“Help! I’m overwhelmed by clutter!”
According to surveys, a whopping eight in 10 of us feel overwhelmed by clutter—but you don’t have to be! Our experts share their simple secrets for streamlining the excess out of your home!
1 Start with these steps for less mess!
Take 15 minutes!
Use the time to toss or store the most visible clutter, like papers or water bottles from, say, the entryway or kitchen counter, advises clutter- clearing expert Barbara Tako. Clearing one space will give you an immediate boost that’ll spur you to keep going and eventually tackle that stuffed closet and/or packed basement!
Try the three-bag trick!
Use three trash bags to sort clutter— one for donations, one for trash and one for things that need to be put in the right place. Quickly decide which bag to put each item in— and spend no more than one hour a day doing this.
Think small!
“I never say I’m going to declutter my kitchen,” reveals organization expert Kathi Lipp. “Instead, I say I’m cleaning out a drawer,” because it’s less overwhelming to focus on small, specific areas. Tip: Using tape to mark off a space also makes a big job seem smaller.
Focus on the joy!
Focus on how great you’ll feel once the clutter is gone. “For example, tell yourself that you’ll clear the area around a chair and sofa, and then you can sit down and read a book,” says Lipp. “Your goal is to reclaim the things that bring you joy!”
Use social media!
People want that stuff you don’t need! “I found some supplies for making rugs, which I’ll never use,” recalls clutter maven Eve Schaub. “So I posted it on Facebook. The woman who responded was so happy to get them!” You can also list your stuff on Freecycle.org.
2 Tame those piles of paper! Keep it out of the house!
“Paper is the number-one source of clutter in our lives,” says Tako. The easiest way to tame the beast? Keep a recycling bin (better yet, a paper shredder) near your entryway so you can chuck junk mail right away!
Jettison junk mail!
You’ll have less clutter if you get less junk mail. Register with DMA Choice.org to opt out of marketing mailing lists and Optout prescreen. com to avoid credit card and insurance offers. Also, avoid writing your address on surveys and raffles. If you do include it, write a note alongside it saying, Please do not add my name to mailing lists.
3 Keep your memories! Re-purpose nostalgic clutter!
Can’t bear to part with your teen’s first Easter dress? Don’t want to toss your dad’s old Navy uniform? Just cut a swatch to frame with a related photo- graph. Or make a keepsake quilt or teddy bear. Not handy with a needle and thread? Search “memory quilt” or “memory bear” on Etsy to find crafters who’ll do it starting at $35.
Cut down on piles of pics!
Lots of us have piles of old family photos we’d like to put into albums some day, so why not make it a team effort? Gather your family and friends to sort through old photos, throwing out the blurry, bad ones! It’ll be fun to reminisce and send everyone home with photos that are meaningful to them, after you put aside your favorites to store digitally!
Turn on some tunes!
Create a p laylist of br ight, upbeat music to declutter by. “Load it with the kind of tunes you like to exercise to, songs that make you smile,” says Lipp. A few faves to consider: “Let It Go” from Frozen, “I Can See Clearly Now” by Johnny Nash, “Another One Bites the Dust” by Queen, “Good Clean Fun” by The Monkees and “It’s a New Day” by will.i.am!
Find your stuff a new home!
Think about who might want your great-aunt’s teapot or your son’s old tennis racket. Or host a giveaway party! Invite friends and family, then have everyone draw a number from a hat and pick a treasure in turn!