Around the barnyard #3

Clutter... let's have a discussion about clutter!

I am of the opinion that the majority of problems that moms have when keeping up a home is clutter! Sometimes clutter gets out of hand... and can even lead to hoarding (you've all seen those shows on Oprah or Dr. Phil, right?)! This is a slippery slope to go down, and one that is hard to return from. This type of room is not healthy... for you or your family!

So what can you do? Well, when things get this bad... the experts recommend literally removing everything from the home and putting it in the front/back yard... clean... then only bring back in what is necessary to live. Everything else ... CHUNK!

Maybe your home isn't this bad, but you know that your situation is more cluttered than you wish it to be... what do you do?

---Go around your home and identify everything you have out that you either don't need or hardly ever use...

---Next look around at all the spaces in your home that are poorly organized and have wasted space. Now you need to get down to business. You need to decide how you can re-evaluate those closets, pantries, and/or garages (or if you're really lucky and have a basement).

---The next step may take money, but based on how our home is built... most homes in the last 10 years, there is tons of wasted space, and sometimes the only way to make things more usable is to drop some cash at your local organizational store!

---Once you have the space the way you want it, it is time to fill it. As you put each item in, spend a few minutes really thinking about if you should REALLY keep it. Could you find a better home for it (someone else maybe that would benefit from it, or maybe donate it to a local charity, or is it just junk that should be thrown away)?

Most common areas for wasted space... tops of closets, and pantries. Look at different options to maximize what is there!

Start with one room. Once it's done move on to the next room/closet. Remember not to try an accomplish it all at once. This a big and important job, and you don't want to neglect the steps just because you are in a hurry to be done with it!