De-Cluttering Your Home: 9 essential tips to getting rid of clutter

• When de-cluttering you should create 3 piles

          -Throw away
          - Donate/sell
          - Move to another room

• You goal should be to get rid of clutter first, not create more storage spots. If you think you’re disorganized don’t run and start buying containers or baskets. Sort through your stuff first then you’ll know where to put it and what kind of container you’ll need.
• Create Rules on what to keep and what to give away. For clothes you can discard

          Any clothing that is not size x
          Anything that is stained
          Anything that wasn’t worn in the last year or anything not comfortable
       Don’t keep clothes because they were expensive. It does not matter how much you spent what matters is whether you wear it or not. If you keep choosing something else to wear, it’s time to part with the item.
          For magazines anything that is more than 6 months old.

• Be aware that it will take you 5 times more time to sort through a box of personal papers than you  think.

• Organizing should be simple and logical. If it takes little time to put something away, chances are you’ll keep up with your system more easily. So:

          Keep like items together.
          Store items where you use them.
          Containerize them to keep control of the space.
        Keep it simple with as little steps as possible to put away. Avoid lids on boxes, unless you need to stack objects like craft items. They just make things hard to put away. Clear boxes are always better to see through what’s in the box

• You need to have a place for everything and everything needs to be in its place.  
• Memorabilia: Are you keeping some items for sentimental reasons that don’t fit in your home or life style? Grandma’s chandelier, and aunt Jenny’s paperweight collection. Recognize that it is the memory you cherish not the item. Take a picture and either sell it or give it to someone who will enjoy it and appreciate it. Wouldn’t you want your own collection to be enjoyed or stored away for nobody to see? Don’t let it go all moldy or rusty because you can’t make the decision.

• Anything that needs to go somewhere, needs to go in the car not in the house!

• Don’t procrastinate! If it takes you less than a minute to do something do it NOW!

​​Happy Organizing!

Author

Sophie Bent is a Professional Organizer & Productivity Consultant @Bent On Organizing, LLC. She is a NAPO Specialist in Residential Organizing in South Florida and has been organizing businesses and homes since 2008. Contact her at 561-404-7181 or www.bentonorganizing.com