Decorate with Intention: Clutter Clearing 101

midnite113 These are great suggestions. However, It never fails that once I take a break, I don't get back to it 'til months later. Mainly because I can't find another space to put anything I wanted to keep that I removed from somewhere else. I simply have no closets, no draws, no space to store anything. I'm working with less than 1000 s.f., for a 3 bdrm, 1 bath house. No dining room & a tiny kitchen.
Have an attic that has enough junk in it, from combining 2 households. Have a basement, but that's a hopeless case. It's full of out of season clothing, sentimental stuff (not mine so much) tools, crap & more crap. Still no closets & no shelves that can be hidden.

orlili Very aesthetic, however, the best and hardest decluttering is not accumulating.

JAN MOYER Oh agreed! I would simply add that the habit of "it's in my hand, it has a place, I shall put it there" is gone from so many homes. As a designer, these are the biggest bugaboos I see, and the fix:
Paper and mail: Handle it today. Do NOT bring in catalogues and fliers and advertising. Put it in recycle at the door. Pay bills that day. There will likely not be more than two, and it will take four minutes at most. File or act on what must be saved, make a pending folder and that is it. It is the single best time and sanity saver.
Laundry: A biggie! Limit the towels!!! No more that two per person per week. Hang clothes unless actually dirty. Ninety percent of wash overload comes from kids and their perpetual laziness. So much on the floor, nobody knows clean from dirty.Back in the wash it goes!!! Many parents unfortunately fall in the same category in THEIR rooms and closets. Laundry is finished when it is dry,folded, hung, and PUT AWAY.
The kitchen: CLEAN AS YOU GO. It either goes in the dishwasher, or it needs a hand wash. When the dishwasher is done....EMPTY it. Ideally it runs after dinner, and gets emptied first thing in the am. Floating pancakes in the sink....? Not.
Clothes: You wear twenty percent of what you own. The same applies to your kids. Homes get overloaded with clothes when you buy mindlessly, and never purge. This becomes a cycle that affects LAUNDRY. Do not own more than you can manage successfully.
Coats and shoes: In a word, ridiculous. Never have so many lurked in the back hall. RIDICULOUS. You know what to do. ps.... STORE OUT OF SEASON ELSEWHERE. If it is outgrown... donate. If new comes in, old goes out.
Kid treasure/art: Yes your kid is special...for a day. Prune, crate the special, and toss the rest. He's not that special that your kitchen is his perpetual gallery.
My personal peeve: A birthday is special for three days and not a day longer. A month long parade of cards, bags, tissue and ribbon is... ridiculous, annoying, and a mess.

Jessie Chapman Jan Moyer's comment above is brilliant. Write an article, please! When I work with clients on kitchens, I always address the flow of mail (AT the front door, ideally.) If it comes into the kitchen, it can turn into unsightly tumbleweeds in no time!
Your thoughts on laundry are priceless, too. Thank you.

JAN MOYER Well Jessie, it seems we are of similar mind! I actually am near losing mine. I tell clients obsessed with the detail of a faucet, a pillow, a chunk of stone, THEIR MUD CUBBIES ALA POTTERY BARN THAT STILL WILL NOT FUNCTION BECAUSE THEY HAVE FOUR HUNDRED PAIR OF SHOES.........."HOW ABOUT WE CLEAN THAT GARAGE THAT IS RUINING YOUR KITCHEN FLOOR????" Never in my life have I seen so many wonderful homes "live" in a manner of "abject poverty". Never have so many had so much...and so very little. Frankly, most I see need a personal slave to follow behind, and more laughable is that these are the same folks who can find the microscopic hair my painter left trapped in a baseboard....shoot me. I am going to write a book and get seriously rich, as soon as I stop cleaning up after clients. Yeah, I have even done a few garages...once called a flatbed to haul it away. Have a great day!

whoo Many people use their dishwashers to store dirty dishes until it is time to do a load. But some people choose to not have a dishwasher. When we bought our home, we chose to take the dishwasher out. If you are one of the families that prefer to hand wash (for whatever reason) A wonderful suggestion from Flylady.com is to put an empty dishpan under the sink and dirty dishes are placed there until you have enough to fill the sink. This keeps the counters and sinks presentable and makes doing the dishes a snap. Just fill your clean, shiny sink with hot, soapy water and put your dish pan of dirty dishes on the counter beside the sink. Last thing washed is the dishpan so it never gets nasty. We have found this tip so helpful. I was battling with my 16 year old step daughter to wash her dishes as she dirtied them so the counters and sink weren't always heaped with a mess. She simply couldn't manage that oh-so-difficult task (remember being 16?) but she usually can remember to put them under the counter : )

cosmicgirl22 My roving eyes scan my house weekly looking for items to recycle, pack away, donate or trash. This has almost become a favorite hobby (de-cluttering) of mine. I grew up with quantity over quality, but to me less is definitely more. It looks easier than it is though. Sometimes we don't realize how much stuff we are bringing into our homes. Too much of it weighs us down. The kids grow out of things quickly. The seasons change and you don't need the bathing suits out in January. You have to stay on top of things.
If you don't have a system set up, you will end up with too much clutter. Always have a donation bag sitting out and make a point to fill it with things that have no use to you, as they may to someone else.

JAN MOYER Dear Whoo,
Why on earth would ANYONE put dirty dishes in a tub under the sink? You don't even NEED to FILL the sink! Just wash the darn things in some hot soapy water, rinse and dry them and put away!!!!! We waste more time and energy trying to make a simple task SIMPLE. That is the key word. Don't make it hard when it isn't. Just do it and get on. Simply take the two minutes required to clean up the mess. Finish that task, unless the house is on fire, or someone is having a heart attack. Jeepers!

Susan Fulks Sorry Jan...I'm going to blow you out of the water. Being a vivid artist, I actually see some clutter as art....it's the type of clutter it is. If you see the studios of most "famous" artists, the first thing you will notice is all the clutter in their studies and art rooms. Even Eric Carle used all those left over ....what was mentioned in the article about birthday presents,boxes, tissue paper.....he used the left over tissue to create the now famous "Very Hungry Caterpillar." Have you ever seen pictures of Picasso's art studio? It was a natural collage of clutter. So I think it comes down to what clutter is in the eye of the beholder. I have over 100 coke bottle caps....and I use them in both my art collages and jewelry. And what about catalogs? They make great art collages...and it's cheap. Now don't get me wrong, i am a vivid organizer...if I wasn't, I would never find anything! My motto is "repurpose".....I do tend to "hang" on to things before throwing away, but I have also found myself using it eventually...even if it has been stored for ten years in a old bucket! And what about clothes....I catch myself hanging on to sweaters that have unravel or have holes...in a storage box...in the back of a closet. Well thanks to Martha Stewart, they were all turned into infinity (circle) scarves I used as Christmas presents. Don't get me started on old jeans!

pauli12 Jan, I wash as I go too. I don't have a dishwasher, microwave or garbage disposal. Didn't want them. I love simple and I want to read that book you will write. You are priceless.
Please write that book.... I love hearing how the people worry over a hair in the paint but won't even pick up after themselves.

Susan Fulks Oh yeah...one more thing...just to give you an idea how my mind works.....I had my deceased father's roll top desk in my studio...and it eventually fell apart...but some of the deep drawers were salvageable. I bought pantry shelving, placed the drawers on the shelves...and use them to hold scraps of fabric and canvas. That way I have "repurposed" and still have something that belonged to my father.

2011mine Backwards Buying:
A. You identify what it is you plan to buy (items,food,etc)
B. Select the location for this item to be stored.
C. Prepare that space (means check the fridge/countertop/floorspace and evaluate/act to insure the item(s) can actually be placed there. AKA: decluttering
D. Immediately upon arrival home put the item(s) away. Do not drop and run off.
These actions not only insure uncluttering but I have found items (food/stuff) that I was about to purchase again.

Laurie at Bird in Hand VTG Love this post - some great reminders. Great comments too!

vhershfield I work on organizing and decluttering ever winter. I just told a friend who is overwhelmed by the prospect of getting rid of stuff. Start with 1 shelf in your kitchen. If you can continue that you will have your kitchen done. It makes me feel very good getting rid of stuff. I do follow the rule bring in something new get rid of something.

