Quick Clutter Control: Ten Tips For A Ti
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Recipe Introduction
Quick Clutter Control: Ten Tips For A Tidier Home
List of Ingredients
1. Whenever you have a few minutes to spare put away five or ten
items that are not in their correct place. These could be toys that
the kids have left somewhere, letters that need filing away or odd
socks that need putting in a drawer.
2. Dump junk mail the moment you receive it. Deal with other mail at
least once a week filing away what you need to keep in an indexed
concertina file, card or plastic file wallets or even large brown
envelopes.
3. The five boxes method. This will clear clutter from any room or
area of the house, but can look awful while in progress. Set aside a
time when you won't be disturbed, put on a tape of upbeat music and
have a treat in the fridge for lunch. First job is to label the
boxes - Rubbish, Give Away/Sell, Keep, Sentimental and Not Sure. You
then go through everything in the area consigning each item to one
of the boxes. Theoretically, by the time you have got rid of the
Rubbish and Give Away/Sell boxes, you should have enough space to
store the Sentimental and put the Keep items back in an orderly way.
The Not Sure box should be sealed up, stored in basement or attic
and if not needed after six months or one year, given away unopened,
so that you're not tempted to keep the contents all over again.
4. Be ruthless. If you haven't used an item in the last two years
you are not likely to need it again. Do you really want a clutter
free, streamlined home or not?
5. If you can't face an entire room, break the job down into
manageable tasks - the kitchen junk drawer, the letter pile, the
hats, coats and shoes area. That way you won't be put off
decluttering as just too big a task.
6. Treat yourself to items that make staying tidy easier. Cardboard
storage boxes are great for sewing and craft items, Christmas
decorations, treasures that your children have made. Plastic or
fabric hanging shoe bags are perfect for storing small toys and
dolls or for hair brushes, clips, cosmetics and toiletries. Invest
in some of those drawer dividers that separate drawers into a dozen
little compartments - but don't fill them with junk!
7. Clean and put away fifty per cent of your ornaments. Not only
will this give your home a more modern minimalist look, you will get
your dusting done in half the time.
8. Consider enlisting the help of a family member or friend to be
your organizing buddy. She helps you with your house - you help with
her clutter disposal. Hearing yourself try to explain why you need a
whole kitchen cupboard full of plastic containers can help you get
them into that Rubbish box.
9. Don't keep buying things. Stop and think, do I really need this
and have I got somewhere to keep this? Some people work on a one in,
one out system, i.e. if you buy a new sweater, toy for the children
etc. then one goes to the charity shop or is given to a friend.
10. Don't give up. It will take time. All the clutter didn't come
into your home in one day and you won't get rid of it all in one
day. Keep on sorting, dumping, tidying and labelling, cut back on
bringing new clutter home and it is a battle that can be won. You
will have more time, a neat home and less stress as a reward for
your efforts.
Colleen Moulding is a freelance writer living in the south of
England. She is also the owner/editor of All That Women Want.com a
magazine, web guide and resource for women everywhere.
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