So you’ve weeded out all those excess belongings.  (You have followed our previous posts, haven’t you)?   How now to organize the everyday essentials.

Evaluate

You can gain a whole new perspective on clutter by examining your house as a stranger might.  Go out the front door and come in again, this time as a first time visitor.

Look at all the items on table tops, counters, shelves and the like.  Is each one either decorative or used on a regular basis?  If not, put away as many things as you’re comfortable with.  (You should have lots of storage space now)!  Immediately, your house will look cleaner and your cleaning time may be reduced by as much as 30%.

Keep Current

Can you believe the amount of potential clutter that enters your home each day?  Stay on top of it or you’ll soon be buried.  Your de-clutter goal:  handle each item only one time.

• Sort through mail daily.  Junk the junk mail, file the bills to pay.  Designate a file or container for “will read” items.
• Stash the newspapers daily;  magazines every few weeks.  If there’s an article you want to read, or pictures you want to save, cut them out and throw the magazine away.
• Use a big calendar to record all duties, family activites, appointments, club dates, calls to make, birthdays and anniversaries.  As soon as you receive a schedule, invitation or appointment, record all pertinent information onthe calendar and throw away the paperwork.
• If you have children, designate a box, drawer, file folder, etc. for their papers and artwork you want to keep.  Sort through at least once a year and keep only those pieces that will be meaningful ten years from now.
• Invest in a filing cabinet and put it where it’s easily accessible to everyone.  You may even have a kitchen drawer or two that can accommodate file folders.  Now go the the stationery or office supply store and get some pretty hanging file folders.
• Think of all the important papers you now have scattered around the house:  bank statements, insurance policies, bills to pay, store receipts, product warranties, tax records, school booklets and papers.  Make a file for each.  This is also a good place to put magazine articles you have cut out, recipes to file, letters to answer, gift  ideas, vacation destinations–the list is endless.
• Imagine all the time and mental energy you will save by having all these important papers in one place.  Whatever will you do with all your newfound leisure time?

So what do you do to control the inevitable household clutter?  Won’t you take a minute to share your tips?