Curb Clutter at Home Using These Organization Tips

by Karen Fritscher-Porter

Did you vow to get organized at home this year? Start meeting your home organization goals by getting rid of items in your home that you don't need. That way you'll be able to see (perhaps literally) which items remain that you do need to organize at home. Think you NEED to keep everything that's in your home now? Probably not. Read these 10 clutter buster guidelines and then try saying that you do need to keep everything currently in your home. And do so with a straight face.

You know you don't need it when...

1. ...it has got a deep solid coat of dust on it.

2. ...you come across it and say "oh, I forgot I had this."

3. ...it stirs up rotten memories.

4. ...you've got five others of the same (or quite similar) item.

5. ...you can't fit into it anymore.

6. ...it doesn't fit (or fits awkwardly) in your home.

7. ...it doesn't work anymore.

8. ...you don't know how to use it and you don't plan to learn.

9. ...it's expired.

10. ...it's one of a matching pair and the match has long since vanished.

You can make these 10 clutter buster guidelines work for you to kick off your home organization goals with a little friendly competition involving immediate family members who live in your home. Have each family member do a walk through oom-by-room in your home today with the list above. Make sure no one room is off limits to anyone. Have each person list items they think belong under each of the 10 comments above.

Then gather together afterward to compare lists. Award the family member with the most (legitimate) items on the list a prize. Then get together and rid your home of those items you each wrote on the list.

By having multiple family members independently create their list of items, objective attention will be given to all items in your home and you'll have more family buy-in for your home organization plan. Do this today and you'll be off to a fun and practical start for meeting this year's home organization goal.