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Top Three Ways to Conquer Clutter

Anthony Cuomo • Nov 25, 2014

Do you ever feel overwhelmed with the amount of clutter in your home? The fact is, the more space we have to fill, the more stuff we tend to accumulate. Whether your house is large or small, and whether you have extra rooms or not, it’s likely that you suffer from the clutter bug. How can you tell? If your flat surfaces are often covered with piles of papers, books and odds and ends, or if it takes you more than five minutes to locate things like kids’ permission slips, bank statements and other necessary paperwork, there’s a good chance that you have too much clutter. The good news is that no matter where you’re starting out, there are some ways to get your disorganization troubles under control. Here are the top three ways to reign victorious over clutter in your home:

Purge without mercy
One reason that most of us have too much clutter is that we tend to keep too many things. You’ve heard of the Pareto Principle, and can apply it to our belongings: We only use 20% of our belongings 80% of the time. While you probably won’t want to or be able to get rid of 80% of your stuff, you can surely make a dent in it, and you most likely will hardly notice. Grab a garbage bag and a box, and go through each room looking for items to either throw away or donate to charity. Once one bag or box is full, switch to a new one. If you need to, get a friend to help you with this step; she will see your situation from a more objective standpoint. Be sure that filled garbage bags make it to the dumpster, and that full boxes end up at the thrift or consignment shop; don’t let them collect dust in your garage, closet or other storage area.

Invest in some home organization products
You’ll be able to keep everything better organized if you have the proper tools. Depending on the room in question, you might want to use furniture that can do double duty, such as a hollow ottoman, an antique storage chest or a wall of bookshelves. Custom closets can help you store your clothing and accessories more efficiently. Underbed bins provide storage space in an area that is often not even thought about. Even stocking up on attractive bins, boxes and baskets can make a world of difference, because contained clutter is much neater and tidier than chaotic clutter! Carefully consider all options before making purchases, though, because you don’t want to end up with even more things that you aren’t using.

Train your family well
Once you have a place for everything, it’s time to train your spouse and children to keep everything in its place. Remember, you are not the maid, and home organization is not only your responsibility. Designate a time each day where you all work together to clear off cluttered areas and return items to their homes. In the case of children, you may need to set policies, such as confiscating belongings left out overnight for a period of an afternoon or a few days. With time and patience, your family members will accept responsibility for the condition of your shared home, and should be great team members in the task of keeping clutter at bay.

Home organization is something that even the best housekeepers among us struggle with at times. By following these simple tips, and by repeating them as often as necessary, you should be able to conquer clutter and enjoy a neater, more peaceful home.

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