Four Tips For Clearing The Clutter

Spring?. Fresh breezes through open windows, sleeping trees come awake with bright new leaves, flowers begin to bloom and the grass becomes green once more.

Now along with the obvious, there is another sign that the season has arrived, our yearly pledge to clear the clutter and organize our homes.

I'm not sure why this happens, maybe we humans after months of cold, gray winter days are over come with the feelings of clean, fresh and new.

Well, whatever the reason, we always start with good intentions, but like those New Years Resolutions, many of us rarely follow through.

So let's try something new this year by making a pledge to really get stuck in and finally accomplish our task. The following are a few ideas and tips to help make the "Clear The Clutter" task a little easier and maybe even fun.

1. One Room At A Time

The first thought to keep in mind is that this particular project is not one you can hurry up and have done by yesterday. By working through one room at a time, you will have a much better chance of successfully completing the job. Here is a thought to keep in mind. "You didn't accumulate all this stuff in a day, so why does it have to be cleared out in a day".

2. Sort Items Into Categories

Your first step will be to sort items into the following 3 categories, it will make the task go a lot easier.

Have to Keep

Maybe?Not 100% Sure

Definitely Not

Once you have completed this part of the project, you will more than likely find the "Definitely Not" pile is the smallest one.

What is it a professional might call this "Separation Anxiety"? However, don't worry, almost everyone ends up this way, after all it is not easy parting with our things, even if it is something you have not used in years.

3. Re-Sort Once More

Try to be as realistic as possible here, remember the goal is to "Clear The Clutter".

Not Sure Group:

This group is easy: If it is already here, more than likely, you will never use it so into the "Definitely Not" pile it goes.

Have To Keep:

This could be the hardest pile to sort, so a tip to remember: If you have not used something in the last year, chances are you probably will not use it again. This applies to everything from shoes to car cleaners; however if there is something you never use but has a special memory attached, keep it.

Gifts can be a tricky area, one thing to keep in mind just because someone gave you something, it does not mean you must keep it forever. So that figurine that great aunt Edna gave you years ago or the bird made of shells from a friends vacation does not need to keep collecting dust on your bookcase.

Now, you may wonder about things from your children. I use to keep everything my daughters brought home from school. Finally, I decided to go through and keep one or two items from each grade, put them into a plastic storage box labeled Sherri & Ashley ? School ? K-12. Now all school memories are safe and in one place, this is a useful idea for grandparents.

Once you have finished your resort, you have a couple of choices for those "Definitely Not" items, depending on their condition, either just pitch them, give them away or have a tag sale and make yourself a little money.

4. Organize & Store What Is Left

Now is the time to put what is left away, by organizing you will not only have tidy shelves, closets and cabinets but you will be able to put your hands on what ever it is you need.

There are numerous storage options for every room in your home.

Plastic boxes come in a variety of sizes and colors and are inexpensive.

Stacked on a closet shelf, clear smaller sizes make perfect storage for extra shoes, winter gloves, pictures or how about extension cords, nails, packages of hooks or hand tools.

Larger sizes can keep extra winter coats, blankets, odd season clothes or seasonal decorations neat and in one place. Baskets, hampers even seldom used suitcases can be useful, stacking plastic milk crates are perfect for kids room.

How about those cluttered kitchen cabinets, plastic tiered risers work wonderful for stacking cans of soup, veggies or spaghetti sauce, this makes use of wasted space and you are able to see at a glance what you have.

One area everyone has is the famous "Junk Drawer"; these can be kept organized with silverware trays. By buying individual pieces in different sizes, you can customize each drawer to fit exactly what you need.

The lesson here is that by having a little patience, taking your time and giving some thought to your storage needs, you can not only "Clear The Clutter" but also have an organized home.

This article is shareware. Give this article away for free on your site, or include it as part of any paid package as long as the entire article is left intact including this notice. Copyright © 2005 bonnie carrier.

Bonnie P. Carrier is the creator of Savvy Home Decorating. She is the mother to two grown daughters and a very spoiled 4yr old Blue Merle Sheltie named Toby.

Stop by Savvy Home Decorating -http://www.savvy-home-decorating.com - for ideas and tips on budget decorating:

---

Organized For Life

Questions come my way all the time regarding my God-given... Read More

Organizing Solutions for the Disorganized Entrepreneur

After more than 20 years as an entrepreneur and a... Read More

Organisation - Getting Back To Basics

If you look at any major organisation, there is this... Read More

Be More Productive - Books to Help You Be More and Do More!

How many of us have enough time to do everything... Read More

Organizing Tips to Help You Conquer the Laundry Monster

Laundry. You sort, you wash, you fold, you blink ?... Read More

How Clutter Affects Your Love Life

Clutter in any area of your home is a sign... Read More

3-Step Clean Sweep Program to Organize

3-Step Clean Sweep Program 1 -... Read More

Too Many Unfinished Projects? 7 Time Management Strategies to Move Stalled Projects to Finish Line

Q. I have several projects going at once -- but... Read More

Success at Work : Techniques : A Cluttered Desk

I followed my boss to a co-worker's cubicle where my... Read More

Saying Goodbye to Stacks of Paper and Distractions

A daily journal will save you time, reduce stress and... Read More

Spring Cleaning

Spring is such a refreshing time- we are filled with... Read More

Clutter is Postponed Decisions?

Do you ever sit down at your desk buried in... Read More

5 Easy Steps to Making Housework More Manageable

Sometimes the task of keeping a clean, tidy house just... Read More

Spring Clean Your Life

Spring is here and its time to sweep away the... Read More

Can You Really Improve Your Organisation Skills

I'm sure most of you have heard of Zig Ziglar... Read More

Calendars and Personality Type

I recently conducted a survey to look at the relationship... Read More

Ending The Morning Madness

Back-to-school time ? what does that mean to you? For... Read More

Saving Memories Without Losing Your Mind

The summer is flying by for Cindy and her family.... Read More

Home Organizing Tips & Gizmos

Staying organized can be a constant battle. The following organizing... Read More

How Long Do I Need to Keep This? - A Guide to Receipts, Statements and Financial Clutter at Home

In most homes, paper causes clutter. And it seems to... Read More

Getting Things Done: A Guide To Next-Action Lists

Getting Things Done (GTD), is a productivity methodology designed by... Read More

Get Organized: 10 Universal Laws

The Law of the 1st StepA good first step in... Read More

Organizing Lessons from a Bookstore

The store reminded me of a well-worn slipper ? tattered... Read More

Organized Living-Secrets About Your Lifes Hidden Power Revealed

An organized living lifestyle can cause you to weed out... Read More

Get Rid Of The Clutter

You really can have a successful business and a great... Read More

Making Space - Letting Go of Clutter

To make room for new things to come into you... Read More

Clutter Is Natural

Nature loves clutter. Just think of all the stuff that... Read More

Clutter & Creativity

Take a look around you right now. Look away from... Read More

Tossing and Turning

"The real question is, why do you want it? What... Read More

Organize Yourself Otherwise Your Work Could Kill You

We are in a society where people are applauded for... Read More

Getting Organized for Achievement

Getting and staying organized is critical to achieving your goals.... Read More

The Natural Law of Attrition

I'm cheap and proud of it.I use and re-use things... Read More

Letting Go of Clutter In Your Office

Some people would say I'm the last person in the... Read More