15 Steps to a Clutter Free Home

It's time to get into the habit of letting go of excesseverything out and ask yourself "Do I love this?" Do I
stuff, rather than finding a place to stuff it. Having toneed this?" Why am I keeping this?" The answers to
walk around stuff or over stuff does not make for athese questions will tell you what you need to do. Then
peaceful living environment. Let's go room by roomyou keep it, donate it or toss it. By lightening up your
and take care of some of the most common clutterdrawers you will reduce stress and be able to find the
problems.things you need faster and easier.
1.) Kitchen: ask yourself what items do I use daily?9.) Clear bathroom counter.
These items really deserve the primetime space inIt makes it so much easier to get ready in the morning
your kitchen. They should be within arms reach in theand reduces stress when your bathroom counters are
best location available. Watch out for space hogs inclear. This is also a time save because cleaning is a
the kitchen such as multiple coffee mugs, plastic bagsbreeze. See tip #12 for the solution to where to put all
and cleaning products.the stuff you cleared off the counter.
2.) Next ask yourself how many of each of these10.) Use your wall space.
items you need to have a reasonable amount on hand.If you're hard pressed for storage solutions look to
Do you have 6 of something but only use one. This isyour walls. There are many options to create storage
a common problem. Setting limits will help you maintainand reduce clutter on countertops. Ask yourself is
an organized kitchen easily. Any broken, stained orthere anywhere that I can add a shelf or shelves?
chipped items need to go.Maybe a wall soap dish or toothbrush holder. Look on
3.) Donate or discard your extra items, or in the caseEBAY for hotel towel holders they hold 2 bath towels,
of glasses or dishes store them in long term storage2 hand towels and 2 washcloths each.
until needed.11.) Create a peaceful retreat.
That is only if you have room in or for long-termMost bathroom tubs and showers seem to be over
storage. If you already have a long term storageflowing with bottles of shampoo, conditioner, bath toys
problem go ahead and get rid of your excess, unlessand body washes. Again start by removing all items;
its an item that you can not replace like grandma'sclean the surfaces well with a soap scum-removing
good china, in that case get rid of something else andproduct. Then only put back the products that you use
store grandma's china. Remember to periodically goon a daily basis. Consider getting a shower caddy if
through cabinets and drawers to purge extras andyou don't already have one and a stick on basket or
replace worn out or damaged pieces.bag for the kid's toys.
4.) Clear your counters: the most visible part of your12.) Make personal bath totes.
kitchen.Each member of your family should have their own
Start by clearing all items into boxes or onto trays.container to store and transport their own personal
Take this opportunity to clean your countersbath items. This container can be a small plastic crate,
thoroughly. Now put back only the items that you usea wicker basket or any other small container that can
daily. Ex. Toaster, coffeemaker, crocks of utensils.hold your items neatly. Placing each family members
Only display decorative items on you countertop if youitems in their own container makes it easy to store
have plenty of space to do so. Otherwise decorationsthese things under the bathroom sink or in the
in moderation should be on the walls to save valuablebathroom or in the linen closet until they are needed.
real estate in the kitchen.This also keeps their personal hygiene items together
5.) Discourage paper piles from forming by creating amaking it easy to find their comb or hair detangler and
RAF file or as some people call it an action file.its no problem to move to another bathroom when
A RAF file can be anything that can hold 3 files orcompany comes.
folders. RAF stands for read, act, and file. As paper13.) Create a peaceful haven.
comes into your house you need to use your RAF fileYour bedroom should be a place where you can rest.
to place each piece either in to read, to act (meaningIt is not the place to do work or other stressful
you need to do an action) or to file. Each piece ofactivities. Do not allow things not related to sleep to
paper you save is important for one reason or anotheraccumulate there. This room should contain a bed,
so you need to be able to find it quickly. Then ofdresser, nightstands, lamp and maybe a chair or bench.
coarse there is the trashcan, use it regularly. You canDo not over crowd your bedroom with furniture it will
also set up binders with clear plastic pages for thingsmake it feel small and will not promote peace. Your
like receipts, recipes, take out menus, schoolnightstand should be clear except for reading glasses
information and frequently called numbers.(if you need them), a book or magazine (just one, not a
6.) Clean off your fridge!pile), alarm clock and maybe some tissues. Start by
Scale down or eliminate old refrigerator magnets or atclearing the room of all excess stuff, only put back
least move them to one side. Clear everything off thethose items that promote peace and rest. Donate or
front, put important items such as take out menus in astore extra items elsewhere.
binder or in your RAF file. Save your kids best artwork14.) Remember the one in one out rule.
in a plastic bin with their name on it, be sure to writeOnce you have your house down to where it looks
their age on the back with an acid free pencil or acidand feels good for every new item that you acquire
free pen that you can find in the scrap booking sectionyou will need to donate, sell or give away one item.
of any store. Once the fridge is clear, only put backOne for one, it's the only way to maintain the balance
current items.that you have achieved.
TIP: Keep a wipe off calendar on the front of you15.) Place 4 containers in your laundry room.
fridge, update it the 1st of every month from youThere are 4 containers every laundry room should
pocket calendar that you keep in your pocketbook orhave. Three of them can be boxes, bags, laundry
briefcase. That way you won't miss any appointmentsbaskets or whatever you have on hand. The last one
or meeting or double schedule yourself.is a trashcan. Label your containers, donate, mending,
7.) Bathroom: Clean out your medicine cabinets.rags and trash. The donate box means that you
Dispose of expired medicines and toss bottles ofcontinually separate out items that are past their prime
perfume, lotion and nail polish that are almost empty.but still have some wear or are too small. The mending
Keep on the products that you like and use. Don't keepmeans that you need to do a small repair. Rags
products that you either didn't like or were notmeans they have holes or bad stains so you can use
effective just because of what it cost you. In the longthem to clean or stain furniture, cotton or wool clothing
run they cost you more in space wasted.make the best rags. The trashcan is for items found in
8.) Clean out stuffed drawers.pockets, dryer lint and other trash. This way it doesn't
Ok we have all done it at one time or another shovedpile up on your dryer eventually making its way to the
one more item into an already full drawer. Now it's timefloor.
to change all that. Go drawer by drawer takeThere you have it 15 steps to a clutter free home.