Clutter solutions

We all have clutter in our homes. How do we turn it around and reduce the amount of stuff in our homes? We have times when we don’t feel like organizing or putting things away. However, it can quickly accumulate into a problem. Here are some clutter solutions to make life easier.

Problem: Procrastination

Procrastination can be a big part of clutter. Putting things off until the last minute is one thing, but putting them off indefinitely can create a home with clutter. Side effects of putting things off include stacks of paper including unpaid bills, dishes in the sink and things that are lost because they’re not put away after use.

Solution: Deal with it now

When you finish eating, put the dishes in the dishwasher or wash them right away. After bringing in the mail open it, recycle junk and either pay bills or put them somewhere to pay them weekly or monthly. Put crafting supplies, toys, sports equipment, etc. away after you use it.

Problem: Sentimental you

Holding onto things that you don’t need like a souvenir from your trip to New York in 1965 can add to the clutter in your home. Keeping the ticket stub from every Oriole game you ever attended, movie you saw or play you attended can pile up over time. Hanging onto cassette tapes with your favorite songs when you no longer have a way to play them is taking up valuable storage in your home. These clutter solutions will help clear the closets.

Solution: Time to declutter

Don’t let guilt guide you. Go through the junk drawer, old boxes of stuff and closets to find things that are of no use to anyone. Only keep things that truly have meaning to you.

Problem: Too busy

Once the clutter reaches a certain point, it becomes a pretty big job to reduce. A chaotic life of work, home and family can take a lot of your time leaving little time for organizing. Your belongings start to take over and it causes you stress.

Solution: Take a deep breath and just do it

You might need an afternoon to tackle one closet that is bursting at the seams. Consider organizing a whole dresser. Declutter one drawer at a time if that works for you. As long as you do something, you are making progress.

Problem: Too many belongings

Kids accumulate stuff, your spouse does too. It seems to grow and the space seems to shrink. Birthdays, anniversaries and other holidays add to your belongings. Sometimes you don’t think about getting rid of older stuff to make room for the new stuff. Do you have multiples of the same thing?

Solution: Sell, donate, give away, toss

If you have things you don’t use or need that have value, you can sell them. My husband Howard is a seller on eBay if you need help. Donate or give away what you can. And things that are too damaged, old or without value can be tossed. You’ll be so happy when you see how much space you have afterward.

We accumulate clutter for a variety of reasons, but recognizing that and making positive steps to reduce the problem will be like a weight being lifted. If this seems too much for you, I’m always here to help make these clutter solutions happen.

Clutter solutions