It is much easier to do additional work when there is nothing in the way. I am actually going to refinish my hardwood floors once I get the clutter out of my room. That is giving me a great urge to get finished because I know how good they will look. I think I will even paint the room, but I don't think I can do all of it in one day, but the clutter I CAN handle in one day.



That is very important as we clean clutter to be able to change our thinking while we change our actions. Looking forward to an organized room as you expend your energy and channel your efforts in the cleaning process is a perfect motivator. While we start to change our thinking, we need to be mindful to the fact that we should open and then trash junk mail as soon as we receive it. We should read our magazines the day we get them or at least by the next day. We should recycle our magazines to neighbors or doctors offices but we need to learn to get rid of them within 2 days of receiving them.

Once we have painted the room, added new shelves or curtains, and then replaced the important things that we kept back into our room, we need to be mindful of keeping free of clutter. There are some very good rules to follow to make sure that we won't end up with a cluttered room again. We need to put things back where they belong instead of laying them down in a haphazard way or helter-skelter. You know we all were told growing up, ?that there is place for everything and everything in its place?, and that is certainly true now that we have organized everything.

Resist temptations when you are shopping and never buy duplicates, never buy on the spur of the moment, and don't buy one thing unless you get rid of one thing beforehand. That would mean that you need to get rid of something by giving it away or donating it BEFORE you purchase anything new. That is usually the beginning of hording or collecting junk. Continue to be diligent with your organization by only touching a piece of mail once. If it is trash, throw it our but if it is important, then file it. There are nice filing cabinets that are essential to maintaining order for paperwork. If you have trouble keeping addresses, invest in a rolodex to keep important numbers in and you can add or subtract names with ease.

Now that you know how to go about being a clutter cleaner, you will be so proud of yourself. It is a great feeling to be successful with a chore well done. It is so empowering to have your stuff organized and live clutter free. Enjoy the new freedom that having your home back in the condition that will make you proud if a neighbor shows up unexpectedly and enjoy being able to sit in your favorite chair and read or watch television knowing that YOU DID IT!