How to Get Rid of Clutter: Decluttering Tips

Clutter has a way of creeping into our lives unconsciously. It can seem like one day everything is neat and organized and then the next day, there are piles of stuff everywhere. One of the best tips for getting rid of clutter and living clutter free is to designate daily and weekly household tasks. Not only does this method make it much easier to stay on top of everything, but it also makes for a lot less work when you're ready to do hard cleaning (vacuuming, scrubbing sinks, etc.). If you have a really messy home or a particularly messy area of your home, don't get overwhelmed. Take on one task at a time and build from there.

Additionally, don't stress out when the system breaks down for a week or even a month or two. We all have crazy times in our lives. Make do with what you can and resume your normal tasks as you are able.

Even in an age where we get most of our information electronically, mail can still pile up at an alarming rate. Take the time to sort through it every day. Immediately pitch all junk mail. Make sure that items that you'll use in the near future, such as magazines and Netflix DVDs, end up in their appropriate places. Designate spots for important ads (i.e. grocery store ads that you'll use), coupons, and mail that you need to follow up with at a later time, such as bills. If there are multiple members of your family who receive a significant amount of mail every week, consider creating boxes or other areas for sorting the mail.

Creating spots for each of these items will ensure that they end up there most of the time instead of all over the floor and counters. If you have kids, make sure that they have storage areas at an appropriate height. For example, put up hooks for backpacks and coats that kids can reach. Allowing them to complete these tasks independently will teach them self reliance and ownership for their things.

I know that if you have kids, this can be a much bigger project. Pick your battles and decide what is most important to get accomplished every day. Leave bigger tasks for periods when you and your kids will have more time to tackle them fully. Every morning I make the bed, make sure that all clothing is in the laundry basket or back in the closet or drawers, and straighten up anything else that we've used in the past day, such as cell phone chargers.

I know that many houses have small bathrooms, which can make it difficult to find storage space for bigger items, such as hair dryers and large cosmetic bags. Consider nearby areas outside of the bathroom where you can easily grab items, such as a linen closet. Whatever you do, please take the time to find a solution and don't leave your electric devices sitting out on the counter all the time. The convenience is not worth the risk.

Magazines and catalogs can pile up at an alarming rate. If you aren't planning to order anything within the next month, don't bother to save most catalogs once you've browsed through them. If you get any weekly magazines, it's especially important that you go through them on a regular basis. When you want to save an article or photo, take it out of the magazine and get rid of the rest to save space.

This is not an organizational concern that will be relevant for everyone. I'm sure it's not a surprise that it is for our home. Creating designated work spaces and storage areas will confine your projects and allow you to find the supplies that you need when you need them. It's okay to let an occasional big project take over the dining room or kitchen table for a couple days or even a week, but don't let this become a permanent solution.

Take the time to assess your organizational systems periodically. Things will inevitably change over time and may need to be configured differently.