92viadi Recently moved to a small apartment while our home was being remodeled. We've discovered the joy of less -- less stuff because there's less room, less cleaning, less time spent attending to the house and less stress because of that. We had many months to prepare for our move and I adopted my own meditation and mnemonic for deciding how to handle items to be "cleaned out" or kept. I refer to it as FASE-out (as in "phase out"):

First I have to get myself in the right mental state, and sitting with a cup of tea is a good start to make clear my intention. I really appreciate your suggestions for this, Laura. And then, as I consider each object, I ask myself:

Is it Functional - the "F"? i.e., do we need it for daily living? Think furnishing, dishes, cooking tools, laundry, etc. provided they are frequently used.

Is it Aesthetic - the "A"? Does it bring joy, serenity, comfort, amusement into our lives by its presence in our living space? Think artwork and objets d'art, music, plants, flowers, decorative objects you genuinely feel good about.

Is it Sentimental -- the "S"? Do you have such a strong attachment to the object that removing it from your home just feels wrong and is if you are taking away important elements of who you are? This is, for me, the hardest. Often, it's just a matter of time and items I couldn't part with five years ago I find I'm ready to part with now. This includes clothing I'll never wear again (but which I wore on a special occasion), photos stored in boxes which never see the light of day, term papers from college that I worked so hard on . . .

Is it Essential - the "E"? Is it an item you need to keep even though it's not used in daily living? Think emergency equipment such as the "earthquake kit" we're all supposed to keep stocked in our homes and cars.

If the answer to each of these questions is "no", then the item moves out and is donated or discarded.

When I ask myself each of these questions about an object, I find it easier to reduce my reluctance to part with it and come to terms with that reason. It definitely helps to have a partner in this process!

dancingdeer "When in doubt, throw it out"!

That's my motto. I live minimally - I have what I need, but not tons of stuff gathering dust. When I buy something new, I get rid of something old - either passing it on to a friend, or donating it. Life is so much easier when you are not consumed with "stuff".

Marina Klima Goldberg - Klima Design Group GREAT WEBSITE: ORGANIZE.COM

rdonal These posts prove several things:
1) We are truly a nation (world?) of over-indulgence. More is not always better.
2) Organization is a beautiful thing....if your mind works best that way. Mine tries.
3) Reality based living has a beginning, middle and an end.
a) In the beginning, we should be taught about the importance of understanding order vs. organized clutter. Then we can learn to identify, embrace and implement 'Needs' vs. 'Wants'.
b) In the middle, we should learn to be wise about exercising our 'wants' so that they fit into our 'needs' thus allowing our personalities (wants) to shine in our surroundings without taking over sensibility.(needs)
c) We learn to balance Purpose with whimsy, we learn to become Actively aware of our surroundings, we strive to Live with meaning so we can Sincerely appreciate the lives we create for ourselves. We become PALS with our family, our homes and our universe.
4) We learn from these posts that not everyone finds comfort in strict order and organization. Kinda like food...some run for chocolate chip cookies and some want Mom's mac'n cheese when they want to feel comforted. The same goes for our intimate surroundings. In some families, comfort means too many pillows on the sofa, a messy mud room, a dog bowl on the kitchen floor and coats overflowing at the back door. Not everyone fits into that box labeled "Organized" tho many can appreciate being taught how to manage their comfortable chaos.
5) To Thine Own Self Be True! Strive to improve your day-to-day living but remember to stop beating yourself up for not fitting into the world of photo-shoot-ready houses. Live within your means, live with integrity and intention and try to put the dishes in the sink/dishwasher and the laundry in drawers. If that doesn't work, let someone help you devise a plan that your family and you can reasonably adhere to....maybe it's okay to keep that dishpan under the sink....and maybe it's okay to keep clean clothes in a basket in each room, shoes in another. We have to make room for each of us to live in a comfortable space where we canbe who we are co-operatively and say...."I'm home. Life Is Good."....in whatever manner suits our individual needs, wants,lives and limitations.
I used to try to be picture perfect.
I stopped beating myself up for not being someone I can't be.
I'm really okay.
I embrace the fact that my life is always a work in progress.
I'll bet yours is too.
Life is a Bowl of Cherries! Live well.

rgillenwater Jan: Are you sure you're not my sister? I believe clutter keeps us stressed and anxious. There is a place for everything in my house and everything should be in its place. If there's no place for it, we don't need it. Ah .... how relaxing! I hope you get started on that book SOON.

joshdirkson Jan, your first and second comments are hilariously SPOT ON. I want to turn them into desktop backgrounds and sneakily put them on my fiance's computer so she gets the hint. She IS totally that person who can find the hair but leave a maze of junk all over the house.

Jan I love your ideology. This article (and comments) was awesome!

irenekapp5 No offense, but I'm betting Jan Moyer has never lived with boys ages 15, 17, 19, 21 and 27 (ok man). When they were little, no problem getting the to put laundry away, clean their rooms, etc. They loved to please. Now??? Storing dirty dishes under the sink sounds like the best idea sinced sliced bread. Also...dealing with the laundry laying on the floor by the washing machine...that they USED to wash faithfully? I now load it in baskets and transport to the side of the basement with the work bench and pool table. Voila. I walk down to a an orderly, and empty laundry area to do towels. Life...at least for me, is much less stressful now. Off to put a bin under the kitchen sink. (only kidding..not there yet, but soon.)

rdonal @irenekapp5 Irene....you made my day! You illustrate my point so clearly. We all have our own levels of order and tolerance to chaos. The answer isn't to demand that there is a place for everything and everything in it's place but instead to find a solution that works for everyone within our own time, space and tolerances.

I agree we function better with organization and that stress becomes less....but we can achieve that without such strict rules for order. Those rules sometimes = stress in and of themselves if they are too difficult for everyone to maintain.

Here's to allowing the "rules" to bend as life flows. Thanks Irene!

gsfg the bookshelves with rolling ladder, i assume that is a custom built in. However, know what they say about "assume" I just want to double check that i can't find that somewhere for sale.
thanks

Whitney F My husband does the "in-between" clothes thing: the items are worn once, and are therefore not spotlessly clean, so (per his logic) they don't belong in the closet with the fresh out of the laundry clothes and end up in a pile on the floor with the "can be worn again" clothes - but not in the hamper because they aren't truly soiled yet. I want to see an idea book showing how to incorporate bins of some sort into a bedroom where those "in-between" clothes can be thrown. I know I will never get him to hang them up or put them into drawers.

littlef In my studio I keep a little chalkboard with the Quaker saying, "Make it do, wear it out, use it up, or do without." Words to live by!

Sheila Schmitz @gsfg, you can find some shelves with rolling library ladders in the Products section here: http://www.houzz.com/photos/products/library-ladder

tallcloverfarm I'm teetering on the precipice of no return, that is in the messy house department. Perhaps I start with step one and move slowly to the next step. Miracles do happen. ;-)

furpants Love this post, and the comments are interesting. Anything that is not necessary becomes a burden. And it is about time we became conscious of the toll in using up resources (raw materials, energy to produce and transport, damage to our environment, and inhumane work environments) that goes into every little thing that is manufactured. Enjoy what you need but be aware that your purchases are affecting the whole.

For kids, the system of put it away or it gets taken away seems to work pretty well. 99% of kids will do what they are required to do (and not an ounce more). Parents aren't doing them any favors by not teaching them how to clean and organize in an age appropriate way.

JAN MOYER This has been a ton of fun and the brutal truth of all housing, no matter how small or grand, is this: It isn't a "once and done" thing. No more than you would wash your body once, brush your teeth once, or even cut your lawn ONCE. Your home mimics the necessary cycles of life. Eating, bathing, sleeping, entertainment, social interaction. Every move you make, every time you partake in a function pertaining to your life and survival.. you make a little mess!! You can't stop that cycle of mess it up, clean it up until you die. There it is boys and girls.. the BRUTAL TRUTH. And it beats the daylights out of dead, no matter how much "work" you think it is. It's as old as time btw.

