Eliminate Clutter to Create an Orderly Home

Recently I was approached by a online publisher to offer articles written for "my audience". This is the first in this series.

Living in space that's free of excess clutter and useless junk can increase anxiety and make everyday life stressful. Can't find that insurance form as you rummage through chaotic piles of paperwork? Is your living space in constant disarray from a blanket of strewn toys? You can live in the most spacious house with the finest furniture and custom window treatments, but your family will continually feel unsettled if your house is always an overwhelming mess.
Streamlining your stuff with the following tips will help manage the clutter and disorder in your home.

Let Go of Clutter

Eliminate the excess contents of your home to create a simplified space free of litter disguised as home necessities. From bedroom closets to dresser drawers, sort through items that no longer serve a purpose.
Ask yourself questions such as:

• Am I hanging onto this piece of clothing or knickknack because of a sentimental attachment?

• Do I only aspire to use this item but haven't yet?

• Can I not part with this possession because it was free or a bargain?

• Have I hung on to this unused item because it was a gift from a close friend or family member?

• Do useless possessions that take up space make me feel falsely fulfilled?

Commit to tossing out a substantial amount of clothing, decor and objects which you've outgrown or forgotten. Focus on "dump zones" such as kitchen junk drawers and countertop corners, the dining room table and desk drawers. Eliminating these highly cluttered areas will also have calming and exhilarating effects.

Invest in Storage Solutions

Maintain an orderly home — especially homes that lack space — with creative storage solutions, which requires a little time and strategy. Installing wall shelves is an excellent way to display essentials and decorations. Ideal for any room, shelves can serve as a home for books, DVDs, photo albums and frames, dishes and important documents. Home furnishings stores usually offer an assortment of storage systems in a range of sizes. Shop for caster-wheel-drawer units for work spaces and extensive wardrobe-shelving systems for clothes and accessories.
Home storage ideas also include:

• Metal filing cabinet system, wicker baskets and nesting tables for a cozy nook

• Kitchen drawer organizers and dividers for an organized cooking and eating space

• Magazine racks and fabric bins that fit into low, wall-mounted shelves to manage children's books and toys

• Square wooden cubbies that hang on walls and give blank walls character

• Pin board, mail bin and pocket organizer that attach to the wall to keep mail, notes and important papers organized

Build DIY Space-Saving Shelving

Get creative with storage solutions by crafting your own shelves right into your home. NYPost.com DIYVA (do-it-yourself diva), Barbara K, provides affordable space-saving ideas for the kitchen and bedroom. Creating a storage rack that attaches to the back of doors can increase the amount of space in your kitchen cabinets and pantry. Barbara K recommends the material pegboard and installing metal hooks to small holes to hang kitchen tools. Pegboard also creates efficient storage for behind bedroom and closet doors. The aesthetic advantage of pegboard is that it can be painted and covered with patterned wallpaper or stylish fabric.