How to process:
When sifting through your clutter you have to be brutal in order to make a dent.
Try to keep only stuff that is useful and/or practical.
It's liberating when you finally let go of things you've been holding onto for too long.
Labeling your belongings accurately can save a lot of time when searching for them later.
If your spouse tosses something you weren't even aware of, don't be upset, be happy the clutter is going with it.
When clearing out your stuff, keeping only things that belong in that space can greatly reduce your clutter.
Using a process of elimination can be an easy, structured way of deciding what stays and what goes.
Color coding business and personal files can help you keep track of what papers belong with what aspect of your life.
Color-coding storage areas can help you keep track of whose clutter is who's.
Being organized can make you more efficient at work. Thing won't get misplaced or lost in the shuffle if they are in orderly files and not random piles.
When you move from one place, or one country, to another, take the opportunity to purge your old things to make way for your new life. Don't leave your abandoned clutter with a relative.
Don't take responsibility for anybodyβs clutter except your own. If you're hanging onto someone elseβs extra stuff, give it back. Let them deal with it.
You should do a mini purge of your home every six months, to help you keep on top of the clutter, and to insure it doesn't get out of hand.
Cutting down the clutter helps you know what you have. Then you don't have to go out and buy an item that duplicates one you already have, but simply can't find.
Furniture
Furniture that seems to have no use can be repurposed and brought back to life with just a good sanding and a new coat of stain or paint.
Slipcovers are a great way to make old furniture look like new.
Picking up furniture at flea markets can make your redesign less expensive.
Attaching some fabric to just about anything can give it a refreshing new look.
Making the bed every morning helps keep your room looking neat and organized.
Putting large pieces of furniture in opposite ends of the room make the room feel larger and can add a balance to the room.
Old furniture may not meet your needs today. If it isn't functional, get pieces that are, and get rid of the old stuff ASAP.
Making sure a large piece of furniture fits in your space is important, and making sure it fits through the door way is key as well.
Paper Clutter:
Travel books date very quickly. Anything over two years old will be of little use.
Personal tax info must be kept for seven years. Check with your accountant or tax advisor before tossing business records.
Unread books can cause major clutter. When you buy a new one, pass another one off to a friend who may be interested in reading it too.
Junk mail should be tossed out right away, and separated from bills and other mail that needs a response.
Photos are great ways to trigger a happy memory, but duplicates and pictures out of focus are just more clutter.
Photo negatives can be tossed once you get pictures scanned into a computer. You will never need the negatives again.
Any mail with personal information like Social Security numbers or bank info should be shredded before being tossed or properly filed where it can't be used against you.
A small addition of a paper shredder can help you get rid of old bills, while not having to worry about your personal information falling into the wrong hands.
Letters can hold nice memories, but take up valuable space. Keep only those most dear to you, and let the others go.
Cancelled checks only need to be kept for four years, unless they relate to an asset purchase (house, car, stocks, bonds) then they must be kept as long as you have that asset, to prove how much you paid for it.
Bills, receipts and financial papers should not be stored under the bed. It will cause restless nights.
Clothing
Putting like colored clothes together in the closet helps you find similar items quickly.
If you keep your clothes on good hangers they're more likely to keep their shape and look better longer.
Nice clothes should be kept in nice garment bags in the closet. Label the edge of each one so you are able to find what you are looking for quickly.
Keeping one pair of "Skinny" pants is a great way to get inspired to lose weight. Keeping more then that is just cluttering up your closet.
Having 15 pairs of identical pants just creates clutter. If you don't wear them, get rid of them.
Having a few high quality accessories like purses, shoes and hats that go with many outfits is more sensible then many items that only go with one outfit.
If you have an old Halloween costume you no longer intend to wear, get rid of it.
Accessories are meant to accessorize something. If you're hanging onto an item like an old motorcycle helmet in hopes of buying a motorcycle, dump it.
If you own a piece of clothing that's spent a year or more lying around unworn and unused, let it go.
If you have a huge collection of accessories like handbags, get real and keep only the ones you actually use.
A person can only wear so many shoes. Sift through the ones you have, decide what pairs you actually need and say goodbye to the rest.
If you own a piece of clothing that's spent a year or more lying around in its original shrink wrap, it's time to unload it.
Rooms:
Most colors reflect light poorly. Green is one of the few that doesn't cast harsh tones.
If you have "cottage cheese" ceilings and want to cover them up, hanging fabric is a good trick.
