| Has clutter stealthily taken over your home? Would | | | | Don't zig zag from room to room returning items and |
| you like to have friends stop by after work but are | | | | don't worry about a specific place for each thing. Right |
| embarrassed by your home's appearance? Are you | | | | now you're just getting all items into the rooms where |
| overwhelmed by what a huge job it will be to get all | | | | they belong. |
| the clutter under control? | | | | At this point, stop and take a look around. Notice how |
| Many, many, people are in the same boat. In this article | | | | much progress you've made! Things already look less |
| I'm going to outline four steps that will help you achieve | | | | cluttered and more attractive, right? OK, get back to |
| clutter control in practically no time! | | | | work! |
| *First, make a list of all your rooms. Then rank them | | | | *Finally, go back through each room once more, this |
| according to which one is most important to declutter | | | | time with a box that you can stack or store, not your |
| first. For example, if my immediate goal is to have | | | | rolling box. Put away everything that has an assigned |
| dinner guests, I will probably rank my living room, | | | | "home" such as shoes in the closet, used glasses in |
| kitchen, dining room, and guest bathroom at the top of | | | | the dishwasher, etc. Any items that don't already have |
| my list. My bedrooms, etc. would rank at the bottom of | | | | a designated storage place go into the box. The box |
| the list. By prioritizing your list, you will be more likely to | | | | might include subscription offers you haven't decided |
| get the "most important" rooms finished in case you | | | | on yet, kids' artwork, etc. Put the box away to be dealt |
| are interrupted or run out of time. | | | | with later. I usually hide mine on the far side of my bed! |
| *Second, with a trash bag in hand, walk through all | | | | The point is to get the clutter under control right now; |
| your rooms in order of priority and throw away every | | | | you can organize the left over items little by little when |
| scrap of trash you find. If you're not sure whether to | | | | you have time. After some time has passed you'll |
| toss or keep an item, don't waste time deciding now. | | | | probably end up throwing away most of the box |
| Leave it where it is. | | | | contents! |
| *Now repeat the process of walking through your list | | | | If you're not ready to tackle your entire house at once, |
| of rooms but this time, rather than a trash bag, bring a | | | | you can use these four steps on a room-by-room |
| box. Into this box put everything you find that belongs | | | | basis. You could spend a few minutes using the |
| in another room. I like to use a rolling crate for this job. | | | | process to declutter one room each day, or for an |
| This is a box with wheels and a handle available at | | | | emergency situation such as unexpected overnight |
| office supply or teacher supply stores. When you've | | | | guests. |
| finished with room one, move on to room two and | | | | By regularly following these four steps, you home will |
| remove from the box anything that belongs in that | | | | always look attractive and inviting! |
| room before adding things that belong in other rooms. | | | | |