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Organizing Clutter

Cluttered GarageSometimes tackling the mess can just seem overwhelming. This guide is about organizing clutter.
     

Solutions: Organizing Clutter

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Pack Clutter Into Trash Bags and Organize Later

Do you feel overwhelmed that your home is a big mess? Just looking at it, you do not know where to begin? Try this: Take a big green trash bag and go in each room, Put everything that is laying around into this bag; clothes, toys, shoes, just what ever is on the floor and such. You will have a clean home in 10 minutes. Then while you are sitting down watching a movie, go through this bag and put everything in place. It gives such peace of mind

By halaluyah77 from MO

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Index Cards to Keep Track of Seldom Used Items

When reorganizing my home, I used to forget where seldom-used items got redirected to. After some frustrations, I learned to keep a recipe card file of alphabetized note cards, one for each item I moved. Now, when I can't seem to remember where I put the bead weaving loom or the tabletop easel, I just go to the card file and am reminded.

By ChurchGrandma from MT

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Elastic Headbands for Notebook Storage

Crisscross several thin, braided elastic headbands around the front cover of a three-ring binder, and your child can tuck pens, pencils, and reminder notes under them. You can also use the same concept on the sun visors in your car. A great way to keep a pen and notepad handy. You can also put your driving directions there and you can view them at a quick glance. They would also work to hold your CD's instead of purchasing a CD holder.

Source: I read it in a magazine while waiting at the dentist office.

By Rachel's Mom from Wilkesboro, NC

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Make A Master List

Clutter can become overwhelming. My solution is to create a master list of things that are needed to live. Clothes that are needed for our/your way of life, groceries, furniture, and just basic needs which are placed in categories.

As these things wear out or deplete, then replace it and throw out the old. Replace with only the things you love or that are beneficial. For those clutterers throw them out or give away at least three things in all your rooms daily or weekly and watch how the clutter diminishes over time. You will become happier and you will bless others by giving them good things that are not in use. Things are meant to be used, so if not in use, give it away.

Source: Flylady.com

By Donna from Philadelphia, PA

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Kitchen De-cluttering with an Old Breadbox

I had an old roll-up front wooden breadbox that I was loathe to part with, but didn't need for bread keeping so I re-purposed it as a kitchen organizer. Everything goes in there instead of on the front or side of the fridge or in the junk drawer; the grocery list and coupons, prescription refill, To Do list, lotto ticket, stamps, household bills to pay, etc.

Being super organized that I am, there's a pad of paper in there and an old jam jar to wrap elastics on and to keep a couple of working pens in, as well as, a small flashlight and a magnifying glass to read that fine print on boxes.

I put several dollar store cup hooks on the inside wall for keeping spare keys. If in doubt where something might be; look in my breadbox!

By Mina2184

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Hang Basket for Clutter Control

I recently got 3/$1.00 baskets that are absolutely invaluable to me. They are useful for so many things, especially when you have limited counter and desk space. I put this one up above my little desk with push pins and now keep my stamps, Dr. appt. cards, and rent receipts in it.

You can do the same thing with kitchen recipe cards, things you use often like matches and batteries, etc. Now that you have the idea, you can put them up in your bathroom, shop, laundry room, and more. Basket with saved notes and other papers.

Hope this helps.

Source: Always thinking.

By Sandi from Salem, OR

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Recycled Can Supply Organizer

cans to organizeIf you have some clean cans and some strong bulldog clips, you can have a catch all to keep handy. Just put the clip everywhere the tins meet, and fill evenly with things like I did. I put in office, tool, and craft supplies.

But, since this was just for show, you could use like things. Camping utensils, napkins, and plastic silverware. Stationary supplies like pens, markers, and such. Art brushes, scissors and paint tubes. Craft hooks and needles, a small skein of yarn or pattern books. Beauty supplies like emery boards, tubes of creams or items for skin and bug protection. Screwdrivers, pliers, and small tools.

