How To Clean Up Your Clutter

Article source: http://www.articledeshboard.com/. Used with author's permission.

How creative are you? If you currently have a lot of clutter in your home, chances are good that you are very creative because studies have shown that creativity leads to clutter. It can be difficult to let go but, when it comes to cleaning your home, a good rule of thumb is to toss anything that you haven't used within the past year.

Like almost everything else in life, the clutter didn't appear overnight and it won't disappear overnight either. The trick to an effective cleanup is realizing what you need and what you can live without. Closet storage is a big issue for most families, but it can quickly turn into a functional space with a little knowhow.

When it comes to cleaning out your closet, purchase a sturdy over-the-door hook for belts, purses and scarves. Next, organize your clothes according to their intended use, such as work, casual and formal. If you don't have a shoe closet or shelf, keep each pair in a separate lidded clear shoebox for easy viewing and retrieval.

We all keep mementos that remind us of a special time in our lives, right? Whether it's greeting cards, photos, ticket stubs, newspaper clippings or other souvenirs, it's best to keep them in one confined place to avoid clutter.

A scrapbook or photo drawer is the perfect place to keep all of your items in one location for easy access. Without a specific location, it's too easy to misplace something that may bring back a special memory, so do yourself and your home a favor by having a place for everything and keeping everything in its place.

If you have children in the home, it's important that they have their own personal storage space separate from your own. Chances are good that your storage sits higher than what the average child could reach, which means organization could be a problem. If your little one can't reach it, they probably won't be too eager to store their toys there.

Just like adults, organization is key and children will enjoy having their storage drawers labeled for easy identification. For instance, a drawer that houses art supplies and coloring books can be labeled as 'art' and toys can be labeled according to specific types, such as 'dolls,' 'action figures' and 'comic books.' You get the idea!

Now that you know how to clean up the clutter, it's important to know what to do with your unwanted items. What's clutter to you may be a treasure to someone else, so it may be a good idea to consider donating some of your items to a charitable cause. There are a number of organizations that accept donations of clothes, toys, household items and other products. In some cases, your donation may even be tax deductible. If you are looking to turn your clutter into cash, try listing it for sale at some of the popular online auction sites.

Alex consults for an online gift shop offering wedding stuff and another online store that offers commercial-grade leather care products for furniture & clothing.

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