Christine I just had California Closets redo my closet and when they did I took a few days to de-clutter. I made 3 piles - keep, goodwill, think on it. The think on it turned out to be only 1 large box and if I don't go in to in in one year it will go to the curb.

dbartley I agree with irenekapp5's kids comment - I am an insanely organized person (just ask my poor husband), but having a 1 year old has made organization take a back seat during the day to actually living. Every night, after the kiddo is in bed and we have had 5 seconds to take a breath, we do a pass through the house and set things in order for the next day. Though I do completely agree with the concepts of minimizing stuff / and having a place for everything - I think our lack of stuff and inherent order is the only reason we can actually get things straightened up every day instead of just giving up!

Elena Vega This is great! It also helps to have one hidden area where clutter is allowed, so it's easier to stick with keeping other areas neat. I have a friend who simply cannot be trained to toss junk mail right away, so I left a big drawer empty to throw it in. When it's full, he has to sort it.

Laura Gaskill Wow, thanks for chiming in with so many truly passionate and helpful comments, everyone!

I know that each of us has our own threshold for clutter, and I think it is important to recognize and make peace with whatever that is for you - and sometimes it is a compromise! I know for some artists and collectors, it is really important and even inspiring to have lots of "stuff" around, while for others (like, ahem, me) we feel a bit claustrophobic or stressed if our environment is too overrun with belongings.

And having children definitely throws a wrench in even the most organized person's life - I know, I have a wonderfully active little boy at home!

Ann Allen Great article; great comments! Whitney F, I feel your pain. I have that same problem of "in-between" clothes on the floor. Thankfully the pajamas can go under his pillow, but I don't think my bed could hold enough throw pillows to hide all the other stuff. And how does putting it on the floor keep it clean enough for another wear? It's hard to keep the floor vacuumed with the piles of clothes all over... *sigh*

rdonal Elena: Strive to be neat and if things get a bit messy, or there's that space that is just a holding spot, you'll work something out when you must. Relax!!

Today I take a relaxed approach to my living space but for 35 years I took great pride in being an immaculate housekeeper. Things were in place and everything had a place.

My son has always been a neat-freak. Not because of me, he just is. He's now 36 and is profoundly organized in his apartment and with his business. He keeps fastidious records and loves fine clothes. It's his nature. As a kid, he never had to be told to clean his room and on a rainy day he loved to re-organize his closet. He even folded his dirty laundry and put it at the end of the bed for laundry day. (yes...roll your eyes) Today he would probably be called something more than a type A personality but he's really pretty normal, as it were. He's an artist. (I couldn't make this up, folks!)

My daughter....was the complete opposite. Her room was a war zone. Clothes covered the floor. Nothing got put away. Rarely did her bed get made. My mother, who was a meticulous housekeeper, was appalled, knowing how I kept the rest of the house. But somewhere along the way, I realized we were a "family". Put a group of people together, related or not and everyone will have different levels of "order" and chaos. If I dusted my son's desk he knew it because something may have been slightly moved. However, if I tried to impose my idea of housekeeping on my daughters' room we were in a useless battle.

That's when I realized.....her room was her only little piece of the world. The one place where she could be herself, and had full sway. That's why she had a door that we closed! That was the compromise.

Our home had furniture from fine stores. I was traditional. When my daughter was 16, she wanted to change her very girly room so we talked about it (okay...argued a bit) We eventually agreed that she could graffiti her walls. Now, that doesn't mean I fully capitulated and gave her free license....no. We talked about it and the agreement was she and her friends could express themselves as long as they didn't write anything that would offend parents and grandparents who bunked in that room when they came to visit. And the kids respected the rule. Just like there are boundaries in life, there were boundaries in her self-expression. It was a win/win.

Today she is 33, a wife and a highly successful business owner who makes couture wedding gowns. (creative, see!) She keeps her home well furnished and her clothes are hung up in the closet. She has rules and order and yet mail is deposited on the dining room table till the weekend and sometimes she forgets to use the sticky roller on the chair the cat sleeps in even tho she is particular. Her husband helps and together they run a tidy, organized home. She still does things her way and it's not perfect....and that's okay.

I think we need to remember to make room for some chaos or clutter in small measure. It leads us to remember that life isn't perfect but we can keep trying to improve. Tho I applaud the folks who bring order to our lives and help us to stay grounded by educating us how to simplify our day-to-day so we can function better, there seems to be so much emphasis put on being organized. It's like a crusade! It's written about in books, in magazines, there are stores selling just 'containers', tv shows about it and lots of people saying we need to be neat for sanity's sake. I say, there is merit in that but first we have to learn to stop consuming in excess. There are so many big stresses in life that my feeling is to simplify first....strive for order next. Why can't we go home at the end of a day, throw our pants over the chair in the bedroom and deposit our shoes at the end of the bed? It's supposed to be the one place where we can take refuge, kick back, be loose....of course within reason.

rdonal (My last thought: I promise!)

I for one, don't want to be reminding others to toe the line while I'm chasing organized perfection 24/7. I'll take a little disorganization over ulcers any day!

Honestly, some of us are just the square pegs that won't fit into the round hole till time wears our corners down a bit.

I think there is so much to be gained when we agree to a win/win and sometimes that means to allow for differences....like the In-Between Husband.....Felix and Oscar. Does anyone see my point or am I out in the cold here? Hoping for peace and tranquility, a little order and a lot of self-awareness or forgiveness. Here's to making our homes function well and orderly......eventually!

jen_s Whitney F ~ we grew up with clothes trees for the "in between" clothes. The clothes were tossed on the hooks &the closet & floor stayed clean. Tidy but lived in look. I wish I had some pictures. My great grandfather made them out of small trees. He built a four legged base and attached the trunk to the base. Then he cut the branches down to short stubs to use as the hooks. All the bark was removed and then varnished. Very rustic and lovely.

iseult Loved the article, loved the comments. Thank you!

Jennifer Johnson Great article and comments! Whitney, if you can somehow put pegboards on the wall, that is a great place to "temporarily" hang clothes. But after 3 days it needs to go in the wash or be put away. I use pegboards in the bathrooms too, so my kids can hang up their towels much more easily.

midmodfan Our house (two adults, no kids, one cat) is neat and organized, but the best thing to get rid of any remaining clutter is MOVING to a smaller place. I love it. :)

jacquelinetee First off,this was a great article and enjoyed it all. The comments too........except the sharp cutoff to whoo's suggestion of the under the sink pan. I have found this very practicle for rinsed dishes before doing the sink full of hot soapy water. I have a deep drawer to the left of my sink.Being one of many people in my household I can make everyone responsible to pickup,rinse and put in drawer until I am ready to do.I then save the clutter on my counters,which are small.I always laugh and say this drawer was cheaper than a dishwasher !!!!

cestode @midnite113. i live in a rental with very little built-in storage space. i have 5 kids. i use multi-functional furniture: a couch with a drawer underneath; underbeds for the kids to sleep in; under-bed storage for linens; under-shelf wire baskets for a few magazines that are currently being read; a sleek bench with storage and a cushion on top to seat 3 people- the cusion can be removed to use it as a tv bench. i lean a small ladder against a wall to hang the kids clothes tidily. i NEVER keep what i don't need or haven't needed for >2 years, even if it's a new gift from someone close. i aggressively donate to charity, never keep newspapers or magazines stacked, and never bring in what i might want but don't need or cannot store. my husband has stackloads or paper from work, which i usually put away in shopping bags until he's ready to sort a few out after 2-3 months. i've gotten rid of perfectly usable but excess towels and bedlinen and use any number of baskets and bins to hold throws, toys, laundry, school books under the beds or in plain view but reasonably nicely displayed.

Emily Hurley Clutter is an ever present battle. LOVE the tips. I feel like I have some new weapons to use in this war. :)

gknee I hate clutter. I want a zen life.

astor818 The number of comments is validating as I am a freak about clutter. My 8 year old son understands where toys belong, where to put his dirty clothes, and where to put away his books. He also likes to help clean.
My husband on the other hand has a pile of stuff on all three floors of our home, and in more than one place! It makes me mental. I've warned him that if he doesn't take care of his "papers" I am going to hire someone to kidnap them and he will have to pay a large ransom to get them back.

