Clutter Rehab 101 Giveaway

Comments

1. Sue says

   07/21/2011 at 3:32 pm

   I have a step basket on my steps. Anything that is down stairs and needs to go up. Goes in the basket. Nex time I go up I take the full basket with me.
   Sue in NJ

2. Jill says

   07/21/2011 at 3:31 pm

   Think before you buy. Get rid of something before buying something else.

3. Brandi says

   07/21/2011 at 3:30 pm

   I didn’t read the rest of the comments, so this might have already been said, but one of my favorite tips is BASKETS! Lots and lots of baskets. I keep one by my phone for pens and pads, I keep one on my sideboard for bills that need to be paid, I keep them on my homeschool shelves for writing utensils, art supplies, etc. I keep them in my bathroom for books and magazines, wash cloths, and extra toiletries. I keep them in the kids’ room for toys with lots of pieces. I have one in my laundry room with lonely single socks in it, and another for sample-size laundry products. I could go on and on… 🙂 Everything has a place and I know where to find it! The only thing is, you have to de-clutter the baskets from time to time.

4. Gina says

   07/21/2011 at 3:27 pm

   I’m not sure if this is so much an organizing.decluttering tip, but I’ve found that throwing in a load of laundry every day is an easy way to keep laundry under control. I know some people have specific laundry days, but I find doing one load a day is so easy and it never feels like I’m spending a long time doing laundry. It’s one of the few “chores” around the house that is always caught up on.

5. ErinK. says

   07/21/2011 at 3:27 pm

   I think a really simple one…that makes a HUGE diffence is:

   Have a place for the mail AND go through it before setting it down in that place. Recycle or shred the junk right away then toss it in the mail basket. I go through ours every few days and further sort/purge out stuff not needed. Try and only deal with it once!

6. Eos Mom says

   07/21/2011 at 3:11 pm

   I am a hopeless mess (which is why I want this book!), but I’m good about keeping my kids’ outgrown clothes (fairly) organized. Since it’s not for long term storage (I’m handing them down to others), I use cardboard bankers boxes. So cheap–less than $2 a box and they stack great in the closets.

7. Elsie says

   07/21/2011 at 3:03 pm

   Thanks for the post! I have a few areas… “Winter – Play Clothes” “Winter – Work Clothes” “Summer – Play Clothes” and of course “Summer – Work clothes”. Makes it easier for me… until my husband goes and messes things up! 🙂

8. Karen says

   07/21/2011 at 2:28 pm

   In the summertime i keep all winter cloths in plastic tubs in our shed.

9. Nancy says

   07/21/2011 at 2:25 pm

   I have two storage tubs in the attic labeled Fall and Spring for items to take to my local consignment shop. When something no longer fits or is not in season, it is washed and packed into the appropriate tub. I take items to the store twice a year – just need to grab the correct tote and go. The store owner loves that the items I bring are clean, neatly folded, and only for the current season.

10. Krissy says

    07/21/2011 at 2:18 pm

    I have small stacking drawers that I put all my kids’ school work in throughout the year (one for each kid). Then, at the end of the school year I go through all of it (including the loads they bring home on the last couple of days!) and put what we want to save into a 3 ring binder. Then I take pictures of the big stuff and throw those away. I do some modified “scrapbooking” and include pictures of their school activities in the notebook as well. All three of my kids enjoy looking back at their school memories this way.

11. Judy @ A Meek Perspective says

    07/21/2011 at 1:53 pm

    Every time you leave a room look and see if there is something you can put away or carry to the room you are going to instead of letting things pile up.

12. Jane says

    07/21/2011 at 1:27 pm

    Never, ever, ever put anything down on a cleared off surface planning to pick it up later. One, you probably won’t get around to picking it up and; two, it gives everyone else permission to clutter that surface as well.

13. Elizabeth says

    07/21/2011 at 1:18 pm

    I have a rotating cleaning schedule…so I know eventually it will be clean even if it isn’t today. I hate feeling like I’ve been cleaning all day. I also have baskets that I collect toys in and once a week redistribute them throughout the house.

14. Tara says

    07/21/2011 at 1:06 pm

    Plastic rubbermaid bins for toy storage

15. Jen says

    07/21/2011 at 12:45 pm

    I like the “1 in ~ 2 out” rule! 🙂 For every one thing that comes into my house, two things must go out!

16. Julie says

    07/21/2011 at 12:41 pm

    I have a separate bin for each of our mismatched socks. So each time I do laundry and need to find the mates to socks, I know which bin to look in quickly.

17. Donna says

    07/21/2011 at 12:41 pm

    I use plastic stacking drawers in many places, but my favorite is in the cabinets under the bathroom sinks to hold soaps, extra toothpaste, nail polishes, etc. This triples the space under there! What I like about drawers is that they are easy to remove. As a teacher, I could not live without plastic drawer units. I have math manipulatives, games, puzzles, etc. in them and the kids can just pull them out to pass out things to the class.

18. Angie says

    07/21/2011 at 9:40 am

    When the house gets cluttery, I grab a laundry basket and put all of the clutter in that basket. Then I can go room by room putting things away.

