Free Yourself from the Clutter Trap

Four foolproof ways to get organized

By Andrea Downing Peck
 

Professional organizer and author Peter Walsh says a mess-free home doesn’t have to be a daunting goal.

1. Complete the cycle. “If you open it, close it,” Walsh said. “If you dirty it, wash it. If you use it, put it away. If you start thinking this way, there is never a ‘later’ with your stuff. You don’t have to go back and deal with the trail of clutter that is left through the house.”
2. Put a moratorium on bringing any new stuff into the house until current clutter is under control.
3. The “Trash Bag Tango” involves everyone in the family wandering around for 10 minutes a day with two trash bags — one for garbage and one for things to be sold or donated. “Small steps consistently applied will yield huge results.”
4. If you’re hanging on to keepsakes because you can’t bear to let them go, cull them down to the barest minimum and then display them, instead of warehousing them—you can’t see them that way, and they take up valuable space. “Bring those items out into the light and display them or frame them in a way that shows how important they are to you.”

Find more tips at www.peterwalshdesign.com.