Freedom From Clutter

* The 15-year-old electric carving knife...
a wedding gift from Aunt Martha: $19

* The single socks you're saving...
in case the mates show up: $6

* The drinking straw shaped like a pair of glasses...
The kids thought it was SO COOL and drank from once: $2

Donating them to charity: Priceless

Are you a slave to your stuff? Are you clamoring in a sea of clutter? The upside of moving is that, while you pack, you can purge and discard the clothing, toys, and utensils that you haven't used in years. But even if you aren't moving, there is great freedom that comes from de-cluttering your home.

Here are a few tips to get you started on your quest for order and simplicity:

Work On One Room At A Time
Be willing to work in small increments of time. Set your timer for anywhere from 10 to 60 minutes and only pull out as much as you can put away in that amount of time.

Designated Boxes
Have three bags or boxes designated as *Give Away *Put Away and *Throw Away.

Work Clockwise
Start at the door, work your way clockwise the room.

De-Clutter
If you haven't worn or used something in the past year, get rid of it! (Unless it has great sentimental value and makes you smile.)

Choose A Local Charity
As soon as you have filled the 'Give Away' box, take it to your car and drop off at a local charity. Do not move it to another location in your house or garage to save for a garage sale.

Organize Your Paperwork
Create files to handle all of the mail and papers that can pile up. Have a file for every month of the year. In each of these files place invitations, directions, instructions for the girl scout camp out, tickets, or any other paper work that pertains to an event during a particular month. Make sure that these files are very handy so that you will use them!

Organize Your Husband's Mail
What do you do with the mail, magazines and fliers that are for your husband? Create 'chair mail': put these items in or next to the chair that he always sits in. If he has an office chair that is away from the main living area, this is best.

These are just a few of the many ideas to help us find freedom from our clutter. Do you have an idea that you'd love to share with the thousands who log on to the Just Moved! web site? Email us today!