When it comes to household organization, I am a walking contradiction. I love the look of a house that is clean, neat, and in order, and it most certainly makes it easier to find what you need when you need it. By the same token, I can’t seem to keep my house successfully organized for more than a day or two. I also manage to put off the requisite cleaning until it is agreed upon that the place is a full and complete disaster.

The end result is usually a day spent cleaning the house from top to bottom, throwing out what I can do very well without, and trying to put things back in some semblance of order, with the idea that, for a few days at least, things will be easier to find.

But is this all or nothing endeavor the best approach? I don’t think so. Learning how to manage your home and keep clutter to a minimum is easily the preferred option. So how do you stay ahead of the game?

Well, there is no substitute for a good old fashioned spring cleaning. Set aside the day I mentioned earlier, pick a room to start in, and dig into the mess. If you can enlist family or friends to help you out, that is all the better. Personally I would suggest choosing the most difficult and challenging room first…everything after that will only become progressively easier.

Organize the clutter. I’m not kidding. Take the time to determine what constitutes most of your clutter, where it occurs, and deal with it accordingly. Obviously, high traffic areas such as your kitchen counter and desk are going to be the main locations for much of your problem.

Clear a surface. Choose a counter or table and remove all clutter from it, throwing out what you no longer need and finding the proper home for the rest of it. There are few motivators like a clean surface.

Invest in organization storage systems for clutter prone areas, such as a filing cabinet for your office, or a closet unit for your bedroom. The only way to effectively deal with clutter is to get organized.

Delegate authority. You simply can’t stay on top of all household clutter yourself. It won’t happen. You have to enlist some help. Make older children responsible for their rooms and bathrooms. Even younger children are perfectly able to get stuff out of their rooms, such as toys, that they don’t want any more or that are just taking up space. If you live alone, try maintaining different areas of your home or apartment each day so the problem doesn’t build up on you.

If it has already built up, go from room to room, emptying drawers, closets, cabinets, etc. and create a huge pile of anything that is questionable. Go through the pile methodically, sorting through and dividing things based on what you will use on a daily basis, a weekly basis, as well as those things that have not seen use in six months to a year.

Use a cleaning schedule to get rid of the clutter, setting aside one area for a certain time and sticking to it on a weekly basis. Doing a little at a time will prevent you from having to devote an entire day to the task.

Don’t hang onto things that you know you will never use again, and don’t hang on to clothes that you will never wear again. If something is broken, don’t keep assuming that you will fix it later (you won’t). Throw it out. Newspapers and magazine have a truly uncanny ability to pile up over time.

Think recycling, or if you’re not in a green frame of mind, chuck it in the garbage. Look for items that have expired and get rid of them.

Resist the urge to throw out any item that may have some use for someone else. Choose instead to donate those items to Goodwill or Salvation Army.

Of course if you are truly lazy (like me) or simply clueless as to where to being (again, like me, a double whammy), then your best bet might be to call in professional cleaning help. There are people who actually make their living going in and helping unclutter homes, apartments, and businesses. They can be available on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis (or whatever you determine is necessary). This is an option that will cost you some cash, but may be worth it in the long run if you are beginning to look like a reject from the TV show HOARDERS.

It is awfully easy to let clutter creep up on you, and before you know it, there is a mountain to be dealt with. Start taking a few minutes each day to prevent extended problems later on.

Author Bio: Darrell is the Director of Content for LeadsByFone LLC, a lead generation company servicing the water removal industry.

Category: Home Management
Keywords: clutter, mess, cleaning, spring cleaning, maid, professional cleaner, recycle, donate, donation,