Clutter Free As Easy As 1, 2, 3!  by Betty Raybolt

If you are feeling pinned down by all the clutter you have acquired in a certain room, this article is for you. These fast, simple steps will leave you feeling energized and clutter free. And the main tool you’ll need? Post-it notes.

Set your goals

The first thing you must do is determine your overall goal for your space. Is it one particular room you want to clear? I suggest organizing one room at a time. Begin with your most general goal, such as "de-clutter the family room" at the top of your goals. From there you can become more specific, such as "purge old magazines" or "remove newspaper stacks."

This is an organizing ranking system. Christy Best, organizer to clutter bugs in California, uses a similar system to get her clients in tip-top organizing mode.

Using a post-it note to label things most often used and enjoyed, write the number 1. All items you plan to keep nearby should be labeled with this number. For those items that are seldom used, place a label numbered 2. And for those things that are never used, place a label with the number 3 on it.

By labeling items 3 you have already begun the clearing process. You can pack those items up immediately and clear them from your living space. Stop, look around the room and take a deep breath. Feel the energy that comes from created space to enter your body. Now you are rejuvenated and can go to the next part.

Items labeled 2 are items that are not used frequently, but are needed seasonally or occasionally. These can be stored in boxes on shelves in the garage or storage areas. Once you can have this cleared, all you have left are the things you actually need in the room and probably have a place assigned to it.

For every item labeled 1, assign an appropriate place for it to live. Once you put each item in its place your room is neat and can be enjoyed and used as it was meant to be. Your energy from the space might even inspire you to sit down in the room with a cup of tea, just to enjoy being in your cleared space.