Creating Your Clutter Free Home

The first key to speed cleaning is having less to clean - you want to be clutter free. If you do a major overhaul now, cleaning will be easier and faster every time you clean in the future.

Overhaul is hard. A lot of people, myself included, are pack rats. Things that we never look at have sentimental value the second we find them hiding in the back of the closet under a "great pair of shoes" we also forgot about. Instead of thinking of overhaul as losing precious memories, think of it this way: you will stop cleaning things you don't use!

Before you start the decluttering process
Make sure you have your goals in mind. This will make the task seem less overwhelming. Where is the clutter the worst? Which room would you like to start in? It can be especially helpful to write down your criteria for keeping something or throwing something out so you can't talk yourself into keeping things you don't really need.

If you think you might be overwhelmed doing it all in one day - don't! Make goals for smaller chunks of time on several days, but make sure, whether you do it all at once or not, you set aside a decent amount of time to really do the whole job.

Work in sections and be sure not to just concentrate on the big areas, like on top of tables and counters. Go through the drawers and cabinets - you may have a lot more space to store the things you DO want to hold onto.

Last tip before you begin? Find some large trash bags or boxes.

Things you may have that you should toss:

-Pots and pans that you think you can get the thick stains out of - but probably can't.
-Bedding that doesn't fit any current beds in the house.
-Clothing that doesn't fit or that you just don't wear.
-Kids toys, sippy cups, etc when the kids have grown out of them.
-Newspapers, magazines, etc that you have finished. You're probably not going to read them again... recycle!
-Thing you have multiples of and don't need. You do not need 3 can openers.
-Souvenirs that don't appeal to you anymore.
-Things that are broken.
-Board games or card decks with too many missing pieces to play.
-Stuff in boxes you haven't unpacked from your last move.
-Anything you haven't used in a year or more.

Things included on the "haven't used in a year or more" list that you may not have thought of:

-Dishes
-Food in the pantry (look at those expiration dates!!)
-Things displayed in curio cabinets in dining and living rooms
-CDs, movies, toys, games
-Medicine
-Beauty products

Some items on these lists are still useful, just not to you in particular. Instead of trashing those, they should be donated. Look for a place near you (i.e. The Salvation Army or Goodwill) that takes used items and sells them at low prices. Another option: have a yard sale!

Some claims you may encounter as you work:

Common Claim 1: "But this has sentimental value"
For a few items this is a legitimate statement. For most, it's not. When was the last time you looked at it or thought about it? Do you have a picture that holds the records the same event or trip? Where will you keep it?

Common Claim 2: "But my kids could use this when they grow up!"
Old appliances, kitchenware, furniture, etc are often defended with this statement. Huge furniture pieces are not fun to move up millions of dorm room stairs when you can buy a cheap and light version at a discount store. Pots and pans are cheap at some stores and won't have possibly toxic stains from 20 years ago. The only things I remember taking from my parent's house? Hangers, a lamp, an old flashlight, and a tea pot.

If there are A FEW things that really will be useful to your kids, keep them in a box labeled with their name in the basement or attic, not in your cupboards or on your table. Before putting anything in this box, seriously consider its value when your child is old enough to have it and think about how hard it will be to move. Don't pass your clutter on to them!

Common Claim 3: "I'm tired."
This is perfectly legitimate and understandable. Look at your goals. Can you take a break? Should you break the project into two separate days? The most important thing is to remember that this is going to make your life a lot easier after it's done. You will have a cleaner space that is easier to live in, so don't give up! If you choose to take a break, decide exactly when you will continue and stick to it.

You can also view this article on ezines here: http://ezinearticles.com/?On-the-Road-to-Clutter-Free:-The-Overhaul&id=5380323

Consider your purchases carefully, and when you do buy something, throw out or donate whatever the new gadget is replacing. Maintain your clutter free home by picking up and lightly decluttering each week at the beginning of your speed cleaning routine. Here's How:

1. Laundry

When you enter a room to declutter, grab a box or hamper and work across the room in a circle starting in one corner. Place all clothing in the hamper. This can make a big difference. When I pick up all the dirty clothes I've thrown around, my room is always 60% cleaner. If some of the clothes are clean toss them in a central location (the bed or sofa) as you're going. When you've finished with clothing take the hamper to the laundry room and throw it in the washer.

Come back to the room and fold and put away all the clean clothing you found.

2. Pick Up What's Left

Grab another box and throw everything that's just laying around into it as you make a sweep from one corner of the room around in a circle to the other side. The room will automatically look better because it will be picked up.

3. Sort!

Now, don't leave the box just sitting in a corner: It's time to sort! Go through the box and sort it all into piles: jewelry, magazines, important papers, kitchen utensils, trash, etc. (The list will obviously change for each room.)

(Sidenote: Another speedy way to 'pick up' is to do a single circular sweep of the room and sort as you go, meaning you already have a box for each thing and as you move around the room you can throw all clothes into one place, all jewelry into another, all magazines into another, etc.)

Now that you've picked everything up and sorted it's time to organize!

4. Organize

It's important to keep things that should be together.... well, together. It will be easier to find them that way.

If anything you have a pile of already has a place it belongs, just dump it in there. The jewelry pile can be put into the jewelry box and then it's done! Some things don't need to be stored away; even having a neatly stacked pile of magazines next to the couch is better than having them strewn about.

