We are all familiar with the old saying "There's a Place for everything and everything in it's place".

Everything you own must have a home. When you think about it you are probably about 95% there. Let's face it, when you come home with the groceries you don't just leave them sitting by the door (the way we do with shoes, books, newspapers, mail, etc.) You make a conscious effort to put the meat in the freezer, the milk in the fridge and the bread in the pantry. You must use that type of thinking for everything you bring into your home.

When you purchase something new, whether it be a new couch or just a pair of shoes it usually goes without saying that you have a pretty good idea where it is suppose to go.

Why not start that kind of thinking every time you consider a purchase. If you have to take the time to think about where something HAS to go chances are you might reconsider the purchase thus preventing more clutter.

Now I know you are probably thinking, that's great Paula, but what do I do with the clutter that is already in my home? Well I am here to tell you that there is a solution. However, depending on the amount of clutter you currently have that it might not be an easy undertaking, but keep in mind that the results are far more rewarding than the tangible and intangible costs of dealing with your clutter on a daily basis.

Where to begin
Begin by getting a pen and paper and making a list of the cluttered areas around your home. List EVERYTHING that drives you crazy from your child's toy box to the cleaning supplies under the kitchen sink. While making your list, write down all of the supplies you are going to need. For just about any de-cluttering project you will need boxes to haul away the stuff you are not keeping. It is important to have all of the supplies you need with you in the area you are about to de-cluttter because it is entirely too easy to get side tracked once you have to leave this area.

Now set a date when you would like to conquer the clutter, be realistic, don't say 3 months from Saturday, the sooner you start (and finish) the better you are going to feel. Write the name of the project/area and the start date across the top of the page.

Deadline
It is very important to set a deadline for accomplishing the project. Creating deadlines move us one step closer to achieving our goals, thus reaping the rewards that come with accomplishment. Naturally you don't want to start a project that you know you wont have time to complete. For example don't start an overhaul on your bedroom closet an hour before your husband brings his boss home for dinner. This will ultimately lead to failure.

Give yourself enough time to see a project from start to finish. Determine when you would like to have this particular project completed. For example,your child's closet needs to be cleaned out before his birthday next month because you know the grandparents are going to overdo it with the toy buying.

The day has arrived and you are ready to dive in. Gather your supplies, and eliminate all distractions. Remember those boxes I told you to get? Now is the time to label them, using my "D" Clutter method. Get a big black marker and label each boxes with one of the following words

DUMP -- DONATE -- DOLLARS -- DELEGATE -- DECIDE

When trying to decide what you should put in which box, ask yourself these important questions.

• Do I really love this item
• Do I really need this item
• Is it too nice to use
• Is it too ugly to use
• Will I benefit from keeping it
• WIll I benefit from tossing it
• When is the last time I used this item

About the Author
Reprinted with permission from The Sunshine Organizing Newsletter. Get your FREE Bright ideas Pak, and great organizing ideas by visiting their web site.