The nice thing about this is you can throw it together for a special project or event, then put things away when you finish or get home. Keep the cans together or separate for later. If you find the right box or tub, you can do this without the clips, by just setting them inside. I can tell you that a 6.5 in. by 6.5 in. inch box is perfect for four cans, so you can plan accordingly.

Got a big picnic? Set this, as big as you need it, on one end of the table for all your utensils. Fixing the house up? Set this up in the center of the project area and keep all Phillips in one, flat heads in another, and so on.

Art project in the future? How handy would this be for all the same colored markers, florescent and crayons, art brushes, foam brushes and more to stay organized? You can leave them uncovered for the "unfancy" event, or decorate or paint them for picnics, parties, or BBQ, etc.

If you have smaller things to put in them, but don't want to have to dig, just put the smaller things in a yogurt cup and it will set in the top just about perfect. N-JOY!

By Poor But Proud from Salem OR

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Hide Stuff in Yarn Basket

I recently redecorated the bedroom by turning it into the "combo room". Very soon you will see the massive job it was, but for now, this is what I came up with.

If you have more things than you have room for, and want them close or at least safe from pets and such, put them in a pretty basket. Basket of crafts with the cardboard cutout ready to install.

Make a cardboard "cover" the same size, and cover the cover with balls of yarn. You can do the same thing with rag rolled balls, teddies, fabric scraps, or anything pretty. Finished basket storage, with balls of green and purple yarn artfully arranged on top.

Inspired? Then my job here is done.

By Sandi from Salem, OR

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Controlling Clutter with Toy Jail

Controlling clutter with kids is not an easy task! To try to control the clutter in the living room, kitchen, and dining room, we have to do a walk-through everyday (or at least every other day).

The kids each have their own basket that they carry around with them and pick up anything that belongs to them and put it in the appropriate place. They are getting pretty good at this because they have learned that the alternative would be mom picking up their belongings and placing them in the toy jail. The toy jail is a sad and lonely place where toys go and have to stay for a while until they have served their sentence or until a fine can be paid by doing extra work or chores.

Source: I got the toy jail idea from: Love and Logic Magic for Early Childhood: Practical Parenting from Birth to Six Years by Jim Fay and Charles Fay. The Love and Logic series is an excellent parenting resource!

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Quick Clutter Control

When company is coming, take your clutter items and box them up for sorting at a later time. This saves me time when I am rushed for cleaning, as I can sort through the box while watching TV or a good rainy day project. Now if I were more organized I wouldn't have the clutter. Just don't forget to sort through the box or you will end up with a closet full of clutter boxes!

By Kim

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Clutter Baskets

Keep a basket in each room for clutter. Have the family help clean out the baskets once a week. When unexpected company arrives, simply put the baskets in the closet.

By Chell
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Take a Little Time Each Night to Tidy

Like most of us I am besieged by the clutter demon! However I find this does help a little. Every night before I go to bed I tidy up the living room/kitchen area. For example, any read newspapers are picked up and put in the recycle box, coffee cups rinsed and put on the sink, kitchen bench given a final wipe down, anything that is out of place is put away, and so on. It does help to make things a little less daunting looking the next morning!

By Ellie from Melbourne, Australia

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Keeping Small Space Organized and Clutter Free

I have a small trailer so I have 2 plastic stands that I brought at Wal-Mart. One I use for putting items for cooking, baking, and extra stuff I don't use right away. I have a small one for my computer. I have my printer and since I have an old computer, I have my box on there. On my table, I have just the monitor. I can put the keyboard up and same with the mouse.

On top of the stand, I have folders that I keep for my daughter's medical information and other stuff that is important. We have small cabinets up on top so on one I have a plastic tote to put the mail in. Then hubby and I will go through it and pay what bills that need to be paid.

I try to only buy stuff that I need and not just what I want. I did buy the dryer balls, I like them so far, and found a place to get them for $6. My daughter likes VCR tapes so I go to goodwill or auctions. If I have too much paper work, I just sit down one night and go through it and read what I want and the rest trash or recycle.