5. Keep the Clutter Away

The biggest way to keep clutter away is to deal with it as it happens instead of letting it build up. Now you have a filing cabinet for papers? Put the paper in there right when you're done with it, instead of laying it on the coffee table and, voila!, you've just decluttered.

And hey! don't forget to check on that laundry you started during Step 1!

File Away
There are many documents that it's important to have hard paper copies of, especially in regard to your financial life. However, these papers don't need to be in a huge pile on your desk or shoved in a drawer in the kitchen. A filing system can be helpful to everyone. Sort all your papers into categories that make sense: drop in labeled file folders and put it all away. Then whenever you get a new piece of paperwork, it has a home to go to as soon as you are done with it.

Bins are awesome. They are homes.
For young kids, toy bins are a great way to organize.
Let the kids help you as you are setting up the organization in their room. This is great because first, they understand it because you are explaining it as you go and second, they feel like they made the decisions too so they will be more likely to want to maintain it.

Make it accessible
This pertains to everyone. If you have things you need at the computer, store them near the computer. If there are things you use more often in the kitchen put them towards the front. This is also especially important in kids' rooms. The every day organizational system should be in their reach. Things they don't use (or shouldn't) can be on their higher shelves, but do you best to store low. Take this into account in other rooms of the house too. Can the kids' dishes in the kitchen be stored lower?

Use Labels
However you can make this work for you, whether it's color coding or printed sticky labels. Label file folders, cabinets, drawers, everything.

Some other tips for young kids rooms
-Color code or picture code things. Maybe the bin for kitchen toys has a picture of dancing silverware on the front.
-Designate shelves for specific purposes. The stuffed animal shelf, the book shelf, the library book shelf, the games shelf.
-Put a basketball hoop over the laundry basket and/or trashcan.

If you have kids keeping the clutter under control can be the biggest challenge, but when starting a new cleaning regimen getting rid of the clutter has to be the first step. There are several things you can do to keep the clutter under control, even with a large family.

Delegate
You cannot do this alone. Everyone has to be in charge of his or her own clutter once they reach a certain age. When they are young encourage them to help you complete the decluttering process for their room so they learn and feel involved.

Be consistent
Make a schedule for "closet cleanout times," and stick to it. Consistency is the key in maintaining a family cleaning schedule. I suggest doing it seasonally. Maybe on the first day of each new season you have closet clean outs and then go out as a family to enjoy a specific seasonal activity (like ice skating on the first day of winter or a picnic in the fall). Make it a day with something to look forward to. If you are not interested in cleaning out that often pick a day that you will do it once or twice a year and put it on the family calendar. People tend to lean towards springtime, but I suggest November before the holiday season.

Get rid of things
This is the hardest part and why so many family homes are cluttered. We assign sentimental value to way too many things and on top of that, we're too busy to worry about cleaning the toy closet out regularly. It has to be done.

Do you really need to keep that?
-Clothes and shoes that don't fit
-Clothes and shoes that no one likes and will not wear. That sweater from Aunt Laura? She'll never know if you donate it.
-Bedding that doesn't fit. Do you still have those old crib sheets?
-Sippy cups or bottles that you don't need.
-Newspapapers, magazines, and paperwork - you don't have to keep every math worksheet. Teach the kids how to recycle!
-Every piece of artwork you child has ever done. For the ones that you do want to keep see our guide to dealing with Kid's Artwork later in this packet.
-Board games or card decks that are missing too many pieces to play
-Broken toys that will probably never get fixed.
-CDs, games, and movies that just aren't cool enough anymore
ning.

One Equals One
One great way to keep the clutter down is to not add anything new unless something old is being removed. If your kid wants a new toy, they have to donate an old one to a charity. This is an especially cool thing to do around the holidays. Telling the kids they are helping some other kid have a better Christmas by giving up some of their old toys is a great way to bond and remember what the season is really about. Get a big box out and work together to fill it with things you don't need anymore. And then they get new toys at Christmas and have somewhere to store them!

Food
My dad always had this rule when we were growing up that was similar to the one equals one rule, but applied to food. We couldn't get a new cereal until we finished the cereal we already had, even if we didn't think we liked it anymore. You will be surprised at the food accumulation in the cupboards and fridge if you check it out so don't forget to declutter it and instill a one equals one for food or something similar.

Also - make sure you are eating leftovers if you are saving them. Kid's often don't finish whole meals. At a camp I worked at we had Leftovers on Fridays where dinner was any leftovers you wanted in the fridge, and whatever no one ate was thrown out. The cook even sometimes mixed different leftovers into new dishes.

Everything Needs a Home
Sort everything into logical piles: jewelry, musical instruments, kitchen toys, cars, barbies, etc.
It's also helpful for young kids to think of the toys needing homes, therefore they are real and have personalities. When cleaning with a 3 year old I use funny voices and yell that "I need to go home! Oh, please take me home! I'm so lonely here on the floor." He laughs AND picks it up. This also reinforces the idea that when I ask you to pick up your room I don't mean to shove everything into the closet. Everything has a place and hopefully this idea will stick with him even when he's too old to think I'm funny.
Oh and adults? Your stuff needs to be sorted and put in homes as well. Funny voices optional.