Clutter can consist of many different things in your home that you have no use for and you have been accumulating for long time. I’ve seen people who have had basements filled with old magazines and newspapers. Homes where you had to walk a narrow path to get through the house in order to get from one room to the next. This is the result of clutter piling up to the point where it got overwhelming for the person.
There are two reasons why people tend to collect a lot of clutter. One reason is that they feel that they have something of value and continue to hang onto items that, in reality, usually have very little or no value. These types of people are those who are afraid to throw anything out less they find that they need it “someday”. Remember that “someday” is not a day of the week. When you hear yourself saying that, think “DISCARD”! Some people have a compulsive disorder to keep everything that they receive, including junk mail, newspapers and other items that people normally throw out, just in case they may want to look at them anyway.
Some people just like to hold onto junk. Maybe you know someone who is like this and who routinely takes anything out of the trash. Needless to say, their house is a maze of clutter. And to make matters worse, it is a maze of much of other people’s old clutter.
The other common reason people keep clutter is because they are too overwhelmed to know where to begin when it comes to getting rid of the clutter. Cleaning out an overstuffed closet seems to be a monumental task that they cannot bear to undertake. So the clutter builds and builds. Until they get to the point where they decide to chuck it all and end up getting rid of their yearbook and mother’s wedding dress. Most people fall into this category. They simply procrastinate making decisions.
The easiest way to get rid of clutter in your home is to ask yourself what you want to keep and why. Obviously, things that have real sentimental value or are useful are kept. Clothes that you (truthfully) wear are kept.
Other things, however, such as the kids toys that they no longer play with because they’re now teenagers, clothes that you haven’t worn in years and cannot wear even if you wanted to as well as knick knacks, old videos, music and books can be given to many different charities.
Electronic equipment also falls into this category. Do you really need that analog TV sitting on the floor of your bedroom when you just bought yourself a flat screen? Many charities will not take electronics, so it is best to advertise them for free on a site like Craig’s List or just to give them to a neighbor or friend who can use it.
Take your time when you are getting rid of clutter. If it seems daunting, give yourself an hour to work on the project and then stop until the next day. Even if you spend a half an hour a day working on what to keep and what to give away or toss, you will start making headway. You do not have to feel as though you need to get rid of clutter all in one day.
In many homes, books and magazines comprise a great deal of clutter. Once every quarter go through the books that are keepers and those that will never be read again and send them to the Goodwill,. Consider reducing subscriptions to magazines that no one ever seems to read. Take old magazines to the doctor’s office after removing the address and name label. Newspapers get bundled up and recycled weekly or switch to on line news.
Take a few minutes every day this week and clear out one area where the clutter is bugging you. What’s yours?
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It will come as no surprise to you that children seem to breed clutter overnight! You’ll have to be especially vigilant when it comes to controlling toys, stuffed animals and clothes as children outgrow these quickly. Instead of letting all of these items pile up and clutter up closets and playrooms, it is much better to give those that are in good shape to organizations that can sell them for a low price to people who will be grateful to have them. This is a good way for you to teach your children a little bit about compassion and how to not want to hoard everything that they receive. 
Get some back up! It’s not just for computers (although that is SMART too) or the police. There’s nothing like having some “plan Bs” up your sleeve. Having back up is a way to protect yourself from the unexpected.
