival whistle), it’s the jacket of choice for the man who’s in control of his look as well as the situation at hand.

The number of people working from home has almost doubled over the last 10 years, according to the Office for National Statistics, and while there are many benefits to this more flexible way of working, for those of us who are not used to working at home, lack of organisation and other distractions such as Netflix, deliveries, and furry friends can hinder our productivity.

If you work from home, be it a day here or there or full-time, whether you’re a seasoned WFH-er or new to the set-up, you’ll want to plan it out. Here are five tips to help you keep it together when you’re working remotely.

It’s important not to mistake flexibility with a total lack of routine. Establishing a solid routine, especially in the morning, is key to your success as a remote worker. Set your sleep schedule and try hard to stick to it, apps such as Sleep Cycle are a great way to track your sleep patterns and wake you up in a more natural way.

When you do manage to drag yourself out of bed, get dressed. We don’t mean into your hoodie and tracksuit bottoms – go for a smart-casual outfit that is comfortable but still looks professional.

And when it gets to the end of the day? Pens down means pens down. Avoid the urge to clock up hours of overtime. There may well be situations that do need a few extra hours of your time but don’t make a habit of it.

When you’re working at home, you can’t really turn off the internet – it’s a fundamental tool. But with distracting notifications from news outlets and multiple social media channels popping up every few minutes, it’s hard to remain focused on the task at hand. Why not try the Self Control app? It lets you block your own access to distracting websites, your mail servers or anything else online for a period of time you set.

A technique that works to keep you on track in the office and that will work just as well at home is segmenting your tasks over the course of the day. If you have an online calendar, set reminders that encourage you to move on to new tasks. Google Calendar makes it easy and has a good guide on it here.

As much as we like our own company, sometimes working from home can feel lonely. With nobody to bounce ideas around with you may be left feeling uninspired to get the job done.

When teams and clients are unable to meet in the same room, video conferencing tools offer a great alternative with group chat, screen sharing and instant messaging functionalities. There are loads to choose from and your office probably has its preferred channel. But just because your colleagues aren’t with you in person, doesn’t mean all etiquette goes out the window – The Evening Standard has a good take on the new meeting rules for dialling in.

If at any point you feel isolated or overwhelmed reach out to friends, family or co-workers. Alternatively, Elefriends (soon to be known as Side by Side) is a supportive online community that was set up by the Mind charity. It is a safe place to listen, share and be heard. You might be working solo, but you’re certainly not alone.

We all know that too long sitting down is bad for both our physical and mental health, but what can you do when you don’t have time to hit the gym? Well, the NHS provides a range of equipment-free home workout routines that you can do in between client calls and emails. They range from 10- minute home workouts to focused sessions on strength, balance, and flexibility. You can check them out here .

For many of us, there’s little that will challenge sanity more than being at home 24/7.  Calve out time for breaks and use that time to get outside, run errands and get some fresh air. Lots of research indicates that doing this will increase productivity and aid your general well-being.

And finally, take time to find some moments of quiet. Mindfulness has gone mainstream recently and for good reason: clinical studies have shown practising mindfulness to decrease stress and improve concentration. And if companies like Google, Nike and Apple are on board with mindfulness in the workplace, chances are it’ll work for you too.

However, for something that’s supposed to leave you feeling calm and refreshed, meditation can be kind of stressful. When is the best time to do it?  How do you do it? How long do you do it for? Meditation apps are a great way of aiding mindfulness practice, they’re really accessible and let you pick up your practice anywhere and anytime. The Calm app provides guided 3-25 minute sessions on various topics including calming anxiety to gratitude and mindfulness at work.