3 Steps to Getting Organized and De-cluttered in the New Year

The end of the year is upon us and all of the holiday presents have been opened. The next obvious chore is to find a place for all of this new stuff! Once I get past the wrapping paper and empty toy boxes, I need to find a place for each of these new toys, books, clothes and other goodies. This means I must de-clutter first.

It has been such a poor year for our economy that many charities are operating at a loss or have fewer donations than previous years. There is also a greater demand for their services. Take the time to de-clutter your house. Get rid of the old books you have read and the clothes that no longer fit, get rid of the gift from your aunt that you never really liked anyway and throw away anything in poor condition. If you can not easily repair it, throw it away. The thrift shop will not be able to sell it broken. I encourage my children to help and talk with them about donating to the other children in need. They can de-clutter their bedrooms of stuffed animals, puzzles and more.

An added bonus of de-cluttering your space is that you can get a tax deduction. Don't worry if you don't get it in time for the 2008 taxes. You can always use it next year. Take your donation to the local GoodWill or Salvation Army, maybe a church or school or Boy Scout club. Request a receipt when you drop off the goods. To estimate the fair value of your items visit http://www.bankrate.com/brm/itax/edit/news/stories/news_20000107a.asp

They have worksheets and IRS approved fair value guides. Keep your paperwork for tax filing.

Now that you have cleaned out the clutter, it's time for our second step: make more space. A few years ago, I discovered over-the-door hangers. These are the ingenious space saving items that allow you to close the door easily while providing storage. The inside of the door is not seen by anyone and is wasted space. I bought mine at the dollar store, IKEA and Bed, Bath & Beyond. There are many styles to choose from. There are shoe bags, hooks, garment bags and small shelving units. They are not expensive, but help make more room in small spaces. My neighbor used a new shoe bag hung in her pantry closet to store the plastic wrap, baggies, tin foil boxes and other paper goods. We hang baseball caps and belts off one in the closet. I also use hooks to hang my purses. Smaller units are sold as over-the-cabinet shelves and hooks, perfect for kitchen spices, bathroom toiletries and household cleaners. They hold much less weight, but I bet we could all use one under the sink.

My last step is to keep going. A good place to visit is the Fly Lady. She has devoted an entire website to getting your life organized and de-cluttered. She recommends starting small and working in 15 minutes increments. Start in one room and then, work from there. Keeping your home clutter free and organized is an everyday task. The paperwork will accumulate and the toys will not pick up themselves. It's a great website to visit for motivation and ideas. http://www.flylady.net/

Have fun cleaning, de-cluttering and organizing in the new year!