Caroline Wickham ~ wow! Great insight - Bravo Laura Gaskill
...this topic has garnered lots of comments. I have read Karen Kingston's book, "Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui" as well as others, + even took a workshop on the topic...but, i have never heard it tackled with such honesty and poignancy. Think I will tackle mine with a beautiful brush!

Renee OMG I never realised my clutter problem and my procrastination problem were the SAME problem! Thanks for opening my eyes..

maryphil Great article. It really sparked conversation as seen by all the comments. I have to keep everything organized, otherwise I can't effectively function. My suggestion for those in between or clothes that can be worn again. Hang them inside out on a hanger for another wearing. I also try to hang
everything, including t shirts. I can see everything at a glance. I store my shoes in those clear salad,mixed greens containers. They work great and you are repurposing.

themagnoliatree @ Jan Moyer let me know when the book comes out, I'll be purchasing a copy too

kadikene For those in-between clothes: use a ladder or chair. Ladder is better, cause he can see the clothes and actually wears them twice. My Man have same problem and usually those clothes ment to be worn once again wouldnt, and if he is in need of a pair of jeans he take them from closet.

Pam D. I can appreciate all these comments, but mostly rdonal's. Here's why. While I oh, so hate clutter...I have learned to accept a little. For a long time, I have felt like a failure because I couldn't keep my house looking perfect. Just as soon as I would scrub the toilet and shine the kitchen table, someone would throw their coats and books on the table and of course, someone had to poop 5 minutes after I cleaned it. So, there you go.

I had a friend (key word, "had") once whose house never even look lived in. She trained her kids to deposit their coats and bookbags in the coat closet when they walked in from school. They made their beds before school and ate dinner at the same time every single night. Boy, I envied her "togetherness" for the longest time...and every time I would leave her house, I would feel like...now why can't I do that? Then one day, it dawned on me that this particular person didn't have many of my good qualities so I started giving myself a pass on not being as together as she.

My point? well, we are all different and while we all strive to be that perfect person we would like to be, if we admit it, we might be trying to be perfect for someone or something else and that is not living.

So, I clean today and dust and clear my kitchen counters and light a candle and sit back and enjoy it for a whopping two hours before the kids come home. At least I had my two hours...not perfect always, just sometimes. That really has to be good enough, at least for me. I mean life is about compromising, really.

sdal68 In the photo with the chair in the geometric print there is a print on the wall with ribbons and such......is that something that can be purchased? If so, where would I find it.

Laura Gaskill @ sdal68 - The artwork in the photo is "Cakes" painted by California artist Wayne Thiebaud in 1963. The original is housed in the National Gallery of Art (see more info here: http://www.nga.gov/fcgi-bin/tinfo_f?object=72040), so I can only assume this is a poster mounted on wood or stretched on canvas, or a reproduction of some sort. Hope that helps!

nanaanne What a wonderful article Laura. You offered helpful suggestions in a gentle manner. And I learned so much from the people who commented. I was reminded of an Italian book I read years ago that gave the basis for various feng shui principles. The bottom line was that feng shui principles, like keeping down clutter and having clocks that work, are meant to make our life easier. I think "making life easier" is an individual matter, and our solutions will change as we go through the different stages of our lives.

Tszuji - Storage for Life Hello midnite113. I can empathise with you. Fortunately there are some very innovative storage ideas out there - think under bed and over door. These two areas are often under-utilised and can provide excellent storage for shoes, clothes, seasonal bedding and more.

Items like over door shoe racks and handbag racks, under bed shoe bags or vacuum storage bags not only help utilise these normally wasted areas but also keep your floors free from clutter.

Lesley Hartwell Jan Moyer - Please write the book, I will buy it for entertainment alone and HGTV probably need to speak to you, it would be a fabulous show

ranjana roy great suggestion :)

Van Wicklen Design thanks for the mention!

fashionitsa Off to do the dishes! You are all very inspiring!

Lisa Ward I recently downsized from 2,700sq ft 4bed 31/2 bath to 12480 2bed 2bed;creating the guest room office is taking too long

JAN MOYER In the end, life is nothing but choices. You choose the amount of stuff you buy. You choose how you would like to store that stuff. You choose how much/little to demand from yourself or your family. The neatniks think the slobs are crazy and vice versa. But life in our homes, despite their growing size, has taken on a truly reduced pleasure. It is not pleasant to enter some of these places. More toil goes into pushing junk out of the way, than would ever go into actually finding a place for it, or simply tossing it. I don't know when we got the idea that more is better. It simply is not. Have less stuff, and have better stuff. Clean it as you use it. Get a system, set a standard, and don't go below that standard unless someone dies or gets carted away in an ambulance. Zen your house and your mind, because the endless buying, discount shopping, "more is better" concept is depressing, and makes your home same. Nobody remembers what you or your kids were wearing last week, they are focused on themselves.
There has never been a moment in history when keeping house was easier. We have micro cloths, we have Swiffers, we have every kind of product, and aid, and appliance known to mankind. But the human body is no different than it was, there are still only 365 days in a year, and 24 hours in a day. The whole point of reducing junk, limiting the huge and accumulated messes... is to enjoy more of those 24 hours. It is either trash or treasure. It serves a function, or does not. It is clean, or it is dirty. It has a place, or needs a place to go. If you used it, put it back.... and on and on. In the end, no bins, or baskets, or vacuums will help unless you use them. It is appalling that little kids will choose a cardboard box in the yard, over all the plastic junk in the universe!!? That you wear 20% of your clothes 80% of the time? That a neatly made bed looks dreamier than one the dogs are still sleeping in? That your shiny under mounted sink looks nicer in its granite home when NOT filled with dishes? That Christmas will be no merrier for all the crates of "faux" junk in the basement, and your home no more magical in the season? That Halloween is a ONE DAY event? The whole darn thing is nothing but choice. Not some magical place you get to by accident.....or bins... or shelving.
I wish you the scent of freshly folded laundry, crisp sheets, fresh flowers, the sparkle of glass, the gleam on a table, and room to hang and store your needs in this life. Not a speck less! Or more.

rdonal Bravo, Laura. This article made all of us think....and many of us act.
Our homes don't only reflect the way we live or consume or treat the art of simplification/organization but they are also the mirror of time. Our homes and attitudes towards them change as our lives move on.
Thanks for such a wonderful (and helpful) well-written article. Best to you!

Beth Love the article. Having encountered the Innermost House (have you heard of it?) we have downsized a good 50% into a smaller place. And the less we have the less we have to care for, and what we have gets used.

And Houzz has had some awesome pieces like a Santa Cruz cottage a week or so ago, that upon closer look, worked so well because there was a consistent colour flow, down to the white pet dishes and the all white dished on the kitchen shelf.

Thus this article like that article on the Santa Cruz cottage really brought to life both less is more, as well as a place for everything and everything in its place.

jemk These ideas & comments are great! I also have an "in between" husband, so I bought a hall tree that worked for about a month & the clothes went right back on the floor!! :(

natashaarora Great ideas! If you'd like to live better and smarter in your home you should also consider visiting natashaarorastyling dot com to access testimonials from delighted clients, before and after photographs, press, video, blog posts, tweets, and other information about this INTERIOR STYLIST/HOME STAGER/ENTREPRENEUR. All the best dear readers. Everyone deserves to live better--within their means.

articat9a Jan... Beautifully said and so true!

writerinfact Mom made the mistake (years ago) of admitting that she (and her sisters, since they shared the room) had a rocking chair in their room, which became the place to put wear-again clothes. For all three of them. By the end of the week, or whenever, the rocker tipped over backwards - and that was the "sign" that it was time to deal with the wear-agains!

