Thirty tips to unclutter your life
with permission from Katherine Gibson, www.clutterbook.com

  1. Keep just those things that have a purpose, inspire you, or that you consider beautiful.
  2. Establish a set time for a daily “Ten Minute Toss”. (That’s five hours a month!)
  3. Start with the most visible clutter and then move into the cupboards and closets.
  4. Tackle one drawer or shelf at a time until you have completely uncluttered a room.
  5. Take everything out of the space you are uncluttering and replace just the things you use.
  6. Give everything a logical place.  Tools in the tool box, kids stuff in the kids room.
  7. Adopt an attitude of generosity by giving things you don’t use to others.  A suit you don’t wear could be worth a year’s salary to someone who uses it in a job interview.
  8. Toss everything you don’t like and have never used.
  9. Set an uncluttered example by giving gifts that are consumable (memberships, flowers, specialty foods).
  10. Remove your clutter immediately from your house or it will creep back in.
  11. Keep just the current issues of newspapers and magazines.  Clip and file articles you may want to reference and file them in a binder dedicated to that topic.
  12. Put a basket for each family member by the door for mitts, gloves and scarves.
  13. Designate another basket for the library, video rental shop, etc.
  14. Cull your photo collection by keeping just the best of each occasion.
  15. Pay bills and respond to invitations immediately if possible.
  16. Spread the joy and recycle books when you have read them.  Keep just those ones you know you will reference again.
  17. Review all files and storage boxes annually.  Remove all things that are no longer needed.
  18. When you buy new pillows, bed linens, towels, donate the used ones to a shelter.
  19. To unclutter clothes closets, take everything out and replace just what you actually wear.
  20. If you put it down, pick it up; if you take it off, hang it up; if you open it, close it; if you use it, put it back.
  21. Underschedule.  Do more of what matters most and less of what doesn’t.
  22. Multi-tasking fractures effectiveness and creates stress.  Take on task and complete it before taking on another.
  23. Reclaim after-work hours for yourself.
  24. Designate "uncluttered family time" daily.  Children live in the present.  Slow down and enjoy them.
  25. Turn off the TV and read.
  26. Create quiet zones in your home, and quiet times in your day.
  27. Don’t clutter your life with unkind gossip.
  28. Do less on holidays.  Give yourself a break.
  29. Keep meaningful traditions and let the others go.
  30. Appreciating what you have will diminish the need to have more.