Hey, if we don’t do something about all of the junk around here, we’re going to wind up on that TV show about hoarders!
What to do? Here’s the first installment of 27 tips to reduce clutter.

  1. Start small. Maybe just a closet or even the corner of a room. You don’t have to tackle the whole job at once.
  2. Think momentum. This is the natural offspring of starting small. The whole job may seem huge, but just get started. It may not be as bad as you think. Once you’re rolling, maybe you won’t want to stop.
  3. Banish the clutter. It’s not enough to clear out the clutter. It’s just going to pile up again if you don’t figure out where it’s coming from. You need fresh strategies to keep out of the clutter club forever.
  4. Be disciplined about getting rid of stuff. Yes, it’s still perfectly good. And you paid good money for that. But you haven’t worn it or used it in a year. And you aren’t going to wear it or use it in another year. Donate or dump it.
  5. Make space for essentials. Something you use all the time? Make a spot for it and always put it there.
  6. In with the new, out with the old. We can’t possibly need more stuff. So if you buy something new, something old has to go. This works particularly well in your clothes closet.
  7. Unsubscribe! Tell the mail order house to stop sending you those catalogs. This idea even extends to email. Electronic clutter is still clutter. Start a clutter free lifestyle that extends to all facets of your life.
  8. Establish a drop zone. Shoes, shopping bags, coats, sports gear and purses go here.
  9. Think multipurpose. Your more likely to use a multi-function item than have it accumulate dust. Swiss army knife anyone? Or think about multi-purpose kitchen gadgets.

Come back next time for Part 2 in How to Beat Clutter.