Take Control of Clutter

Finding Time to Toss It
Getting rid of stuff seems to be the chore we all dread. But when closets are crowded, drawers are jumbled and shelves overflow, it can really slow you down. Every day I try to focus on just one or two areas (like kitchen counters) that drive me crazy. These clutter-busting hints will help you dejunk your space -- which will save you time and stress.

Finding Time to Toss It

If you have five minutes...

Chuck crummy sponges and outdated cleaning products lingering in your kitchen; clear old leftovers out of the fridge and pitch any expired foods found in the pantry.

Do a TV-room makeover. I call this method "TVC": During TV commercials, quickly tidy up the room you're in. Gather all the magazines, newspapers and bits of trash and put them in the garbage. Straighten pillows and refold throws. Organize your worktable. On the next program break, you can even give the den a quick vacuum.

Throw away old cosmetics and expired medicines in the vanity drawer or the cabinet over the sink. Sort bath towels and washcloths for laundering or the rag bag.

Weed out toys and games that haven't been used recently. If they are in good condition, you can donate them to a shelter, a hospital or a school.

Gather misplaced belongings in a holding basket; later, ask family members to claim their possessions and put them away.

If you have one hour...
When serious decluttering is in store, try the ABC method. Select a cabinet or closet that's been bugging you. Take everything out and arrange items into three piles:

A: always used
B: used during the holidays and special occasions, or seasonally
C: not seen or used in a year or so

Then do a final sort:
Step 1: Toss or give away C items unless they are valuable or have sentimental worth.
Step 2: Return B items to the back of the storage area.
Step 3: Place the A team in the front of the space so those items will be handy for immediate use.

Everything in Its Place
Develop an organizing system -- and stick with it. Try these approaches:

Oh, give me a home!

Always put things back in the same place: Children's papers belong in a basket in a central location. Bicycles and sports gear go in the designated rack or spot in the garage. Coats belong on a coat tree or in the front-hall closet. Toys should be placed in a chest or bin every night; teach kids this bedtime ritual.

Keep stuff in plain sight.

Don't let milk, eggs and other foods with a short shelf life get pushed to the back of the fridge. Put these items up front, where you can monitor expiration dates.
Place the tools you use often (say, a screwdriver or a hammer) at arm's reach on a pegboard; other tools belong higher up.
Hang the clothes you wear to work front and center. To save more time: Pick your outfits for the week on Sunday and place each one on a single hanger.

Let no box go unmarked.

Use masking tape, a label maker or permanent-ink pens. I like to tape an index card to the outside of a container. Or, take snapshots of what's inside.

What to Store Where
My favorite cheap storage helpers are plastic or metal garbage cans with lids, see-through plastic bins, wire baskets and utility shelving, and pegboard and metal racks. Here's what to use in your...

...Kitchen

Attach narrow racks inside cabinet doors for lightweight items -- pot lids, paper rolls, plastic bags, etc.

Store veggies and fruits in hanging three-tier wire baskets. Keep leftovers in see-through containers (I love glass mayonnaise and spaghetti sauce jars). Label the container with the date on top.

...Living Room

Use large baskets to corral magazines, books or TV and stereo remotes. Put skirts on side tables so you can store things underneath and out of sight.

Place a big, handsome trunk in front of the couch or along the wall. It can serve as both a table and a storage bin.

...Bedroom

Keep linens or off-season clothes inside plastic containers with wheels, rolled under the bed.

Assign one bowl to hold everything that comes out of a purse or pocket. Use an over-the-door shoe rack for organizing small purses and accessories. Put a pretty box or covered basket on your bedside table as a home for your nail file, scissors, hand lotion, ear plugs, etc.

...Bathroom

Place a lazy Susan in your under-the-sink cabinet to organize bathroom items like nail polish or small bottles, etc.

If space is tight, hang sturdy shelves above toilet to hold towels or bath accessories.

...Laundry Room

Keep at least two hampers -- one for whites, the other for darks. Station clothing trees, a basket for clean laundry and garment racks near the ironing board.

Store supplies in a large plastic shelf basket to contain spills.

Set up a counter for sorting and folding clothes.

...Garage

Use utility racks geared specifically for storing sports equipment or bikes. Store rakes and other gardening tools inside plastic garbage cans with wheels.

Install pegboard on walls to hang and organize small items.

...Attic/Basement

Create specific storage zones -- holiday, vacation, clothing, school. Mark the floor with tape or paint to remind you which area is which.

Top 10 Rules for Reducing Clutter
1. If you can't find what you need within minutes, it's time for a reality check.

2. Get everyone in your family on the decluttering/organizing bandwagon.

3. If the countertop or table surface isn't visible, take action ASAP.

4. Establish a specific place for the things you use every day -- hooks for keys, a basket for catalogs, etc.

5. Always give the living room a quick pickup before bedtime.

6. Be relentless in tossing out papers -- newspapers, magazines, junk mail.

7. Make lists of household staples, with their expiration dates, so you'll know what you really need.

8. Every time you bring something new into the house, try to make sure something old goes out.

9. On a regular basis, deal with your garbage gremlins, such as grocery bags, takeout containers, chipped drinking glasses, soap shards, dead batteries, rubber bands and dried-up pens.

10. If you aren't using it, get rid of it!