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Tips to Reduce Clutter
 When your home is filled with clutter, trying to tackle a mountain of stuff can be overwhelming. Here are a few tips that can help you reduce clutter.

  • Go through your clothing.
  • A great starting place for de-cluttering would be to go through your closet and dresser drawers. Take everything out. As you evaluate your clothing, create 3 piles: one to keep, another to give away or sell, and another to discard. If you haven't worn a piece of clothing in a year or you think someday you will be able to fit into the piece of clothing, it is a good rule of thumb to let go of it.
  • Create an Inbox for incoming papers.
  • When you have incoming mail, school papers, receipts, notices, etc. put them in a designated inbox. If you can decide immediately whether it is junk mail, you should discard it. If it requires some action to be taken, place it in the inbox and when you get a chance, act on it. At least if you have an inbox, it will not be scattered all over the house.
  • Set up some simple folders.
  • It is efficient to have a filing system. As you go through your inbox, you can create files for your major bills and similar paper work. Place them in a file cabinet. You should have extra blank folders so you can create a new file when needed.
  • File quickly.
  • Take a handful of papers from your inbox and go through then one by one and decide what folder they should be filed in, or if it is not needed, trash it immediately. There could be some items that require further attention. You should place them in a file called "actions to be taken". There should not be a file called "to be filed". That would just create more clutter.
  • Clear off a counter.
  • Take everything off a counter. Only replace items that you use on a regular basis. If not used on a regular basis, find a storage place for that item. You can do this for all your flat surfaces. As my father would always say, "A place for everything, and everything in its place." This helps to reduce clutter. When an item is not in use, it should be put away.
  • Clear off a shelf (closet shelf, bookcase).
  • Clear off all non-essential things and leave it looking neat and clutter-free. And of course, find permanent places for the items removed, discard or give to charity.
  • Chose a few things and find places for them
  • These should be items you actually use that just end up anywhere. Find a home for each of them.
  • Visualize one of your rooms
  • Look around the room and picture it how you would like it to look. What doesn't belong in the room but has just gravitated there? Are there things on the floor besides furniture? The only things on the floor should be furniture and/or rugs. Everything else should have its own place.

This should get you started on the road to a clutter-free home. If you need any assistance, you can contact me and I would be happy to help. 
If you need help staging your client's home for sale or just refreshing your home, we can help you. If there is anything we can do to help you, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Sincerely,
Mary Billish
Staging Works Wonders, Inc. 

Staging Works Wonders, Inc.
708.932.7834