More Clutter Control Tips

It’s often said that neat desks can be suspiciously neat, and that only cluttered desks are indicative that their owners are really getting any work done. While that is true to a certain extent, it’s also true that (1) cluttered desks are indicative of cluttered minds, and (2) it’s far too easy to lose track of important stuff if everything’s all jumbled atop your desk or any other place.

Whether you’re in the office or at home, chances are you’re waging a constant, never-ending war against clutter. Here are some clutter control tips to help you put some order into your life and get more done with less trouble.

1) Don’t just dump stuff where it’s convenient, even if you’re really busy - put things in their proper place. Taking a little time out to do this every time, no matter how busy you are, will definitely save you a great deal more time (and heartache) later on.

2) It might be a good idea to invest in storage containers if you haven’t already done so. For all you important things, filing cabinets might help, or, better yet, buy large plastic sliding drawers, which combine the durability of the usual metal filing cabinet with light weight and translucency (which makes it easier to peek inside without necessarily having to open the drawer).

3) Don’t forget to label your storage. This will enable you to know what’s in which particular box and you won’t need to go rifling through every single box in search of whatever you need.

4) All the storage boxes and nooks and crannies in the world won’t help you if you don’t have a good system of prioritizing things and putting stuff away where it belongs. We’ve all heard those funny (or perhaps painful) stories of people who’ve painstakingly taken time out to put some order into their chaotic workspaces. After organizing everything, they have to mess it all up again because they are frantically searching for things they couldn’t locate. Ideally, only your most important things should sit on top of your desk (of course confidential or high-security items are exceptions to this rule) or close at hand.

5) Lastly, once every few months, take a weekend out to go through your storage containers (i.e. filing cabinets, boxes, chests, drawers, bins, etc…). Some things you might have thought important might not actually be so important after all, and you might want to consider moving them to the basement or some other area to free up space. In addition, you might want to see if everything’s in good condition - batteries may have burst, for instance, or mice might have made nests in some boxes. You’ll want to be able to deal with these and other such problems ASAP.

Organizing yourself will help you live a less stressful life.  When you know where everything is, all the rest falls into place.  Just remember that organizing all of your clutter of years of collecting it doesn’t happen overnight.  Don’t get stressed over decluttering.  Take your time and do it right.  In the long run you’ll be happy to have everything in it’s place and well labeled.

Clutter Control Tips

Controlling clutter is not an easy thing to do.  Most people are guilty of leaving their clothes on the floor in a hurry or because of lack of closet or storage space.  We come into the house, throw our shoes, coats and keys on the counter.  Clutter is without a doubt a huge stumbling block to someone who really wants a clean organized house.  Once your clothes are all over the floor and the house becomes very cluttered, it becomes more difficult to do a really good cleaning.  Therefore, dusting, vacuuming and moping are put on the backburner.  Now the task is no longer just cleaning but de-cluttering as well which could seem like a very overwhelming task.  Do not fret because there are steps to controlling the clutter!  Let’s look at the main culprits of clutter.  Number one culprit: PAPER!  The mail, newspapers, work papers, your children’s school papers and projects, magazines, etc… There are quite a few ways of organizing your papers to help you de-clutter your home.

1.     As soon as you come home, go through the mail – RIGHT AWAY!  Keep a garbage bag or blue box under the mailbox or at the front door so you can immediately discard junk mail and unnecessary paper before they even enter your house.

2.     Keep a file folder or large index box near the entrance or your computer in order for you to place your bills.  If they need to be paid, then put them in a “to do” or “to be paid” section – RIGHT AWAY!

3.     In your file folder, have different sections for your different needs – i.e. bills to pay, paid bills, school, work, misc., etc…

4.     File important papers – RIGHT AWAY before they turn into clutter. In regards to school papers and projects, parent’s tend to want to keep everything.  You need to learn how to purge in order to teach your children not to be pack rats.  A good way to keep your children’s school stuff in check is to have a clear plastic bin for each child.  This could be kept in their closet or under their bed.  You can place important projects in this bin and through away the rest.  These bins can hold those precious bits of history that your child will love to look through on day.

For de-cluttering other objects or rooms in your house, think about whether you will ever use an item again.  It’s important to be honest with yourself.  The rule of thumb is… If you haven’t used it in one year, then you should probably get rid of it.  You can either sell your stuff or donate it to charity.  You can store seasonal items or maternity clothing in storage bins or “Space Bags”.  “Space Bags” are plastic bags that you vacuum the air out of to save space. 

 

Another important thing to remember is that if something is broken, damaged or stained, throw it out.  This applies to all items, not just seasonal ones.  Don’t think twice about it, if you haven’t worn it or it’s worn out, throw it out and don’t look back.