Clutter 911

By Allison Carter

Do you pack every space until it's full?

Do you like to own a lot of stuff, and yet feel overwhelmed by it all?

Do you like to make purchases for the fun of the hunt and not because you really need things?

Shopping can easily get out of control. It can break the bank as well as fill your life with so much stuff you don't know what is really important... and couldn't find it even if it was. There are two areas of cluttering habits that usually keep people from getting organized. The first is acquiring objects. The second is not de-acquiring.

Here are 10 Ways to Break the Cluttering Habit:

• Pay only with cash. Money is harder to part with when it is real and not in the form of credit or check.

• Shop only when you need something. Shopping is not a hobby or a sport. It is to get things we need.

• Avoid garage sales, estate sales, eBay, Target, and shopping at sales. They lead to impulse shopping. Remember, one woman's clutter is another woman's clutter.

• Before making a purchase ask yourself these questions:

• Do I really need it? 

• What is the worst thing that would happen if I didn't buy it?

• Am I shopping to make myself feel better?

• Am I shopping because I’m bored?

• Is this the best way to spend my money?

• Do I have a place to put this?

• Don't order from catalogs or TV shows. It costs money and time to return these items, which discourages you from sending things back that aren’t right for you. In fact, if you don’t read catalogs and advertisements, you will find you are more content with what you have. People really have everything they NEED. Society makes us think we need more, new, better, variety, change. Be in charge of what you buy  by knowing what is really important.
• Take pictures instead of buying souvenirs. They take up less space.
• Toss 10 trinkets daily. If scraps of paper and small cluttery things are the enemy then the trashcan is your best Ally! 
• Be a giver! Keep a donation box in a closet or guest room at all times. Add to it regularly.
• Use the one-in-one-out rule.  If you bring something home, send away something similar.
• Live your life like you may have to move next month. Only keep the things you really love, need, and use on a regular basis.

Remember, it's not a bargain if you don't need it.

Allison Carter is a professional organizer specializing in family and home management strategies. She is also a speaker, writer, and mentor to new organizers. http://www.theprofessionalorganizer.com

©2006 The Professional Organizer