Jennings - Good housekeeping simple organizing wisdom: 500+ quick & easy clutter cures

Follow these five key strategies to kick off decluttering and optimize your organizing effort.

DONT GET OVERWHELMED

Sure, it looks like you have a lot to do, but dont let the size of the task make you throw in the towel right from the start. Break large jobs into smaller ones, and dont tackle more than you can accomplish in the time you have available. Keep your eyes on the prize and have the confidence that it will all get done. Because it will!

MAKE A LIST

Walk through your home and prioritize the areas most in need of organizing help. Start with the obvious messes. The satisfaction of cleaning up a cluttered space thats been annoying you is well worth the effort and will give you the inspiration youll need for the rest of the tasks that follow. Itemize within each area too, so you can cross off mini accomplishments as you make them.

SHOP FOR ORGANIZERS

Take some time to peruse the aisles or websites of home and organizing stores to see what new and innovative storage boxes, bins, caddies, and racks are on the marketand make sure to check out our Must List on the following pages. This will give you ideas about cool tools available to make better use of your space. Browse social media sites like Pinterest and Instagram to get inspiration from how others organize and the creative ways they solve common clutter problems.

DECIDE WHERE TO DONATE

Research charities or organizations that will accept your items or find out how to dispose of or recycle things that cant be donated. Make arrangements to get rid of things as soon as you collect them. Many services will pick up as little as one bag of clothing. This way youre not creating more clutter as items to be donated or tossed pile up.

DELEGATE

You didnt clutter up your house by yourself, so you shouldnt have to clean it up alone. Involve kids or a spouse, partner, or roommate in the process and even let them choose what decluttering jobs theyd most like to do. Be prepared to give some guidance and suggestions, then let them take ownership of the task and feel the sense of accomplishment when its complete. Theyll also be more likely to keep an area organized when they have a vested interest in it. Everyone wins!

Perform these simple tasks every day, and clutter will never get the better of you again!

WRITE OUT A TO-DO LIST. Take a few minutes in the morning to jot down your goals for the day. Having a concrete list will keep you on track and give you a sense of accomplishment as each task is completed.

MAKE THE BED. Bed-making promotes productivity throughout the day and will pave the way to an organized lifestyle. And theres no reason kids cant be taught from an early age to make their own beds. Plus, its a pleasure to get into a neatly made bed at the end of a long day.