If you have basic cable and have gone channel surfing, chances are you have seen entire programs devoted to what happens when clutter goes wrong. With loads of new technology combining with old fashioned ways of communication, our generation is experiencing a whole series of new challenges to clutter, as well as inheriting the clutter of the previous age.
Because a mess can literally mess with productivity and can follow us in every aspect of our lives, we have gathered the below 25 tips to reduce clutter. They include items for the home, office, and even a few easy and high tech tips to make technology work for, instead of against, you. Tips to Reduce Clutter at Home Because it all begins at home, learn how to declutter everything from your space to your mind in the below.
- 1.
- The popular blog Zen Habits began as a way for Leo to share how he was de-stressing and living a more simple life. In a virtual manifesto, he gives 72 ideas to help anyone simplify their life. The Short List includes identifying the things that are important and eliminating everything else that isn’t.
- 2.
- If you have clutter, chances are you have stacks and stacks of papers adding to it. Take advantage of scanning technology and file all those forms away digitally. You’ll not only save space, but protect your identity by not having sensitive documents lying around. The experts at Unclutterer have more.
source : realsimple.com
- 3.
Systems for Managing Your Mail
- It comes every day and that means clutter is added to everyday. If you are like most people, you can’t address every piece of mail as it comes in. Visit this guide from the bloggers at Real Simple for a guide on how to tackle your mail.
- 4.
- Jen is the blogger at I Heart Organizing who is dead serious about the title. With tips for everything from organizing with kids to tackling the dreaded closet, she takes it all on. In this month long challenge, she shows readers how to truly organize all of their photography. Prints, equipment, and even online storage tips are given.
- 5.
Thrift Store Organizing Solutions
- Who says reducing clutter has to be expensive? Laura takes a break from her own blog,
- , to chime in on how to use your local thrift store in your quest for organization. It includes ways to repurpose items, assessing needs, and how to be creative.
- 6.
- Got piles of stuff that need to be recycled but don’t know where or how? Then stop by this blog with the sole goal of helping its readers discard properly of household items. You can even find entries on uncommon items such as packing peanuts and six-pack rings.
- 7.
- The best way to stay on top of mail that can clutter your home is to keep unwanted pieces from coming to your door. Check out this blog post from Chris Walters at The Consumerist to get eight ways to opt out of junk mail. Many of them include a simple registry where you just enter your address to be removed from the list.
- 8.
- Chances are if you are reading this, you have reasonable access to the internet. Which means all of those phone books are officially space wasters. But the more you get them out, the more new ones show up on your doorstep. Cut them off at the source by visiting this site. You can see which phone books you are in line to receive and opt out of some or all of them.
Tips to Reduce Clutter at Work Whether a home office or traditional, the below tips are essential for anyone living in work space clutter.
- 9.
- Gretchen Rubin is the best-selling writer of “The Happiness Project” and a blog of the same name. In this post, she shares eight crucial tips for clutter busting. Although intended to help those planning to move, they are also useful for the office and even home.
- 10.
- Because makeovers aren’t just for chicks in movies and home shows, use the experts at The Office Stylist to look at your own workplace in a whole new light. They include everything from desk makeovers to how to turn an attic into a functional office.
- 11.
- Janine Adams is a professional organizer who works with “chronically disorganized clients.” In this blog post, she discusses a simple and effective way to redo an office closet that isn’t forbidden to be looked at by others. She also has loads of other clutter reducing tips.
source : archives-amc.com
- 12.
- Because outsourcing is the latest craze, many people and companies have taken to hiring virtual assistants. One such person is Geralin of Metropolitan Organizing, LLC. She features several questions to ask a virtual assistant, as well as what to expect from one.
- 13.
- Because all offices have dry erase boards to some capacity, click here. Jeri and her blog show you the many amazing and different types of dry erase boards to make any office a less cluttered and more interesting place to work.
- 14.
- No matter how big or small, every office has a horde of supplies that can spell a disaster in clutter. The folks at Rubbermaid not only offer loads of storage solutions, but they have an organizing blog. This specific entry shows how to use Rubbermaid and other plastic storage products with the office supply in mind.
- 15.
Because the Bottom Line Doesn’t Have to be so Low
- Did you know that all this clutter can actually cost money? Monica Ricci is the host of her own organizing blog and details the five ways in which disorganization wastes money. They include re-buys, late fees, interest rates, last minute purchases, and wasted items.
Tips to Reduce Tech Clutter Although not as easy to spot, technology clutter can ruin organization just as surely as the old fashioned kind.
- 16.
- Even if you hate Facebook, it is unfortunately a necessity and is even now used for many business purposes. However, those who don’t understand Facebook are sure to commit a social or professional faux pas as a result. Check out this post from Get Organized Wizard to learn how to arrange your friends and even how to send messages to just a select few.
- 17.
- Organize With Sandy is a quick and easy blog for those who want to declutter on the simple. In this blog post, she has recommendations for tips on how to organize computer files. Folders, favorites, and more are all discussed.
- 18.
- Just because it comes and goes faster doesn’t mean email is any easier to declutter than the old fashioned kind. However, the experts at Calahan Solutions offer 19 tips for managing email. Also a standout for keeping the reluctant organizer in mind and being offered as audio.
- 19.
- Now that you have your email cleaned, what about the important stuff? There’s nothing like a downed network or hacked email account to ruin all that time spent reducing clutter. However, there are loads of email back up options, including this one reported on by Lifehacker. A guide for using it is also included.
- 20.
- Because files are not solely contained in emails, how do you back up the rest of your precious data without a printer, file cabinet, and increasing clutter? Fortunately, there are online storage options available. Best of all, many of them are free and can include up to 10GB of storage. Check out this entry from the pro’s at Make Use Of to see which are recommended.
source: dorothybreininger.files.wordpress.com
- 21.
- Fans of DIY will enjoy printing or saving their own lists instead of buying them or taking the time to type up a spreadsheet. Buttoned Up is a popular site for organizers and includes many free, downloadable PDF forms such as to do lists, address forms, agendas, and more.
- 22.
- Follow the Dot Blog has loads of tips for reducing clutter and organizing. In this post, they take on cables, cords, and other forms of high tech trash. A simple and green way to get rid of it is shared, along with many other tips and ideas.
- 23.
- What would a good organizer be without a to do list? With loads of paper and Post Its lying around, it would make them a pretty lousy one. As with many things, there’s an app for that. Use your mobile device to make your very own to-do list. A quick visit to 1 Step Web Designer gives their top five to do mobile apps.
- 24.
- As the technology gets more and more advanced, low tech ideas – such as scrapbooking – are coming along for the ride. Check out this virtual guide from Simplify 101 to get tips on starting and finishing a scrapbook. There are also loads of other tips to reduce clutter.
- 25.
- Take your scrapbooking to the next level by doing it online. The experts at Crop Mom have loads of tools to help you do just that. You can also check out their blog with new ideas and tips for design.
And the above 25 tips to reduce clutter are just the beginning. There are loads of organizing blogs out there to help in the quest. One such notable entry is Elizabeth Larkin’s blog for About.com. Must reads include 30 minute organizing projects and guides for every room in the house. Also of note for seniors and boomers who need help organizing is Regina Lark’s blog. She is the L.A. Organizing Examiner and has loads of tips for how to reduce clutter and downsize.