I freely admit to closing the doors to my three sons' bedrooms. When my oldest took up the trombone, I'd periodically ask how his practice was going. Until the day (I hadn't heard a peep from the trombone in at least two weeks) I moved the trombone from the back of his closet to the back of mine. Asked again a few days later how he was doing, and the answer of "I'm getting better" sent the trombone back to its rightful home - the store that rented it to us!

Yes, order and organization are wonderful goals toward which to strive. But life is a journey, not a destination - and nobody gets out alive, no matter how organized and neat they are. I've picked up empty soda bottles from the counter, literally 4 inches above the can designed to hold such things. Have to laugh about it, because otherwise I'd cry. On the other hand, I'm a visual person, I have ADD, and I have "collections" of stuff that gets used - eventually. Don't ask me to cull my fabric stash, or my yarn stash, or my library (thank goodness for iTunes!), or my crystals, or . . . because such comments may be hazardous to your health!

Perhaps someday I will live alone in my own dwelling, where all the messes are ones I made myself (OK, the cat made THAT one!), and all the empty places are also ones I made myself, in my own good time, which I can guarantee is not compatible with anyone else's schedule. And please note that there is a very large difference between "neat" and "clean," between "dirty" and "messy." I try to avoid the former and embrace the latter.

I have accepted myself as I am, so I no longer apologize for either mess or procrastination. I'm not lazy, I'm efficient; I do as little work as possible while maintaining surroundings in which I am reasonably comfortable, which does in fact mean that I put things away - when I'm done with them. I'm not procrastinating, I'm waiting for the proper time to do - whatever. If we're talking about incoming mail with bills that need to be paid, the proper time to do so will be when I get paid and have the money. I'm not messy, I'm creative. And I can't create in a photo-shoot-ready environment, nor can I find something that's behind closed anything, including file folders in those cute color-coded desktop "hot files." So what you see as "mess" is my working space, and I know how far down which stack is the exact item I need next. Or whenever the electronic reminder to do that pops up on my screen.

Making allowances for individual hard-wired differences, it's up to the reader to take away from an article (and comments!) such as this only the ideas and possibilities that speak to her or him, try them, and continue or discard as appropriate. See? I can so pare down the "trash" in my life. I've forgotten already that there are neat freaks in this world who would be horrified by the "mess" in my living and working spaces.

Beth Orlili I agree 100% that the best and hardest decluttering is not accumulating. Although it's the easiest not the hardest for me and has allowed me to only own things I use and things I have a real love of. No nick knacks or what I call dust catchers. That the pleasure of a small place. Less is more.

These are tops with me and have saved me money, time and my sanity. 4. Repeat after me: less is more! 5. Separate emotional clutter from the gems.

Also has enabled me to kindly tell loved ones that I do NOT need or want anything so please no gifts unless its time spent just being with you.

JAN MOYER's comment per mail/paper stuff is spot on!!! We keep a pretty bin next to the door and I stand and go thru the mail and don't allow junk mail to even enter the house.

Also agree with Audrey Hepburn that one should only have clothes in their armoire that they actually wear!

JAN MOYER I just read my own comment from six months ago, and ladies... check this out next time you're in the bookstore! "Life at Home In the Twenty-first Century". ( Arnold and some co-writers) It's a photo study of 32 families in the Los Angeles area, varying incomes, homes, but all with kids. It's worth the flip thru in the bookstore. It just came to my doorstep the other day, and only confirms what I already knew. And see all year long in client's homes... WOW. My mother would FAINT.......may she rest in peace(:

whoo Dear Jan Moyer:

So sorry I shared something that has helped our house become more organized and peaceful. Obviously I am not part of the cool kids that get to comment on houzz. I didn't realize you are the only person who gets to decide if a suggestion offered with good intentions is actually worthy.

For me, coming downstairs to a clean empty sink in the morning and taking the dirty dishes out from under the counter to wash when I do the breakfast dishes, sounds more "SIMPLE" than getting up at 2 a.m. to "Just do it and get on" when my 17 year old step daughter actually dirties them. It's certainly more simple that fighting with her to either not dirty them or to clean them. Now you can make a judgement on my step parenting skills....

You really know how to make a person not feel welcome.

Beth whoo, Anyone can share their views, so no one is telling you that you are not welcomed. Do what works for you!

I have friends who keep the Sabbath and do much like you do per putting dirty dishes in a bin to be washed the next day. It works for them and that is ALL that matters.

What works for me works for me. May not work for someone else.

JAN MOYER Whoo, nobody was suggesting anyone AWAKE at two am to do dishes. But if you saw the frazzled young women I encounter, "new" to their lives with small children and a husband, you might better understand my take on dishes. On all household chores for that matter. Young women today are frazzled because someone let them slide. Someone did it for them. Their laundry, their dishes, made their beds or closed the door to their rooms entirely. And while they were sliding, they got brand new clothes to toss on the floor, and phones, and cars. and rides, and lessons, parties with friends and big educations, and plenty of favors from Mom and Dad. All of a sudden!!! Mom is not around. Handsome Hubby isn't fond of the sty in which he is living and now the "young lady" has her own home and chores, a big problem, and she is CLUELESSLY overwhelmed. So we will have to disagree on this one. Running a house, be it large or small, is a skill set and it is a learned one at that. A thing done often enough soon becomes as easy as riding a bike. You don't think about it ... you just DO it. It nurtures you as it makes your life more pleasant. But in order to create a second nature, easy as riding a bike approach, someone has to make you practice. Making your bed, cleaning up a mess that you made,(dishes) not leaving it behind for someone else to deal with, is a life courtesy. Much the same as shaking hands, or sending thank you notes, or not littering the streets. It's a pain to teach, and the reward is greatest for the person who learns. But you are certainly entitled to your opinion, as to what is easiest and most pleasant for you!

JAN MOYER Really really my last thought. If you google HOUZZ and the words clutter or organizing, you can scroll through at least two full pages. Amazing huh? In a couple hundred years we have gone from covered wagons that held the barest necessities for sustaining life, to being completely overwhelmed by all manner of housekeeping. We have become yet more overwhelmed, as the task has been made easier and easier with every passing decade since the early 1900's. I bet not one of us wakes to milk a cow, to sweep a dirt floor, or to wash the fireplace soot from our walls. Nobody on this site has hauled wet laundry to the backyard "line", or put their hand through the wringer (look it up) doing laundry. We wake in homes (and beds) larger than our great grandparents could have ever imagined; loaded with easy to maintain surfaces. We have help!!! The vacuum cleaner, clean central heat, all manner of technology, every product known to man begs our attention for an "easier way" in the store aisles. Directly opposite the cleaning supplies lurk the storage solutions, and the huge plastic bags to help you unload the excesses from your home. If it wasn't all so weirdly sad, it would be comical. It should make us pause, and ask how and why we are making the very thing ( housekeeping) that exists as a task to keep us healthy, happy, safe, and comfortable, and our homes both attractive and welcoming... has become so darn difficult for so many. Buy this book:Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House [Hardcover]
Cheryl Mendelsson
It was relevant in 1999... and still is. Don't read it to learn, read it to be entertained. To do so is to understand how we have gotten in the mess so many are in, and why you may want to get out of that mess. It's not about decorating. It's about LIVING.

midnite113 Your answer to me was totally wrong. My towels & laundry are not out of order. I follow the "one in & one out" rule. I also only have the one & only closet in my basement to keep out of season clothing in. I'm not about to toss all of it away. I use it. Sure...I could get rid of some of it & give it away. But that would only give me a little extra space to fill with more clothing !! It isn't going to free up enuff space to keep all the things that don't fit into my tiny kitchen. But it has to go somewhere...It isn't easy to force another person, who moves in with U, to throw away all of their stuff, even tho U know U don't & won't need it. I've tried.

My problems are caused by someone who has A.D. H. D. & is a huge Procrastinator !! And it's mostly paperwork & dishes he leaves in the sink overnight, when there's a dishwasher right there. Grrrrr !!

Give some clues on how to control other people's sloppiness. I used to pick up all the slack but because of a disability I developed, I can no longer do this.
I'm very slow at doing things because it's difficult to walk...even in my own home.
Please be more fair in your opinions. "Whooo" isn't doing anything so bad. She's only trying to make her life a little easier & that's the way she figured out to do it. How can anyone force another person to follow these rules ?
It's impossible !!
Give us some help controlling what the others in our homes do or don't do.
Putting a box out for some of the clutter isn't nearly enuff !!

