How to Organize Your Clutter

Member

By Miragi
User-Submitted Article

Article Rating:

(6 Ratings)

Organize Your Clutter

Even if you have no desire to outshine Martha Stewart, and you feel downright warm and fuzzy amongst the growing piles of clutter, sometimes you still need to create a walkway-especially when you get hungry and need to find the kitchen! Here is one surefire way to organize clutter and take control of your mess!

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

garbage bags
storage containers
file folders

Step 1

Make a plan. Without mapping out a strategy, all hope is lost and clutter will remain unwieldy. Think about where clutter is most prevalent, and why. Decide how much of it you would like to eliminate. Make a checklist for each room, and determine where you would like to store future clutter bombs.
Step 2

Clean. Pretend you're having company, and need to straighten up the house in a hurry. Dust, sweep, and mop, just the basics. It's better that have a semi-clean environment in which to begin the decluttering process.
Step 3

Take a storage bin or clothes basket and start gathering up clutter. Papers, bills, letters, magazines, books, etc., whatever is in a heap-throw it in the basket. The top of the dresser, the desk and, of course, any and all junk drawers. You can do this by room, or you can do one major clutter overhaul, your choice.
Step 4

Find a place where you will have room to sit down and sort through the clutter collection. Grab a garbage bag or three, some empty storage bins, folders and any other device you may wish to use for clutter organization. You may want to take this opportunity to go grab a beverage, a smoke or take a potty break, because the sorting is what takes the longest.
Step 5

Create several smaller piles: Bills, receipts, books, magazines, scrapbook/photo album, trash, etc. Anything that is not paper or reading material, you might want to toss in to another basket for even more sorting later. Just start sorting. If it's a Sunday paper from three months ago, chances are, you really won't be reading it. Pitch it. If it's a bill that needs to be paid, keep it where you can see it. Pictures or drawings from your kids? Scrapbook pile. You get the drift.
Step 6

Decide how you wish to store your newly organized clutter. You can keep bills and receipts together, using file folders and storage bins. You can keep reading materials in a bookcase, or neatly stacked on an end table. The options or limitless and the joy of being able to move freely throughout your living quarters is unmatched.