1. Take Mini-Steps to Clear Out Clutter
Schedule time to attack the clutter in your home, one drawer at a time. The clutter in your house can seem overwhelming, but if you commit to tackling one cupboard, shelf or drawer per cleaning session, you'll be amazed at how manageable the task is. You'll be clutter-free before you know it!
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2. Functional Kitchen Cabinets
Make better use of your available cabinet space. Organize all of your dry goods into stackable plastic containers - rectangular shapes work best. Group like things together (ie. baking goods) and label the containers so you can easily find what you're looking for. Use stepped shelves to make things accessible and visible at the back of deep cabinets.
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3. Less Is More
Does your living area feel cluttered, even after you've tidied up? You might want to consider cutting down on your decorative items. Clear everything away and then add a few accent pieces until the appearance of the room is pleasing without being cluttered. Donate or pack the rest.
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4. Pack It Away With An Expiry Date
Not sure if you need it or not? Pack it away in a box with an expiry date and put it into storage. If it hasn't been opened by the expiry date, you probably don't need it after all. Sell, donate or toss it.
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5. Everything In Its Place
Find a home for every item in the house. Store items in a logical place and group like things together. Make sure that every member of the household knows where to put things away, and label shelves and containers if it will help. It will be easier for everyone to pitch in and keep things tidy if they know where things belong.
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6. Closet Chaos
If the Leaning Tower of Pisa has nothing on the pile in your closet, it's time to reorganize. Sort through everything and decide what stays and what goes (store, donate or dump). Go shopping for shelf dividers and closet organizers to make efficient use of your closet space.
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7. Put Away The Paper
Sort your mail as soon as you bring it in each day. Throw out junk mail right away. File important documents, and have an inbox tray for mail you need to take action on (bills, letters, etc). Pick one day a week to deal with the in-basket. Place magazines and newspapers in your magazine rack and dispose of the old ones they are replacing.
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8. Garage
Is it a challenge to fit your car into your garage? Time to clean it out, reorganize and get the clutter off the garage floor. Get hooks and clasps for items that can be hung (shovels, brooms, etc). Containers and shelving will help with smaller items. Paint a box on the floor to act as a "parking spot" for your kids' toys and bikes.
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9. Kids' Rooms
Take an afternoon with the kids to reveal the carpet under the mountains of toys in their rooms. Store toys in clear plastic containers - if they can see what's inside they won't have to dig through every box to find what they're after. Let them sort through their old toys and sell what they've outgrown at your spring garage sale. They can keep their profits!
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10. Double Duty Meals
Cook (and clean) less often by preparing larger quantities of food at a time. Double up recipes and place these instant no-fuss meals in the freezer (keep track with a list). Even when preparing lunches go the distance and make extra - prepare and package enough veggies, crackers and cheese to grab out of the fridge and add to lunches all week. In the long run, you'll spend less time in the kitchen, and more quality time with the family.
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