JAN MOYER Midnite,
People who have HDHD, have a very hard time creating order.In fact, it is impossible for them in most cases. But I have found that if you create the order for them, to some degree... they can maintain it. It will still require a vigil, but many HDHD people will admit they are much happier midst order, than the messes of their own making. No it isn't "fair". But we are talking about a level of mess misery that can become unbearable.
A true story: I have a client. She suffers this condition. So too, does everyone in the house, including her husband. Their master bedroom, was in such a state it could no longer even be cleaned by their cleaning lady, whose work load is already at super human levels. I had already purchased fabric and furniture etc to re-decorate this room, but told her I would not create a thing, change one thing, install ANYTHING, until it was cleaned up. Months and months worth of clothes, belts, shoes, jewelry, books, papers, loose change, more shoes... piled on every surface. I offered to help, to do it with her. No... No....she would "do it". Months went by and it remained a pigsty. They went on vacation......I invaded. I got help, and together we did 17 man hours of hanging and sorting clothes. Two people, for 8 1/2 hours. We ran out for hangers. I culled an extra dresser from my storage. We ran out for more hangers. We scrubbed and mopped and vacuumed as we hung and folded. I sorted another closet in a guest room, and arranged more storage for handbags...and on it went. By the time we were done, it looked like a peaceful room, albeit not yet the re-designed room. That came later. But she came home from vacation,(thrilled) that room finally got installed, and yes.... it still looks good. Every day. Both of them admitted it was much nicer to sleep and awake in a clean and peaceful room.
The rest of their frequently used spaces are still a challenge. They simply don't "see" the dishes in the sink, despite they have TWO sinks and TWO dishwashers. In fact, they have more of everything, every type of consumer goods, and that is a huge piece of their problem. They have more than an HDHD brain can handle. But they are smart. They know they have a problem, but they are unable to stop buying, and unable to maintain what they buy. They make their HDHD worse.
I can't live with my client. But you can say.." I have a problem, and I really need your help.Will you help me? ( wait for the yes before you continue) I can't bear to see the dishes left in the sink. It makes me feel like you don't care about me. It is hard for me to stand and load them. Can you help me?" Can you please rinse and put them in the dishwasher?" Then hang a sign, that says same. Right at the sink. Get one huge basket for a weeks worth of "paper". Work in progress goes there. Note, I said ONE BIG basket. You won't make a neat freak, but you can make a partner see that his actions are HURTING your sense of calm, peace, and making you angry with him, when you really do not want to be angry at all. Good luck.

midnite113 Thank U for the understanding & suggestions. U are right about a person with A.D.H.D wanting to be neater. I have done a lot of organizing for him & assisted in reminding him how easy it can be if he slows his brain down just a little bit. (if possible) Finally...he has gone for help so that is helping some. He wants to do more so I can't be angry with him. Especially knowing that he's aware of the extra burden on me.
I have learned to give him new ideas & help him do it. Of course...it takes constant reminding & this drives me nuts !! But I have to do it or nothing gets done.
Some of the hardest part is getting him to unload all of his "old" stuff. ( I have to catch him on a more conscious day. )
It burns me up tho when I see him lying down on the couch all day, reading yet more newspapers, (which I hate!!) instead of taking care of little jobs I've asked him to take care of when he has time. Oh yes...he does have time. His work hours are very un-normal. Right now, he's at home recuperating from surgery, so I'm trying to not be so hard on him. But I will as soon as I see him doing other things before he does what I've asked of him.
It is a very difficult way of life for anyone with this condition. Especially when they 're with a "normal" person, who might be a little bit OCD themselves !!
I consider my slight OCD to be just a "neat freak" type of thing. But I do believe it's only because I hate the clutter. Once I can catch up with my own organizing, things should improve. I'm going to take several of your suggestions for storage if I can fit them in. I'm going to do this somehow !!
I did most of it once before, and just didn't finish it before I moved. So now that I have...I will finish !!
One day at a time...Then repeat, repeat, repeat. Thanks again.
Oh yes...I almost forgot. I must get my children to get over here & take all the things I have stored for them. That alone will give me more space !!

writerinfact In fact, midnite113, getting grown kids to take their stuff away is probably the #1 space-saver a parent can find. I'm coming from BOTH ends of that spectrum, so I do know whereof I speak! ; ) Good luck gaining their cooperation.

maryphil I love the motto " Buy Less . Buy quality not quantity"

Decluttering is an ongoing event at our house. I keep a donation sack by the door. When it gets full, it gets donated. Our friends will drop by and root around in that bag, seeing what goodies they can find. We are more than happy to share.

Rough Linen What a fascinating thread to read at 3 am! It makes me deeply happy that I just don't want or need a lot of 'stuff': frankly I'd rather have the money. My biggest challenge is not finishing up some treasured item (perfume, face cream) because then I still 'have' it... I need to work on sucking life dry.

zena_i Great tips..

alelaserna Hello, my name is Alejandra and I am a procrastinator. I have huge "to do" lists and amazing organization ideas that I never carry out. Two small children are my excuse. I need someone to hold my hand while I try to organize my clutter, because it drives me insane!! Whenever I'm most stressed or rushed, this is when I notice every inch of clutter and it ruins my day. Thank you for the amazing advice, I will try to instill the 15 minute daily de- clutter rule.

JAN MOYER Alejandra,
That is so funny but I know how frustrating ingrained habits can be. That you WANT to change is the most important thing. Likely, you are stressed and rushed because you have the clutter, and it's not just that you notice it more when you are. Don't make BIG lists. Half the problem for people with an organizing problem is they worry too much about process, and not enough about just doing the task right in front of them. They will "do it later"! Let your kids cry in the playpen while you empty the dishwasher! They won't die in five minutes! Don't bring one single thing you do not truly need! Put the kids at a friends house for an afternoon, and tackle ONE closet, or just the pantry. You didn't get it cluttered in one day, it may take more than a few to clear it up. But when the boat leaks, first plug the leak and THEN bail, right?

Caroline Wickham ~ Just returned from staying with at 4 different relatives homes and it gave me new insights. A suggestion for doing dishes, as I live alone, - what I call "The Bachelor's Dishwashing Kit" - a small coloured sprayer, a brush and a sponge or small cloth (your choice). Fill the sprayer with 1/3 dish detergent, 2/3's water. As soon as possible after a meal spray sponge, wash everything (no need to fill sink with water), then apply hot water (as hot as possible or use rubber gloves) and put each into a dish rack.

Alejandra Laserna Jan Moyer, let me just say reading your suggestions and tips was like therapy for me!
Being more organized was a New Year's resolution... well it's September and we're still tackling the problem. It seems to me I don't put things away because I like to have them HANDY, THERE, READY TO GRAB... my purse is always open, my night table is covered with baby products or things "I might need" and yes... NOW my toddler's TOYS are A HUGE PROBLEM. I start sweating when a Birthday or Christmas approaches. I've tried to enroll 3y-old Olivia but she obviously doesn't want to get rid of anything... and the toys she doesn't care for, I find cute or decorative. UGH! Any tips on that??

