Organizing a room can seem like a daunting task unless you have some tips for organizing clutter.

Clutter can be anything. Modern society seems to just create clutter from the inevitable pile of junk mail to the sixty-three unread magazines stacked on the coffee table in the den. Add homework assignments, backpacks, knick-knacks and toys to the mix and your beautifully decorated home ends up looking like a the aftermath of a tornado.

When it is all stacked up it may seem impossible to conquer but with a few clutter conquering tips you will have it tamed in no time.

The first tip for organizing clutter is to simplify. One of the easiest ways to give yourself time is to get rid of some of the excess. Letting go of things can be difficult for some people, however, because of emotional ties and issues.

When you are trying to decide what is clutter and what is necessary consider how often you use an item. If you use it daily, weekly, or even monthly then you should keep it. If it isn't a seasonal object (like a Christmas tree) and you haven't used it in more than a month then you should probably get rid of it.

One thing that you can do is to box up the stuff that is cluttering up your home and keep it in a basement, attic, or garage. If you truly need something then you can easily get it...but if you don't open the box for six months then take the box to the local thrift shop or whatever. This is a low stress way to get rid of the things that you don't use every day. It is important to resist the urge to open the box up after six months! If you do you will surely find something you want to keep and the cycle will start again.

Knick-knacks may add cottage charm to your home but they also are major players in the clutter wars. Keeping your surfaces clear of stuff will make it easier to clean your home.

Getting rid of appliances that you don't use will free up space in your cabinets and make it easier to find the things that you need to store in there. If you have an excess of pans, casserole dishes, or other items consider donating these to thrift stores or having a garage sale.

Remember that space in your home is not free. You can take the square footage of your home and divide it by your house payment. The resulting number will be how much you pay per square foot. Is it worth $4 per square foot to store that stack of magazines? Looking at clutter as something that costs you money is a different perspective but an important one.

There is an old saying, "A place for everything and everything in its place."

This is the most important motto in the world if you need to get organized. Everything should have a place to be put away. Use containers of various sorts for the different rooms of your home.

Baskets make great catch alls for all those small things that never seem to get put away. They just end up drifting around the house and eventually end up under the sofa cushion. Items that work well with baskets are:

• T.V. remote
• Pens and pencils
• Small notepads
• Bills and correspondence
• Small kitchen items like can openers
• Keys 

Get rid of the clutter in cupboards and drawers so that you can put important things away properly.

• Use empty laundry baskets to help gather the clutter in a room.  Once the basket is filled take it out and put the items away properly.
• Cut out the articles from the magazines that you want to keep and either file them or scan them to a disk.
• Have everyone do a quick pick up of the house before bedtime.   
• Throw junk mail away without opening it or laying it down.
• Label containers for certain purposes.  This way the crayons don't end up with the kitchen knives.
• Use lidded plastic containers of different sizes.
• Use a schedule and stick to it.
• Sort through your junk drawer weekly. 

Using tips for organizing clutter in your home will not change things overnight but it iwll make a huge difference over a long period of time.  Small, consistant changes will become habits and take you closer to the clean and organized home that you want.