Clutter: How to Get Rid of it for Good

Piles of clutter decorate every desk, table, counter top and corner of your home. You keep telling yourself that you're going to do something about it. Then it's time to clean the house and you end up shoving the mess into drawers, boxes, closets and anywhere else where it isn't noticeable. This seems to do the trick, that is, until you need your keys, a phone number, or an important document.

If this sounds like you, then you're among the millions of people suffering from a clutter problem. But, don't lose heart, there's good news. The tips you see below will tell you how to eliminate clutter from your home for good.

Pick a Room and Set an Appointment

If you're serious about cleaning up the clutter, then you'll need to take a realistic approach. Don't try to get rid of it all in one day or even one weekend. Instead pick one room or one area of the house to begin with. Set a date and time to start working and don't back out. Schedule clutter appointments for each room in the house, and when it comes time for the appointment, focus entirely on that one area.

Sifting Through the Clutter

Clutter can consist of almost anything; some of which has value and some that's completely useless. Before you begin sifting through all of it, get three large boxes. Label one "Things to Keep" another as "Donations/sell" and the final box as "Trash."

Use discernment when deciding what to do with each thing. If you're holding something in your hand thinking that it might come in use later on, but you haven't used it in the last 6 months or more, do yourself a favor and either donate it or throw it out.

Be considerate when choosing what to donate. Donation services are not trash dumps. Don't give them things that aren't useful or that have no value.

Organize

Purchase some organizing bins or boxes after you've sorted through everything and decided what to keep. This way you'll know what to buy and how much you will need. Label each bin and use it for only that purpose. You can put the bins on their own shelf, in drawers, or in a closet if you would like to keep them out of the way. For things that can't go in bins, find an appropriate place for them and keep them there.

Challenge Yourself

After you've gotten rid of unnecessary items and organized everything else, challenge yourself to keep it that way. It's been said that it takes about 21 days to completely adopt a new habit. So, for the next 21 days resolve to put everything where it belongs when not in use and throw trash away instead of setting it aside. If you have a family, involve them. Let them know how important it is for you to succeed at this, and encourage them to help you out. When you've met the 21 day challenge, celebrate. Reward yourself for remaining clutter free.

Beware of Clutter Shopping

Individuals prone to clutter don't always realize that their purchasing habits are a big part of the problem. Ask yourself when you buy things, "do I really, really need this?" "Will it actually be used or will it end up sitting on a desk or in a corner somewhere?" Be honest. You know whether you'll use it or not. If you have any doubts, don't buy it. This doesn't mean you can't ever buy something for fun, it just means using common sense.

Living clutter free is a way of life. It isn't something you do once and that's it. Keeping your home free of clutter is a constant process, but it doesn't have to be an unpleasant one. Being organized can be a lot of fun. The hardest part is getting started. However, if you have a proper plan of action it's a lot easier. That's what these tips are for. They provide you with an easy and effective plan to begin eliminating clutter from your life and to keep it gone for good.