Dustbuster

Carol O’Callaghan on how to give those little dust attracting demons that take over our knick-knacks the kiss of death

Hands up, who hates dusting? That’s all of you then. The time we spend tackling this chore is in direct proportion to the amount of knick-knacks we possess. Look up from the paper for just a minute and identify your very own dust gatherers. Are they the decorative wall plates brought back from foreign trips, or your collection of pottery? Unless you live in the most slick version of minimalism, you’re guaranteed to have plenty of little dust attracting demons.

Then there’s that piece of furniture with complicated inlays and turned legs that seems to send out an invitation to dust to settle in its crusty crevices. It’s worse still if you don’t even like the piece but being a so-called heirloom, guilt means you’ve kept it. Check to see if it has any value and sell it. Then use the proceeds to buy something sleek and contemporary you actually want displayed in your home.