If you have a small room, dark colors can often make it look bigger.
Painting the walls any color helps you stay organized. White walls are bland and clutter blends into the walls too easily.
Closets can be extremely efficient multi-purpose storage spaces.
Painting walls different colors in the same room can give a feeling of two rooms in one. Utilizing all the height of a room can give the appearance of more space and leave more room for storage elsewhere.
If storage areas are closed off, it gives your rooms a much cleaner look.
Old wallpaper can be covered with magnet boards you can use to display a child's art work. It minimizes the wallpaper's impact, and the art can be rotated as the child grows.
Old wallpaper should be saturated before you try to peel it off the walls. It helps to loosen up the glue and makes the process go faster.
A mirror on the back of a display case can make the case and the room feel larger.
Bedrooms are for resting, not for laundry. If space permits, make the most of your bedroom space by creating a concealed dressing area.
Office space should be separated from play space so that kids don't accidentally ruin an item you need for bill paying or work.
Sentimental Stuff:
If you have items of importance, they should be displayed or stored with respect, not stuffed away.
Memorabilia should be displayed with the proper respect or it's just collecting dust and creating more clutter.
Physical objects can trigger strong memories, but only the memories themselves are important, not the objects.
You can keep things that were gifts, but you don't have to keep things just because they're a gift.
If an item has a strong family attachment, you can give it to a relative to lessen the clutter without the guilt of tossing it out.
Perceived value of your possessions does not equate to actual value.
If you get a gift you don't use, get it out of the house. Remember, it's the thought that counts, not the item.
Memorabilia and special items need to be out and displayed or they are just clutter. No one can see them if they are hidden away in boxes.
If you're hanging onto something belonging to a departed loved one, ask yourself, "Am I treating this item with the respect it deserves?" If the answer is no, it's time to unload it.
If somebody gives you a gift you don't use, get rid of it. Remember, it's the thought that counts.
If you're hanging onto unsightly gee-gaws you don't use, get rid of them. If they really meant something to you, they wouldn't be lying around collecting dust.
If you have an unused item you want to keep in the family, give it to another family member and put it to good use.
Other ideas
A bargain at a yard sale isn't a bargain if it's something you will never use.
For a yard sale, look up prices on an online auction site can help you figure out the value of your items.
Heavy dust on a toy or game is a great indication that you don't use it enough to justify it taking up space in your home.
Fitness equipment was not designed for use as a clothes rack. Use it or get rid of it, especially if it's a huge bulky piece.
New and smaller technology can help you get rid of large bulky stereo and TV equipment.
If small bags are put into larger bags it will save a ton of space.
Craft supplies should only be kept for current projects. Small scraps that "might" be used can just pile up and cause clutter.
Toys are fun for kids when they are played with. If they never get used, they are just more clutter in your life.
Record albums are great if you use them, if not, they are just clutter in our digital world of CD and DVD.
Cheaply made toys or promotional items are not good collectibles; they just create clutter, and take up valuable storage space.
Having toys for visiting grand kids is a great idea. Teaching the kids to put all the toys back where they belong when playtime is over is a skill they can use for life.
One person's trash may be another person's treasure. Hold a yard sale and let your clutter move from your home, and make some money in the process.
Perfume has an expiration date. Check the number on the bottom of the bottle. The last number is the year it was made. Over three years old should be tossed.
Valuable items that you want to purge can be sold at auction or on-line to realize their full value.
Musical instruments are meant to be played, not used as hat stands. Display them in a way that is eye catching and yet easily accessible when it's time to make some music.
Toy collections from your youth are great fun, and nice to pass on to your kids. But if you have outgrown them, get rid of them.
If you have an old stereo that takes up a lot of space, look into upgrading your technology and getting something smaller.
Keeping a desk in the garage for some future use just takes up space and creates clutter - use it or lose it.
If you've been hanging onto old gizmos like outdated computers, pick the most recent, useable version and get rid of the rest.
If you have a hobby or interest (like camping) that comes with a lot of equipment, find a way to keep and organize only the most up-to-date, useful pieces and unload the outdated duplicates. Nobody needs three six-man tents or six coolers.
Create specific spaces for specific activities, like home beer-brewing. Nobody needs to see your alcohol fermenting in the middle of a room.
Musical instruments are made to be played, not to collect dust. If you have an old musical instrument you don't use, give it to someone who will put it to good use.