  I dislike clutter in my home. When my surroundings are disorganised, I have a difficult time focusing on anything but the clutter! Considering that I work from home full time, clutter is simply not an option if I want to complete my assignments on time. Moreover, I can't clean properly when things such as tables, counters, chairs etc are covered with "stuff". So let's clear the clutter!
Baby Steps
If you've never really decluttered your space, chances are that even thinking about the job at hand is enough to give you a headache and have you reaching for some form of comfort (chocolate anyone?) Do yourself a favor, and start small. Baby steps! Pick one room, and then pick a dresser or a closet or a table in that room to get started. By focusing on one small area at a time, you'll have a greater chance of success. Like any plan, it'll work as long as the goals are realistic; and planning to get rid of an entire houseful of clutter in one weekend, or even one week, is anything but.
Keep, Toss, Donate
Take three large containers, be they recycling boxes, laundry baskets or cardboard boxes. Mark them "Keep", "Toss", and "Donate".
Anything that ends up in the "Keep" box is just that, for keeping. "Toss" will end up in the garbage and "Donate" is for your future yard sale or donation to friends or charity of your choice. Keep in mind that anything you want to donate should be clean, in good condition and in working order. If it isn't, toss it.
Now, you're standing in front of whatever small area you picked above right? Okay, this part's not that difficult. Take a deep breath, and pick something up. Make a decision; are you going to keep it, toss it or donate it? Then place it in the appropriate bin. Do this for every single item in the space that you're decluttering. It may take some time, so put on your favorite music or TV show to help pass the time.
The One Year Rule
Some people use a three month or six month or even two year rule. Personally, I favor the one year rule. If I haven't used it in the past year, chances are I'll get rid of it, in one of the three boxes.
Stuff the sentiment
Stuff it where the sun don't shine! I'm not saying that you have to get rid of every stuffed animal that your Mom and your Grandma ever bought you, but let's face it, you don't need 20. Pick one or two favorites that you know you'll display, and ditch the rest. If something is important enough to you to hold on to, then it shouldn't languish in a cardboard box or in a junk pile in the middle of the basement. If you don't plan on displaying it, get rid of it.
The object of all of this is to get rid of as much clutter as possible. Once the area has been completely decluttered, give it a good cleaning. Throw out everything in the "toss" box, and make a plan for "donate" box. Once the entire room has been done, then you can start taking things from your "Keep" box and putting them back.
Keeping things decluttered isn't time consuming provided you do it regularly, say once a week. Go through your entire place and remove anything that doesn't belong into one basket. Then put the items where they do belong, or throw them out.
This article was written by Shawn Wilson, a member of the customer support team at Datepad, where internet dating is always free. Datepad has a massive directory of informative dating articles along with a great list of dating site reviews on their dating blog.
Article Source:
http://www.freearticles.co.za/home/organize-your-home-and-ban-clutter.html
Disclaimer: Harmonious Living is written for and read by a community of individuals with strong and independent opinions. While the publishers of Harmonious Living are dedicated to providing a forum in which views can be openly expressed, those views do not necessarily reflect those of the publishers.
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