How to Get Rid of Clutter

You've been on a mission to get rid of clutter--everything you don't need. And you did it. Only the essentials are left. You've tackled the cabinets, the drawers and the closets. But, you're not finished yet. You still have a lot of that essential stuff hanging out on the furniture, on the bar, on counter tops and yes on the sofa and the bed. Guess what? It's still clutter if it doesn't have a home. Here's how to get rid of the clutter you can't live without.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Storage Pieces
• Decorative Containers
• Hat Boxes
• Baskets

1. Take stock of everything that doesn’t have a place.

2. Decide which room each item belongs in and put it in that room.

3. Now take one area at a time and look at what needs to be stored. Consider what type of storage will work in that room. As you go, make a list of the containers or storage pieces you need in each room.

4. Start in the living/dining room. Decorative trunks and baskets are perfect here. No one will ever know the secrets hiding inside those great decorative pieces. You may want to consider some extra shelving if you have lots of books, videos or music.

5. On to the kitchen. Use pretty containers to hold wooden spoons and utensils that you want to have within easy reach all the time. Baskets come in handy for holding bags of snacks. Bowls make great containers for fruit and vegetables. Who said clutter isn’t sometimes edible?

6. Look at the bedroom next. In addition to trunks and baskets, hat boxes make great storage here. They will hold lots of small items and can really add style.

7. Then, there’s the bathroom. If you have very little built-in storage, you might want to consider some additional shelving. Baskets and other decorative containers are perfect to hold extra towels, soap and tissue. Hangers that go over the back of the door are great for towels and bathrobes.

8. Now, take a look at your list. What do you already have that can be repurposed? Move those pieces to the appropriate room and get rid of as much of the clutter as you can by placing it in them.

9. Revise your list and go shopping for the items you still need.

10. Put those new pieces of storage in place and get rid of that last bit of clutter.

11. Stand back and admire your ingenuity. You have “a place for everything and everything in its place” with style.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep things up a little at a time after removing clutter.
• If you use storage pieces that are large enough for a child to climb into, make sure that the latch is disabled so that the door or lid can easily be opened.

[1trout]

on 11/16/2008 It is dangerous to find decorative boxes for extra stuff. At least, it is for me. Pick out a few of your vases, for example that you love the most and get rid of the rest. Pull out all items of one category and line them up. Decide which ones you love the best. Try and remove even a few instead of stowing them back in the same box. Even if you get rid of a few of every category, you'll have more space.