Solutions to Three Clutter Problems
Magazine Clutter
Toss magazines older than 3 months. A new one will always come next month. If you never get a chance to read them, consider not renewing them. Instead of keeping the entire magazine, tear out articles you want to read, decorating ideas, items you wish to purchase, etc., and place them in reading, or “idea” folders that you can access later. If you must keep the magazines, such as cooking magazines for the recipes, put them in a magazine holder in a location that is easily accessible in the kitchen.
Clothing Clutter
Can’t remember the last time you wore an article of clothing? Turn all of your hangers in the opposite direction of the way you normally hang up your clothes. After you wear the item, hang it back up the normal direction. After 3-6 months you will have a good idea of what you are not wearing. It may be time to eliminate a few of those pieces and let someone else get some use from them.
Empty Boxes Clutter
One of the biggest space wasters in the garage are empty boxes – that are being kept, because you might need them “someday.” After a while the boxes will become dusty and could start to smell and then you will not want to use it anyway. You can always get another box and free up that space for something you really need to keep! If you are keeping the boxes purely for the information on the side, such as computer information, you may want to cut that section off and file it with your warranties, unless you think you may need to return the computer in the original box.
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Laura Leist, CPO, is a speaker, productivity consultant and the best-selling author of Eliminate Chaos: The 10-Step Process to Organize Your Home & Life. She founded the Seattle-based organizing services firm Eliminate Chaos in 2000 and is the President of NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers). Laura is a frequent guest on TV, radio and has been published in several national newspapers and magazines.
Copyright Eliminate Chaos. Reprinted with permission.
Comments
That's a great idea with the hangers! I bought colored coded hangers for pants, shirts, dresses, and skirts. When those colors are filled up, I can't buy any more of that type of clothing unless I donate some. It's saved me not only from clutter but from some excessive shopping!
Are you kidding, that's the worst clutter in your home? First I don't subscribe to magazines or newspapers...they are just clutter! I have mail clutter, what do you do with it while you are waiting for your husband to deal with it...it just stacks up. Then there is laundry clutter, and teen stuff clutter (again waiting for others to do their organizing).
I absolutely love the hanger trick. I've got lots of info on de-cluttering closets on my site: http://www.organize-more-stress-less.com, but you've just hit me with a new tip. Thanks so much.
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I'd like to add on the magazines- if you need to keep them you can always tear out the stuff you're wanting. I use an accordian file to file them (or you can use a 3 ring binder) & date them. After 6 months if I haven't used the recipe, organizing or work out tip I toss it.