Quick and Easy Tips for Reducing Clutter When You Don’t Have a Lot of Time

Clutter comes right along with disorganization.

I found these two definitions of clutter:

1. A confused or disordered state or collection
   The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
2. An untidy heap or mass of objects
   Collins Essential English Dictionary 2nd Edition 2006 © HarperCollins Publishers 2004, 2006

Here are some quick and easy clutter-reducing tips to put into practice, even if you just have a few minutes.

1. Grab a basket, box, or bag and walk through one area of your home. Collect those items that belong elsewhere. When your container if full, deliver the items back to their home.
2. Overwhelmed by too much clutter? Focus on one area of a room at a time and work your way around the room.
3. Take time in the morning or evening for clutter-control—what is out of place? Doing a little at a time is easier than waiting until it’s an overwhelming task.
4. Pay attention to the items that gather in the same spots over and over. Do you need to make adjustments? Does the mail and paper collect on the kitchen counter? You could add a basket to collect the incoming items until you have time to address them or add a Household Information Center. Are shoes always underfoot? Add a shoe rack or a cubby that makes putting away and retrieving effortless.
5. Get the family to pitch in. Remember to give the kids (maybe husbands, too) specific instructions; “Pick up your stuff”, becomes “Hang your jacket and backpack on your hook and put your shoes in your cubby.”