How to De-clutter Your House

Is your house a mess? Is clutter taking over your home? When you walk through your front door, do you cringe at the piles of stuff laying everywhere? Does your life feel out of control? Are you are in desperate need of extra space? If you answered 'yes' to any of these questions then you might be need to "declutter" your life!

Decluttering is simply getting rid of the stuff you don't want, need, or use. The thought of decluttering your entire home can be overwhelming at first, so start small. Begin with one room and DO NOT work on any other rooms until you are finished with the first one. I managed to declutter my whole house with this technique by cleaning every Saturday during late winter. In New England, late winter/early summer is known as mud-season, and there isn't a whole lot you can do during this time of year. It's too cold for yard work, but most of the snow has melted, so winter activities are finished for the season. It is the perfect time to do your spring cleaning.

I began in my kitchen, emptying all the cupboards and drawers, and making a keep, donate and throw pile. I did this in every room, including all the kids' rooms. I also emptied all my closets using this method. If you are having trouble deciding what to keep and what to give away or toss, think about the last time you used it. Over a year ago? Get rid of it.

Once I had gone through all the trouble of sorting, and getting rid of stuff, I felt a lot more compelled to keep clutter to a minimum. Some things I do every day that help keep the house looking somewhat presentable are:

- Sorting the mail as soon as I get it. I NEVER put it in a basket to look at "later". I put bills in their respective spot (a folder on my desk), and throw out junk mail. I put magazines in my living room, where I will remember to read them. Once I read a magazine, I will put it in the recycle bin. I used to hold onto magazines, thinking I would sit down and clip out the articles and recipes I liked. But who really has the time to go through them again? Now I clip as I read.