By Christine McDannell
January 2009

How about starting the new year with less clutter and junk in your home? Here are some quick tips on how easily you can make that resolution a reality — even while keeping on top of all your business responsibilities.

• Memorize this number: 1-800-95-TRUCK. It is the phone number for the Salvation Army, which will be more than happy to take your clutter off of your hands.
• Place three separate large boxes in your living room or garage, labeled DONATE, STORE, TRASH. This will streamline the process.
• Assign each task onto a printed calendar so you don’t feel overwhelmed. Monday can be the medicine cabinet, Tuesday the refrigerator, Wednesday under the kitchen sink…and leave larger projects like cleaning the garage for the weekend.
• Bribe yourself; make something you love to do dependent on the fact that you get a de-cluttering task done. You can promise yourself that you won’t watch your favorite TV program until you spend at least 15 minutes organizing the pile of paperwork that’s been sitting on your kitchen table for months. This will make it much more motivating.
• Take care of cleaning the windows on a cloudy day. It is much easier to see any streaks this way. Also, using a squeegee and soap and water can make the task much quicker.
• Don’t forget about your car. Park your car where all doors can be open so you have full access for the de-cluttering process. Turn on the radio/stereo and turn up your favorite song or CD. Start in the trunk, since this is usually where the items are buried that you just flung in. These items can be thrown out, cleaned and put where they belong, or given back to the proper owner.
• De-cluttering may seem like a lot of work, but it’s essentially a way of organizing yourself and putting you back in control of your life. Become an “organizer” and de-cluttering will be an easy task. The clearer your surroundings are, the clearer your mind will become.