Clutter is the beast that seeks to destroy—your time, your energy, your mind, your zest for life. It seeks to devour all it can, leaving you drained and frazzled.

If only you could run away!

But it will find you, for it rears its ugly head wherever you go, leaving trails of paper and piles across your desk, magazines and books scattered throughout your house, photos jammed into boxes, clothes of various sizes in heaps inside your closet.

Time to get out your whip and tame the beast. You own it. Don’t let it own you.

Start small. Don’t overwhelm yourself. If you really want to conquer your clutter, choose one specific area, such as a drawer, closet, or shelf.
Set a timer. Choose a specific time that you will commit to. Try 15 minutes to get in the habit of organizing.
Put systems in place. For you, that may be to use file folders, bins, and compartments. The most important criteria for a system is if you will you it routinely.
Get rid of all that junk! Okay, so a lot of it might not be junk. But answer this: Is it useful? Do you love it? Do you need it? If not, get rid of it.
Curb the habit. Stop buying all that stuff to begin with. Your purchases eventually become invaders of the peace in your home.
Have a place for everything. Everything needs a home. No more loose change in the silverware drawer. No more lonely single socks flirting with the stash of jewelry. No more swimsuits drying in the pantry. Oh, never mind.
Keep storage space minimal. And don’t buy more storage to contain your increasing bounty. This forces you to choose what you will keep and what you will toss.
Schedule time. Insist on regular times to declutter, before the clutter becomes so scary you don’t want to face it. You’d rather burn your house down and start over. Only do this as a last resort.

And finally, show that clutter beast who’s really in charge!

What are you clutter tips? What have I left out? Please share your ideas in the box below.