JAN MOYER Alejandra,
" I might need it !! " may possibly be the four deadliest words ever to be uttered in the pursuit of a calm house and an orderly life. For instance, the baby stuff on the nightstand is not only not attractive (even to you) it isn't conducive to a grown up relationship either ...if you get my drift? If this is an infant in your room, and you are nursing, one generous basket with a lid, and only that which you really need is fine. "At hand" is usually a metaphor for I have no system, I don't feel like putting it away. But that is nothing more than choice. Every item in our lives can not be out and at hand, or our visual landscape becomes one of confusion, and ugly to boot.
As to toys: Call me old fashioned, but kids are whiny and bored when faced with too much choice. More is not better. Take away ONE HALF of your three year olds toys. Don't throw them out, just put in a large box out of sight....for at least three days. My bet is the reduction will go completely unnoticed. As to "it's cute or decorative" ??? I bet you can guess my answer to that!
Last word: The person who has a difficult time getting or staying organized, is the VERY SAME person who becomes MORE disorganized when faced with a landscape of visual clutter. Don't be your own worst enemy. The whole process is nothing but a choice. Not magic, not rocket science, not luck, ......choice. Your choice.

nanaanne My pastor a few churches back (he moved to a different area, and I've moved too) used to make us say after him each Sunday: "I have enough." He taught classes on spending/personal finances. He saw overconsumption as the ruination of many marriages, and a terrible personal hurdle for many people. I try to say "I have enough" whenever I think of it, and try to remember it whenever I want to buy something.

midnite113 I have found so much more that I no longer need or want to keep. So the minute I get some time to myself, without interruptions, I am taking out my "charity or go" box & filling it some more !! Who knows...I May need to gather a couple more boxes to fill ?
I'm keeping my extra towels because I like to change colors in my bathroom a lot. So I do use them on a rolling basis. I keep the "extras" under the sink & out of sight. It still has more room in it to store cleaning supplies etc. I am dwindling those down also. I'm a "sale-a-holic"!!

Beth Its been months since I first read this piece and commented, and yet it encouraged me to make even more changes. I now have one nice Fiestarware 9-Inch, 13-1/4-Ounce Rim Soup Bowl, in the colour Plum which I eat from daily. This means I have one item to wash, rinse, dry. As well as fork,spoon or chopsticks. This also means I eat less.

And we now fold the laundry as soon as we remove from the clothesline or dryer and put away right then and there. And use a small tote to put things in that I find needing put away, and get them back where they belong pronto rather than later.

And reading other peoples comments I then sat down and asked myself if we had to pack to move or go somewhere within a few hours, what would I pack first? That sure showed me what we really value, and need.

Elizabeth Ouimette I am going to warn you, this is a long post but I felt it was a good example of how someone who is terrible at decluttering can finally find a path through the piles.

I come from a family of collectors/pack rats. I wouldn't classify anyone as a hoarder because nothing in our homes is disgusting or impairing life. We are simply a sentimental lot that happen to also have a lot of hobbies.

My father is the worst, my sister is a close second and the best at staying free of clutter is my brother. The others fall somewhere in the middle. I suppose I would have been considered third worst a year ago.

I have never enjoyed clutter and have always fought with my collecting and hobbyist ways. Throughout my childhood I was a VERY organized person but organization can still seem like a mess when there is more stuff than space. When I moved to CA after college I only took what I could fit in my car. This meant only the essentials. And since I was on a shoestring budget at the time, I didn't have freedom to buy a lot of lavish items.

I ended up moving 6 times in 4 years after that point. Each time I would someone manage to acquire another room full of stuff (whatever a roommate left behind, new stuff I had to buy for the new place, etc.). Within two years of moving to CA I went from a Hyundai Sonata full of stuff to a huge Uhaul full of stuff. From that point on I started only renting if there was a garage to store all of my "necessary" items or I would simply rent a garage off-site. Needless to say, it was ridiculous and frustrating.

It didn't help that my parents fed my craziness by shipping me boxes of items I had left behind. When I would visit my hometown, I would always return with at least one giant suitcase full of stuff. Usually it was mostly clothing and kitchenware. I still kept most of my sentimental items in their attic... which equated to boxes upon boxes of carefully labeled items from my childhood and teen years.

Then something magical happened around the time of my 3 year anniversary of living in CA. Well, it wasn't immediately magical. It was more devastating than magical, at first. My parent's house burnt down. 70% of the home was destroyed and everything had smoke damage. Luckily, no one was hurt and my family has a good sense of humor when faced with adversity.

At first we were all sad that our precious collectibles, yearbooks, photo albums, etc. were gone forever. It is truly a sad experience. Personally, I lost every physical memento from my childhood/teen years. Yearbooks, prom dresses, every photo ever taken of my friends and I, my high school and college diplomas, all 200 trophies, plaques, crowns, ribbons, sashes I had won throughout my years in sports and pageants. Gone.

However, we have all become much better about holding on to things that we don't need. I no longer go on shopping sprees for no reason. I throw things away unless I can remember a GOOD reason to keep it. I no longer keep gifts or greeting cards around that don't have a truly special meaning (the last birthday card my grandmother ever sent me = truly special meaning... the card she sent me 5 years prior = not special) or real purpose. I no longer need a Uhaul to move (as evidenced by my recent move 3 months ago). All I needed was a friend with a truck to move my bigger furniture. The rest fit in my Prius.

I am much happier now that I don't have the constant emotional/psychological burden of all that stuff. It really was just stuff and now that it is gone I can live my life with more freedom and much more mobility.

Yes, my circumstances were extreme and I definitely don't suggest hoping for a house fire (my parent's are still rebuilding over a year later) but perhaps if you are a clutter-monster like I was, you can pretend as though you were forced to choose a car full of stuff to take with you. What would you absolutely, positively not be able to live without? Chances are you don't actually need much.

jkristamagee What is the deal lately with "organization"- man oh man- it seems like it has become part of the "red carpet trends"- which is a real good laugh because that means as soon as the "fad" /"trend" is over, all these professional "organizers" will be back to the way things started before the teen hit- being organized is much like being in the military in my opinion meaning ITS A WAY OF LIFE - not the only way - not a job- and I'm not going to say it CAN'T be done by a person who is not organized BUT I personally feel it would take a MAJOR life change. Anyone can clean- anyone can "de-clutter" - and believe it or not it can e done by anyone without the so called professionals but not everyone can can keep it organized and keep the minimal and what's even a bigger news flash---- you ready for this? IT'S NOT A BAD THING!! Not at all- unless you are a complete hoarder and living in extreme consequence because of the collections , it just means that's you are an individual- it amazes me how so many people on here are professional life coaches and "professional designers"---whatever --- and now apparently these same people are health care providers lol - sorry to get a chuckle but c'mon people- do not let anyone make you feel wrong because you do not do things the way they do- I'm ADHD - have been my whole life - I'm a 23 year old proud soldier of the US ARMY, a mother of a 3 year old - the wife of a boarder line hoarder lol (I love him- sometimes :)- , a registered nurse with a psychology degree and I'm in college - I live in a 4100 square ft home and I LOVE LOVE LOVE to decorate and shop - I have enough clothes not to wear the same thing 2 in 2 years - I have over 100 pair of shoes and this is just the top lol yet I can tell you where every piece of paper I have is- every shirt , towel even piece of a ribbon is organized and perfectly arranged - why? Not because I organized it or live as a minim. Person BUT because its my personality - it's who I am - but I also live with my husband who has a man cave and a hunting room in our house that is no where near clean much less organized and oh my gosh at his 2300 sq ft shop - I'm scared to even walk in there - my point is neither of us is right or wrong- we are individuals- everyone has a way- for all of you who are made to feel bad or looked down on please don't because I can PROMISE you that half the people not only here but in the world who are on the "organized trend " just about kill themselves trying I keep up with it- if it's not part of who you are then you can't just jump on the band wagon and keep it up

JAN MOYER jkristamagee,
I guess I would only be curious as to why you read some of the thread! If you're happy in your surroundings, and you can always find what you need or want with ease, if the look of your home pleases you, soldier on! I think this was for people who people who wanted an improvement or change. It has nothing to do with "minimal" design, in fact most people own more quantity of more categories of consumer goods than ever in history. Hence the need to occasionally purge, corral, or store the goods.....like two years worth of outfits.