19. Tammy says

    07/21/2011 at 12:24 pm

    I make sure to take trash out any time I get out of the car. I do this even as I’m running errands since most stores have trash cans outside. While it doesn’t get vacuumed as often as it should, no one has to worry about climbing over bottles, napkins or food when they take a seat.

20. Chris says

    07/21/2011 at 12:09 pm

    Some mottoes that I have, though I am learning and do not always do these. Do not leave a room without taking something. (Or worded better, Always improve a room when leaving it). Do it now. I dread doing certain things so I timed them and realize they only take a few minutes.

21. Heather aka Dynamic Uno says

    07/21/2011 at 12:06 pm

    I set a timer when I’m “cleaning/decluttering.” That way I don’t feel like I’ve been working forever since it’s broken into chunks of time by the timer.

22. Vivienne says

    07/21/2011 at 11:54 am

    I use clothes pins to pin the socks so they stay together during the washing and drying process.

23. Alana says

    07/21/2011 at 11:41 am

    It take a lot less time to just do something instead of complaining and delaying.

24. janice says

    07/21/2011 at 11:10 am

    I go through my closet every January and turn my hangers the wrong way. As I use them throughout the year I turn them the right way. At the end of December I toss everything that hasn’t been turned….if you haven’t worn it in a year…..toss!

    • Teresa Carlucci says

      07/21/2011 at 11:11 am

      Janice…that has to be one of the best ideas I have heard!

25. Lani says

    07/21/2011 at 10:45 am

    If I’m cleaning downstairs, there’s a laundry basket at the foot of the stairs. That way I can throw things in that are in the wrong place to corral them but only make one trip up the stairs instead of 22.

26. Tammy says

    07/21/2011 at 10:33 am

    I have an annual garage sale every summer. I will start a “garage sale box” as soon as my sale is over and as items are no longer needed or wanted I will price them and put them in the box. Once that box is filled, I will start another one. I stack them in the corner of the garage and then when its sale time all you have to do is unpack the boxes on the table and you are ready!

27. Cassie says

    07/21/2011 at 10:18 am

    I use laundry baskets! If i see too much clutter in places it doesn’t belong, I quickly put everything in the laundry basket and then put it all in it’s proper place. =D I love it!

28. Jennifer says

    07/21/2011 at 10:08 am

    I have learned to do what works best for our family. For my son, this has meant abandoning closet and drawer storage for clothes and opting for 2 large rope-handled buckets–one for tops, and one for bottoms. Socks, undies, PJs still go in the drawers.

29. Elana says

    07/21/2011 at 10:06 am

    clear plastic show boxes- easy to see whats inside, looks good, and colorful!

30. Pamela says

    07/21/2011 at 10:01 am

    Don’t wait til evening to pick up stuff. Before breakfast, pick up for a minute; before lunch, pick up for 5 minutes; then the after-dinner pick up won’t be so overwhelming.

31. Barb Hanson says

    07/21/2011 at 10:00 am

    I use one of those hanging shoe pocket type organizers to keep various items organized such as brushes, deodarant, hairsprays, gels etc. Hangs on the door right by my mirror and where I need it. Works great, don’t have dig thru a drawer for the brush I want. If you’re sharing it with somebody you could even make certain rows for certain people.

32. Mikki says

    07/21/2011 at 9:57 am

    I am, thankfully, not a pack rat. Guess that comes from growing up with someone who was and NOT wanting to be that way.. so at the beginning of every season I go through clothes and get rid of what’s not needed. This keeps down on the closet clutter.

33. Hannah N. says

    07/21/2011 at 9:47 am

    I’ve had to work hard to embrace this one: try to eliminate the “I’ll do it later” mentality. If I see something that needs to be picked up, do it right now! Chances are, it will only take a minute or two to put something back where it belongs.

34. christine says

    07/21/2011 at 9:45 am

    Baskets! Cheap baskets! Wipeable baskets! For everything!

35. Carleen Sparkman says

    07/21/2011 at 9:44 am

    Take your shoes off in the closet! This way you dont’ have several pairs around the house and you know where your shoes are!

36. Kelly Tanner says

    07/21/2011 at 9:43 am

    I find having small garbage cans in the majority of rooms helps to keep garbage, wrappers etc. laying around to a minimum. On garbage day I just go around and dump them all.

37. Teresa Carlucci says

    07/21/2011 at 9:42 am

    I keep a wicker laundry basket at the top of the stairs and use it for items that need to go downstairs….and vice versa!

38. Jude says

    07/21/2011 at 9:38 am

    My favorite tip, and one I try to stick with (somewhat successfully) is to do a load of laundry right through to completion, wash, dry, fold and put away as quickly as possible, and only one basket at a time.

39. dawn says

    07/21/2011 at 9:37 am

    Before buying something at a thrift shop or yard sale, even if it’s the best deal ever, ask yourself “Do I love this thing enough to want to clean it, clean around it, or otherwise maintain it?” If it will end up being something you hate to clean or takes too much time/energy/money to maintain it, then it’s not worth cluttering up your space.

40. Donna Thompson says

    07/21/2011 at 9:24 am

    Keep plastic grocery bags from taking over your cabinet or under your sink. Control them by storing in an empty Kleenex box. It will hold surprisingly more than you think. Always handy for dirty diapers, messy cooking debris, etc.