My motto is "buy it if you need it, save money if you don't". I still having a bit of a problem with the food and my pocketbook is sometimes empty because of not learning to say no on some things.

By Barbara from Shoemakersville, PA

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Use Hanging Wire Baskets for Household Organization

Tiered hanging wire baskets, the kind for storing fruits and vegetables, can be used in a child's room to organize toys or stuffed animals; in a closet for storing socks, belts and underwear; or in a bathroom for storing makeup, hair accessories, etc.

Source:

By Mom of 1 from Wilkesboro, NC
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Address Each Clutter "Problem Spot"

There are several things that I try to do to keep clutter down. When you walk in our door, you are in the kitchen. There's the table which is the first place that catches everything that people walk in the door with whether its mail, school bags, etc. Now, I tell everyone that they need to put it where it belongs. Then they kick their shoes off for someone else to trip over. Now, there's a basket for the shoes/sandals to go into.

Our youngest is in football so we have to keep that all gathered for practice. We keep that ALL in a spare clothes basket. He can take it all with him to the bathroom to get ready. Very handy. We go through the magazines weekly and get rid of the ones we don't want. When we walk in with the mail all the 'junk mail' goes directly to the trash can. This all helps immensely with our family.

By Nancy from Troy, OH

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Questions

Here are questions related to Organizing Clutter.
Advice for Organizing and Selling Off Clutter

I worked for an apt complex for 9 years. Our residents were mostly college students. When they graduated and moved a lot of them left everything behind.

I started gathering up the stuff that was left. I have 18 vacuum cleaners and over 300 T-shirts, as an example of what I have. I've said, "I have found everything except a house and a gun". I gathered too much stuff and now my friends think I am a hoarder. But, I've got so much stuff, I don't know where to begin to get rid of it.

I've been told to take it all to the flea market and sell there. I have a 10 room house, 5 of the rooms are almost completely dedicated to stuff I want to get rid of. Are there garage sale experts who can give me advice?

By Lotzamoxie from Waco, TX

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Donate To The Needy

By MisMachado02/14/2011

My folks owned a "seasonal residential hotel" for many years. The people would come and stay for just one season, and then move on. Usually , they were just considered tourists, but some followed "where the work was". They bought everything new when they came, and left it all sitting there when they packed up the clothing they wanted and left. Sometimes, we'd see them several years in a row just in the summertime.

I'm sure they had homes and I know they didn't always buy the best of everything to use for the time they were in the hotel. When they'd leave though, my parents would call the agency that oversaw "Battered Women" as they were always the most in need of clothing, and household items in order to make a home for their children.

Now, I always find the same outlet for anything I have to share. Those women need everything, and as a rule, they've left abusive situations with nothing except the clothes on their backs and the backs of their children. Very few of them are in a position to find a job yet, but they still need certain things which are just out of their reach.

I urge every woman reading this to consider giving clothing and household items to an agency that will get it all to "Battered Women". No one in our country needs your help more than they do.

With 18 vacuum cleaners and over 300 T-shirts, you could do a lot of good all at once.

MisMachado


Yard Sale

By mamacrafter12/24/2010

Wait until spring and have a garage sale, or yard sale. Run an add in you're town news paper, and sell the best if you need a little cash. Then donate the rest. Don't take checks, ask for cash in your ad. You should make some good cash. You have kept the items this long. So you can surely keep them until spring, Lot of people buy old clothing to make crafts out of.
Hope this helps.


Craigslist

By lyonpridej11/09/2010

If you don't want to donate or give it away, you can always try Craig's List. Then you don't have to bother hauling the stuff to the flea market, just post the info & sell it. Follow precaution though, don't let them come to your house, arrange to meet them in a public place like the parking lot of your corner convenience store or grocery store or something & don't go alone. Cash only, don't take checks or anything else that can be faked. Here's a link to the Waco website & to their safety suggestions.

http://waco.craigslist.org/
http://www.craigslist.org/about/safety

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