Clutter is my Enemy!

One of the biggest jobs in maintaining any home is keeping it organised.  Our home runs best when everything is organised.   Saying that, it does not matter how many tubs, containers or organisational systems you have in place,  a house can never be organised until you get rid of the clutter.

So how do you de-clutter?

I am no expert but here are a few tips that I have used to de-clutter and get our house organised:

• Patience - It takes time to go through everything.  Small goals work best.  Focus on one area at a time.  Break it down into more manageable tasks otherwise it can become overwhelming.
• Decision Making - It's hard to decide what needs to go but keep in mind the less you have, the more organised your space will be.  Ask yourself - When did I use this last?  Can this item be replaced in the future?  Does this item serve any purpose in my life?
• Assess What You Have - Apparently, we wear only 20% of our wardrobe 80% of the time.  Go through your wardrobe and think - have I worn it in the past year?  Is it relevant?  I use the rule one in, one out.
• Get Tough on Toys - When the kids were younger, I'd go through their toy baskets weekly.  I'd make sure everything was in their correct basket or tub and get rid of or donate anything that was no longer needed.
• Manage Your Paper - Sort through mail daily.  Open letters near a recycling bin and an expanding file.  That way you get rid of what is not needed and you file things away straight away.
• Make Decisions Quickly - That way you're less likely to hang onto things that you don't need.
• Get Help - Ask someone to help you go through your things.  They are less likely to have the emotional attachment that you have but can still recognise if something should be kept.
• Gift/Donate - Once you have read a book pass it onto someone.  If you buy a new item (camera, gaming system etc) donate your old one or give it to someone who'd appreciate it.
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So, once you have de-cluttered what can you do with it?

• Donate it
• Sell it - eBay is a great place to sell
• Throw it away - check the dates for you local hard rubbish collection and organise your clean up around that time.

When you have gone through one area, it might give you the encouragement to do another.

Remember once you have gone through an area you need to maintain it.

Once it's organised, refuse to let it be infected with clutter again.