Susan Fulks Happy 2013 everyone! Can't believe this post is still going?!!! Everyone has good tips on organization and de-cluttering! And I do actually use some of those tips to better organize my life!!! The truth is..when I was in college..when the dinosaurs roamed the earth...I was not THE neatest person in the world...due to a very busy and stressful college life!!! But even so...there is also TRUTH in how you are raised to CLEAN and organize. My mother taught me that YOU have to make your bed every morning before you DID anything else, or go anywhere! And I have gone by this rule, even today! If I don't make up my bed first thing in the morning...I feel BAD the rest of the day! (Lol!)! My mother taught me to respect other people's things in the house...to always clean up after myself, and to strip my bed every Friday! She also taught me NOT to wash clothes on New Year's, which I am sure ALL of you did the same thing! Lol! But in my very EARLY senior days...if I go into ALL organizing mode...I'm more likely to forget where I put stuff..even if I label...and that drives me crazy! The simple truth is that it is your house, your space! Do what it takes to have a clean, healthy home environment, according to YOUR standards...and there are really good tips that doesn't take up that much of your busy time!!! On Pinterest, I found a really good cleaning and organizing tips that you can incorporate into your daily schedule! Take 10 minutes every night and GO over your bathrooms and kitchen. Put toilet cleaner in toilets..let it sit. Take window spray, or counter top cleaner spray, and spray down counters..faucets...wipe off..OR just use Clorox wipes and wipe down. Do same in kitchen..wipe off counter tops, and if there are dirty dishes..put in dishwasher. Place some really big baskets (on sale of course) in rooms. Use to throw clutter and toys or whatever in baskets for the evening. Go wipe down toilets..you are finished! Time for some ME time! 10 minutes! Do big cleaning and de-cluttering on weekends..if you have time! BE CREATIVE! And be happy with what you do..on YOUR time!!! AND my husband does help me with some cleaning...and so do my kids! My house is not a hotel..and I'm not the maid!!! They can "clean up" on their own! They have to learn somewhere...let them learn at home! Have a good day!

The following pictures are ME!

alwaysdesigning Find a consignment store nearby that you can sell your extras at: 1. they are storing it for you for a period of time, and 2. you might make some money for whatever you have. It's a great way to start decluttering big items too, like extra tables, chairs or those things hiding in the attic.

chic76 This is a great post/set of comments.
I was a complete "neat-freak" then I had my first child & suffered post-natal depression which has taken me almost 7 years to get to grips with (other things have contributed but that's where my "demise" started).
I have recently started the major clear out process (trust me 7 years of not having done ongoing clear outs & tidy ups = mountains of stuff) & where I have cleared & put things into sensible places it gives me such a sense of calm & pleasure. I'm not as obsessive anymore about cleaning to the baseboards every week like I was when I was kid-free, but the less stuff I have have the easier & quicker it is to clean & get back to playing with my lovely kids :) So as I go around clutter clearing I do it with the "less stuff = tidy quickly = more time with my girls" motto in my head. I don't want things keeping me from being with my children - including cleaning, or not being able to find the picnic things (& know that they're clean) if it's a nice day & we want to go for a spontaneous beach trip for example.
One thing I would say to Jan though ..... maybe it's a cross-Atlantic thing, but here in the UK we still hang our washing out on lines to dry :) There's nothing better than wind blown, sun-dried clothes ..... cuts down on ironing too. [And it's less electricity cost/better for the environment.]
Anyway - just wanted to say I love all comments, suggestions & opinions .... each to their own! Happiness is absolutely key & only you know what makes you truly happy :)
xx From Bonnie (windy) Scotland :) xx

Beth Chic76 noted her bout with serious depression after childbirth and I wanted to note that after my husband was hit/disabled by a drunk driver I became depressed and within a couple months had lots of clutter and not much deep cleaning getting done. One day I looked at the situation and hated how depressed I had become and started cleaning and de-cluttering like mad.

Recently our son has been in the hospital (needs a triple transplant) and I found being at the hospital so much, and not being able to clean like I liked, that the depression was seeping in and I started taking a day to myself and cleaned and got back on track. Gotta nip it in the bud before it gets out of hand.

chic76 very true Beth!
good days & bad days will always be the pattern, but at least if I've managed to clean to a respectable state, then the guilt doesn't add to the depression.
It's really starting to help me get rid of the clutter. You can't clean round clutter :)
Wishing you, your husband & your son all the best xox

crypticartist Great ideas - fabulous goals - now all I need is someone to hold my hand as I hit the delete button (over and over and over!)

scooterpig chic76, I am so with you on the washing! I am a Scot living in the US and it drives me mad that we can't dry our washing outside over here. I live in a dry state that's hot in summer so it would be dry in no time. I love it when I'm visiting my parents back home we can get our washing blown dry by the sea breeze! It's quicker, cheaper and much more environmentally friendly than a tumble drier.

On the clutter front, I do try, but find life gets in the way. When we first moved here we still had a house in Scotland and so we had to buy some stuff over here. We were in a basic rental which was pretty demoralising when we though about our lovely home in the UK. We'd been here almost 18 months before we found a home to buy. Packing up our Scottish home would have been a great chance to declutter but limited time and the worst winter for years made it very difficult to do much. When we got our stuff over here it was exciting but difficult to know how to make things work. So, for example, I have a beautiful painting that I have not yet hung on the wall here, despite being our house for almost 2 years. I want it in the living room where I'll look at it every day, but the living room is tricky and needs some serious thought (and money) to pull together. To some folk, I should ditch the painting as it's not been up since moving in, but it is very special to me and I really love it.

On the flip side, I was effectively forced to declutter clothes last year by my husband. I'd been doing it gradually but if he hadn't forced my hand I'd have taken forever. We were remodelling the laundry room, got to the point where we couldn't do any more until the countertop went in, so he decided we may as well rip out the master closet while we were waiting. So out it came the next day, a day after that we created a plan for the new cabinets and a day later we began building and fitting them. The great mountain of clothes deposited on the floor forced me to do something with them. I now have a wonderful new closet and can see what I own. I still have some more clothes to get rid of but I'm starting from a much stronger position than before!

This year, I'm hoping to get a good deal more decluttering done, but I'm also not going to beat myself up about it. I'd rather enjoy life than stress about a messy kitchen drawer or two. I think I'll check out some consignment stores and garage sales, as that should help me decide whether to donate or to sell stuff. I am going to try to buy less as that is definitely where I fall down on the clutter front. And of course I'll be reading plenty of decluttering articles on Houzz!

writerinfact As far as laundry is concerned, Scooterpig, let me tell you about the 13 years I lived just outside of Phoenix, AZ. The climate there is only statistically "better" than that of Yuma, selected as the territorial prison site (before statehood in 1912) because of the brutal summer heat and winter cold - which is relative to the summer oven, when you think of it. I bought 2 lovely fold-up "clotheslines" - maybe others call them drying racks - that I put on the back patio. One rack will hold a full washer load - unless, I suppose, you're adding queen-sized sheets to a load of other stuff - and, especially in the summer (which stretches from February to October in Phoenix) the first load was dry when I came back with the second. Well, maybe the waistband of jeans needed a few more minutes, but that's about it. What I hadn't considered was the advisability of turning clothes inside out to mitigate sun-fade! Side note: since you live in a dry place with hot summers, I hope you consider that cotton and, especially, linen are far more comfortable than any synthetic ever imagined. To wear, at any rate. I belonged to a medieval re-creation group (think multiple floor-length layers of fabric) for several years and all my outdoor summer garb was linen. And sun-fade was definitely considered "period"!

carmelgardens Very interesting to read all the comments. It is a very natural thing to hang our laundry on the line in my area of the U.S. I love the smell of sheets dried on the line!

As far as decluttering, I think I will be working at that all my life...

tapd0g A number of years ago I had to declutter after water damage to my home. It was a positive experience rather than a negative one and has been an ongoing process. My motto and inspiration has been William Morris: "Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."

... or that you absolutely can't bear to part with!

tapd0g @Jan Moyer, I agree with some of your initial post in the comments section but personally I see nothing wrong with doing one dish-wash per day. Wasing as you go is water wastful particularly in dry areas. Until recently the state I live in was completely in drought. We had a daily water quota and one town had no water in its reservoir at all; it had to be tanked in. The state's capital had been considering building a desalination plant to ensure a steady supply. Even though we now have full reservoirs I now fully comprehend the value of water in an arid country and hate wasting a drop. At the end if the day I live in my house, everyone else is a guest. If a few dishes in the sink offends my friends then they're not really my friends.