Clutter Control System Five

Clutter Control System Five - Tracy Keleher

Follow these five simple steps each and every time you tackle an area of your home.

By Tracy Keleher

*System Five* is a simple five step process for de-cluttering. Apply *System Five* each and every time you tackle a cluttered area in your home and you’ll be clutter-free in no time!
The process involves the following steps:

Step 1: Ask yourself this question: This room/closet/area is a space for….
Step 2: Then decide: based on your answers above, how you are going to set up your space.
Step 3: Sort
Step 4: Clean
Step 5: Organize and Containerize

Let’s examine each step in more detail, assuming we are de-cluttering a child’s bedroom:

Step 1: Ask yourself this question: This room (child’s bedroom) is a space for….

a) sleeping
b) getting dressed
c) playing with toys
d) storing clothes and toys
e) reading

Step 2: Then decide: based on your answers above, how you are going to set up your space?

This is probably the most important step in our system. It involves careful planning and is where your own family’s needs and your creativity come into play. Carefully consider each point you have listed above. Decide how you are going to organize this room. Think functionality, simplicity, safety, and comfort. Take inventory of what you have to work with and consider the needs of the people using the space. For example, store toys within a small child’s reach. Hang a mirror at your child’s height. Make sure there is ample lighting available for reading. Sign up for our Clutter Control Club where each room in your home is examined in more detail.

Step 3: Sort

Pull everything out, touch everything. Empty a closet, or pull everything out into the center of a room. Look at all the junk you’ve accumulated! Sort each item into three piles: KEEP, GIVE, and PURGE. Other than precious keepsakes, only keep items that you use or have used in the past year. Throw out anything that is broken or has pieces missing. Give useful items away, but make sure you TAKE them away too. Don’t just move them to another room. Put them in a bag, by your outside door, or better yet – load them in your trunk to be dropped off at their new owner’s home tomorrow.

Step 4: Clean

One word says it all for this step! Now that your space is cleared out, cleaning is easy. It’s often a good idea to start with your vacume to pick up dirt and dust bunnies, making sure you get in those corners. Grab your *Sparkle Kit*. Touch every surface at least once, ideally twice, dusting or vacuuming first, then washing it or wiping it down. Use appropriate cleaning products based on the surface type you are cleaning. Now is also the time for paint touch-ups and laying shelf liners and mats.

Step 5: Organize and Containerize

This is the fun part, now that the hardest work is done! Use your creativity and knowledge of your family’s unique needs to find a home for everything from your “keep” pile. As you’re putting things away, be practical. Make sure items can always be put back where they belong when not in use. Ensure your little ones can reach their things and that other items won’t get knocked over in the process of tidying. Use containers wisely. Old apple baskets, plastic bins and wire boxes work wonders. Take pride in how well you can organize things neatly. Pretend you’re a professional! Put smaller objects in containers according to their use. Voila! A job well done!

Comments

Lana Champion | April 22, 2008 at 8:30 am - §

When it comes to getting rid of things, please consider Freecycle first, rather than the garbage, even for broken items or things you think no one might want (because they usually do after all). Freecycle is where you give things away to strangers in your area for free, usually by leaving the item on your porch for them to collect. I have cleared out so many things from my house this way, and nothing had to go to the landfill ! More info at Freecycle.org
Drothy Knight | June 24, 2008 at 7:54 pm - §

I'm ready to start, but a little nervous. Since I work 8 -10 hours a day, there is little time left for tackling a big job. This boot camp may take a longer than 28 days, since the e-mails aren't read until after supper. But if it take two evening to finish a task so be it.
Nancy B | August 19, 2008 at 4:06 pm - §

While I did make time on the weekend and did clean out and up the one corner of my room, the closet is overwhelming. Same with the drawers in my dresser. My daughter in law was just up and I gave her a bunch of new bras and underwear that came with a bra but I won't wear (thongs) so that did put a small dent in a drawer but tons more to go.I have given furniture and paint to people on Free Cycle but I don't know if they would want clothes and linens with small holes in it?I'll keep trying but I don't think 28 days is enough to get thu this task!
Cat N | September 9, 2008 at 10:52 am - §

Please...if you have any thing fabric, clothes, stuffies, shoes, bags etc. even torn or with holes...call Big Brothers to pick up. They only receive funds for fabrics, not the small household items they take as well. If is a great program and helps kids from single parent homes.