How to Un-Clutter Your Life

I don't know about you but when my home is cluttered my mind is cluttered.  I recently got storage space to un-clutter my life, and wouldn't you know it: The storage facility became a clutter!  If you don't have organization then you cannot find anything and it will begin to fill your brain with the same amount of disorganization that your home or office displays.

The first thing to do in order to clear up the clutter would be to get some bins from your local discount store.  Be sure they are sturdy and can stack somewhere out of the way.  If you ensure they are plastic you can stack them in a closet, the attic, or in your garage easily.

After you get your bins then you have to figure out if you even want or need the stuff you've collected over the years.  I know, that teddy bear came from your favorite great-aunt before she went away to the nursing home, but does it have to be on display?

How about putting the lovely memento into a zip-loc bag and put it into the bin.  Knick-Knacks are pretty but are they useful?  That is doubtful unless you are in the business of selling the trinkets.  Wrap them in newspaper and put them into the bin.  Now you've probably cleared up some space for much needed resource books and paper trays.  Book cases should be used for books, after all.

Do you have stacks of papers from your insurance policies to you child's perfect attendance certificate?  Simple to resolve those issues too!  The dollar stores have frames and you can get one for the certificate and put it proudly on their bedroom wall, or if you have a wall of fame in your home, display it there for all to see.  Get a 2-drawer file cabinet, hanging folders and file folders and put all your paperwork out of the way.  Too much mail stacked up?  Get rid of those magazines you know you won't have time to read.

If you just have to keep the recipe for pumpkin mackrel pie then cut it out and tape it to a piece of paper and put it into a binder, then toss out the magazine.  It just adds to the clutter.  Dump your trash bin out daily and you won't be overflowing it either.  Any mailer ad you receive should go directly into the trash as well.  You know you don't need that perfect workout jump rope with the digital counter on it.  Where would you put it?

Now you have bookcase shelves for books, and a file cabinet for all your paperwork.  You should be able to find a few inches of your desk too.  I bet you have a computer.  Is your computer "desktop" as cluttered as your real desktop?  How about creating some folders for your icons and sort them out by type.  If you have application shortcuts, they can all go into a Programs folder on your desktop.  If you have pictures you just need to be able to find, make a pictures folder and move all those files in there.

Work documents and specific files that you use all the time can go into another folder called Documents on your desktop.  If your computer screen is cluttered then you can't find everything.  If you know exactly where all your icons are and someone comes in and re-arranges them you could be lost for an hour trying to find that budget file in the hundreds of icons.

Get a place for your shoes.  Get under the bed storage for out of season clothes, or those you won't wear often like the ball gown you bought for last year's Christmas party.  Rid your life of all un-used items, whether you donate to a worthy cause, which is tax deductible, or put it into another bin to be stored away.

The less things you have to sort through in your life, the less time you will take to do it.  Once you've un-cluttered your world you will be less confused and befuddled.  You'll be able to think clearly and get more accomplished.  Take a day (or two) to get your life in order and you will find that you did not waste that time but rather saved your future time.

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