8 Comments so far

1. + † + Tobias had this to say about the topic:

   Hi,
   I learned of this site a few years ago…it’s pretty helpful actually….check it out and see if it helps any http://www.flylady.net/
   Have a blessed weekend

2. amvanisl had this to say about the topic:

   There’s no shortage of help on-line for cleaning & organizing, but I’d like to share some steps to get you started.
   With garbage bag & recycling container in hand, do a room by room collection. Identify the next 2 biggest clutter offenders, be that laundry, clean clothes not put away, reading materials, toys, shoes, dirty dishes, & tackle those 2 things. If you tackle the things that take up the most space, it’s a big bang for the buck & gets your momentum going.
   I always have 2 shopping bags in my closet. One for items to donate to charity, & one for items that can be sold in the free classifieds or in a consignment shop. I get rid of these things as they accumulate. Teach your kids to purge. They may not tell you but they will be grateful. Just before any holiday or special event is a good time to check for things to part with to make room for the new stuff that will inevitably come in. Keep this in mind… What are the chances you will get more stuff sometime in the future? Your space is finite.
   Hope this helps get things going. If all else fails, invite someone you like to visit in a week.

3. Dr. Phil with boobs had this to say about the topic:

   spray all your furniture with febreeze so it is wet and you can’t sit down, then go through with a trash bag and pick up the trash first. Then pick up the toys and so on and so on.

4. jammer had this to say about the topic:

   Place a plastic bag of unwanted rubbish in your trash can once a week. Take all good, but unwanted stuff to a thrift shop. Have a car boot sale. Give stuff away to someone who may need it.

5. tryingmy had this to say about the topic:

   The best thing I did was move. When we moved – I tossed EVERYTHING. I think we hauled off more stuff than we moved. I refused to bring JUNK into my new house.
   I realize this is most likely not an option for you, but the mentality might help. See if you can get it into your head that you don’t actually want all that stuff, and no – you won’t need it later. My sister is bad about hanging onto stuff because she might need it later, but can’t even find the kitchen counters because of all the stuff she “needs.”
   Declutter your home and declutter your life. Back a truck up to the front door and start purging. It is easier to clean when there is less stuff to clean around.

6. luv'nthe had this to say about the topic:

   http://flylady.com/
   I’m a HUGE flylady fan!!! One of her best pieces of advice I got from this site (You can get daily e-mails to keep you on schedule with tips and directives) is to keep my kitchen sink cleaned and shined! I never want dirty dishes in my sink now!
   Here’s an excerpt from the main page:
   Are YOU living in CHAOS (Can’t Have Anyone Over Syndrome) like Franny in the pink sweats? Do you feel overwhelmed, overextended, and overdrawn? Hopeless and you don’t know where to start? Don’t worry friend, we’ve been there, too.
   Step through the door and follow FlyLady as she weaves her way through housecleaning and organizing tips with homespun humor, daily musings about life and love, the Sidetracked Home Executives…
   Get to cleanin’!
   Fly Lady Fan in ND

7. Jennifer K had this to say about the topic:

   Try this get 3 large boxes. Label one, we use it.
   label 2 we use it but last year,
   label 3 we haven’t touched it in a long time.
   When all is pick up and sorted Keep Box 1
   Donate Box 2
   Throw away Box 3.
   It always worked for my family. After all is said and done, work at one room at a time and do your best, at the end of the day you’ll appricate your work
   Sifter products are great for tile and wood floors. Fabreeze helps get the smells out, and Mr. Clean Magic erasers are great on most hard surfaces. Good Luck and stay at it

8. dearylou had this to say about the topic:

   Trash pile.
   Donate pile.
   Keep pile.
   Then you need bins to put the keep pile in. Maybe you need some bins in your closets or some decorative bins out in the living room.
   One of my kitchen counters is the catch all. So I made an area there so for the change and mail etc. Then just go thru it at the end of the week/month.
   Get the kids to pick up their toys.