In the Balance Article by: Elaine St. James

Household chaos, clutter, and “too much stuff” is an all-too-common challenge today — and a major source of complication and frustration. Here are some easy tips for dealing with your intimidating and unwanted buildup to achieve balance:

Call Goodwill — NOW!

Chances are, much of the clutter that is taking up space in your life is already organized, boxed, and sitting somewhere in your home ready to go: old clothes, books, appliances, toys. With one phone call and almost no other effort, you can free up a huge amount of household space.

Purge your kitchen

Go through your shelves and cabinets, pull out those gizmos and gadgets that have never been used (you know they’re in there!), and march them down to the local thrift shop. Your meal preparation will never know the difference!

Apply the One-Year-Out rule

Scan the contents of your closets, basement, and garage, asking yourself, “Have I used this in the past year?” as you consider each item. When the answer is no, think seriously about getting rid of that thing. If you haven’t missed it yet, you probably never will.

Discard all those old magazines and catalogs

If your coffee tables, corners, and nightstands are covered with periodicals and catalogs you’ve already read through, it’s time to say goodbye. Gather them up and drop them in the nearest recycling bin.

Start with the things that are easy to get rid of, and build up momentum from there. You’re guaranteed to be amazed by the exhilaration and mental clarity you will experience simply by freeing up a little physical space!

Source: Simplify Your Life by Elaine St. James.