Most of us either know someone, or are ourselves collectors of “stuff.” Often stuff becomes clutter. You know the signs when dresser drawers won’t close, avalanches happen when you open the closets and hallways and you have to run a de-clutter rush before inviting guest.  The truth is many of us simply can’t get on top of clutter and before we know it we are overwhelmed and too frustrated to even bother. Here are some simple life tips that may help you:

• Identify the Source of Clutter

Think of the things around you that contribute to clutter and set routines to cope with them. For example laundry, dirty dishes, garbage etc.

• Create Routines of Purging Clutter

Decide on a time for doing laundry and for folding clothes; returning bottles and other recyclable; a day of the month for donation drop offs, and other cleaning days for all these task. Overtime they will become habit if you remain consistent. Consider placing them in calendar if you need to with recurrence frequency. Further, return daily-use items (clothes, books and toys) back in their designated places.

• Need or Want

Determine if the clutter object is a need or a want and what value it brings to you and your life. If the value is none and it is neither functional nor necessary, consider giving it away to charity or setting it aside for a garage sale.

• A Place for Everything and Everything a Place

For the things you must keep – find them suitable homes. If it does not have a home, consider creating a space if it is something you REALLY need. If not consider donating or selling. You may need more hooks for jackets and coats, a bookshelf for books, a pre-sectioned and dedicated drawer for the knick-knacks that seem to accumulated over time.

• Clean up after each meal

After a heavy meal not everyone likes the chore of cleaning up. Make a habit of having cleaning up by delegating chores to the kids and other family members –this can also be done in rotation so everyone gets a fair set of chores. Maybe one can clean up the table and one can load the dishwasher. Think of the actual chores it takes to accomplish the cleanup and delegate to family members. Work towards a rule of not going to bed with messy kitchen as it is a delight to wake up to a clean one.

• Finish what you start

Many of us start out projects enthusiastically and leave the mess thinking we will get back to it. Consider working on the discipline of completing the little projects that contribute to your form of clutter – whether it is the unfinished puzzle, the collage project that sounded like fun two weeks ago.

• Make sure your space reflects the season

As the seasons cycle through put away the things in your space you cannot use. Winter things can be put away in the spring and Fall sweaters can come out in the fall and do on.

Live Clear and Clutter-free!

 

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