By Org Junkie
Clutter at some point or another invades everyone’s home. The trick is to stay on top of it before it gets out of control. Is it already out of control? Does your clutter have a grip on you so tight that you feel overwhelmed with how to get rid of it all and don’t know where to start? Here are some practical solutions to help you.
1. Start with one room at a time, break it down into manageable steps and don’t get ahead of yourself
2. Create a designated space for everything and put things back when they get misplaced.
3. If you have to think about why you want to keep something, you most likely don’t need it.
4. If it doesn’t fit the vision of your space, it has to go.
5. You shouldn’t have to talk yourself into keeping something.
6. Look at your space with new eyes, so often we don’t even see the clutter anymore that invades our spaces yet subconsciously it may be a contributing factor to the stress you feel.
7. Only surround yourself with things you love, that bring you joy and that you actually use.
8. Utilize the one in one out rule. For example, if you buy new shoes, get rid of a pair.
9. Never leave a room empty handed – see something out of place as you go to get a snack during commercial, return it to it to its proper home on your way.
10. If you haven’t used something in one year it’s time to part ways with it.
11. Use containers to establish limits and boundaries.
Take the following five questions into consideration when deciding whether or not the stuff in your home is clutter to you:
1. Do I use this?
2. How long has it been since I’ve used it?
3. Will I use it again?
4. Is it worth the space it takes up in my house?
5. Does it make me happy?
Remember that it’s okay to give yourself permission to be happy by ONLY surrounding yourself with the things that bring you joy and provide you with function and efficiency on a regular basis.
Do you have any tips to control clutter at home or office?
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[...] Clutter at some point or another invades everyone’s home. The trick is to stay on top of it before it gets out of control. Is it already out of control? Does your clutter have a grip on you so tight that you feel overwhelmed with how to get rid of it all and don’t know where to start? Continue reading here. [...]
I’m an Organizing Junkie » 11 Clutter Control Tips | November 11th, 2008 at 9:52 pm
My problem is that everytime I go through my stuff, I think “I should see this because it is in good condition” but I really don’t have the time. Its not that I want it anymore, its that it have value.
S STILLWELL | November 11th, 2008 at 11:43 pm
Great article. One way I convince myself is tell myself that somone will love the item that I am donating. It may be nice and beautiful but if it’s not making me happy staring at it every day and making my space comftorable it has to go. somebody my love or need it, so I donate it.
Niki | November 12th, 2008 at 1:08 am
I like this article! One thing that helps me is the FlyLady’s 27 Fling Boogie. All I have to do is walk around my house and get rid of 27 things. It could be anything from a gum wrapper to a plant that died last summer and never got pitched. After a few days, all of those 27 Fling Boogies start to make a difference!
saverchic | November 12th, 2008 at 1:46 am
I love numbers 3 & 5. I never thought of that…I’m terrible with keeping things. I can organize until I drop, but my trouble is the old saying - you can’t organize CLUTTER!
Thanks for this!
~Mercy
Mercy | November 12th, 2008 at 1:56 am
Great comment Mercy! Not only is it really hard to organize clutter, but the more stuff we have, the more of our valuable time, energy, money etc it takes to look after it all. Does anyone remember the days when our lives fit into back pack!
Carolyn | November 12th, 2008 at 3:36 am
I love Fly Lady, too. Her idea of taking baby steps toward a clean organized home has helped me so much. I had to learn to give myself permission to not do it all in one day.
SHE (Sidetracked Home Executives) has also been a big help. Can’t tell you how many times their Mt Vernon method helped me clean up a room.
But for organization, nothing beats the SPACE method I learned in Organizing from the Inside Out by Julie Morgenstern.
Clara | November 12th, 2008 at 4:17 am
since i am in the middle of either a very late or very early “spring cleaning” get rid of 75% of my crap ~~
I love the 5 questions
crazy charlene | November 12th, 2008 at 6:00 am
Just a tip….in reference to #6 “look at things with new eyes”. Look at a photograph that was taken in that room. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve taken a REALLY cute picture of my kids only to be aggrivated to see a pile of clutter over their shoulder in the background! It’s funny you don’t see these things until AFTER the picture is developed. Great motivation to clean one spot at a time!
Kimberly | November 12th, 2008 at 2:27 pm
My problem is that I can’t seem to part with things that have some real or perceived value. Due to the current economic situation I am desparately trying to make ends meet and to donate items when I think I can get some money from it makes me crazy. The problem is I don’t have the place to do a yard sale, I don’t have the time or patience to ebay it, but can’t mentally get around giving it away. Anybody have a suggestion?
Denise | November 12th, 2008 at 4:32 pm
Okay! Great tips! I’m “holiday nesting” right now and that means time to clear clutter and organize for the holidays. These tips will work perfect for me! thanks!
Tara B. | November 12th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
I started using Freecycle.com to give away the stuff that I feel still has value but I don’t want to just dump in the trash or give to a charity.
Laura | November 12th, 2008 at 9:05 pm
Denise - You can try CraigsList.com - its kinda like ebay but you post and they respond through email. I’ve done a lot this way. Also check around for a local weekend flea market! I’ve lived here my whole adulthood and had NO idea that 20 min away there is a HUGE flea market every Saturday. We’ve hit it the last 2 weekends with out yard sale type stuff and sold SOOO much!! Ask around - you never know
Linda | November 13th, 2008 at 1:09 am
My master bedroom is soooo small! A queen sized bed, 6 drawer dresser with mirror, 1 night stand ( cause the other doesn’t fit) and a tiny closet. I have put clothes in a rubbermaid tub in my closet but then its so annoying trying to did for something. Some suggestions please!
Amy | November 13th, 2008 at 6:48 pm
Thanks for your comments ladies! Denise have you looked into consignment as well. It’s a bit easier in that you only have to drop things off. You do make less but it’s also less work.
Amy I highly recommend clear bins for a closet so you can see what you have. Or how about taking a picture of the contents and tape it to the outside with a list of what’s inside. That might help too.
Just a couple of suggestions
Org Junkie | November 13th, 2008 at 9:32 pm
Denise–Have you tried an E-Bay Trading Assistant? They’ll sell your things for you, ship them, deal with the customers, etc. & you get a % of the final sales price….depends on the TA as to whether or not their % covers the listing fees, etc. I am currently using one that charges 30% commission, but that 30% covers all fees, so I just get a straight check from him every month.
Amy C | November 15th, 2008 at 7:03 pm
It’s mid November, and I have been looking for a good way to store my bikes. I found a garage outfitting store in North Toronto and they have a several great ideas for my storage problem. One of them is the Slingger, http://www.1stchoicegarage.com/slingger_electric_hoist.html If you need a way to get your bike out of the way for the winter, you have to check this out.
Rick T | November 16th, 2008 at 2:42 am
[...] It Mom with Clutter control: 11 tips from a true expert. You’ve probably heard it all before, but it’s nice to have it all in one place and [...]
Ms. Smarty Pants Know It All » Recommended Blog Articles for the Week of November 10 | November 16th, 2008 at 7:28 pm
I’m not sure,,,Maybe
Naji | February 22nd, 2009 at 10:02 am