The Top 8 Reasons Why You Have Clutter

More common then you think, many people might just not know what clutter is. Some "stuff" truly is clutter that should be thrown out; some stuff is very valuable but has taken the form of clutter because it is not being properly stored or was bought and never used.

This is a huge area of confusion in many households. How do you know when to toss, shred, donate or sell an item if you don't know how long you should keep it? Ginny Snook Scott, Chief Organizing Officer for California Closets says, "Many people have no methodology of when and where to let go of things." Well, I'm here to help.

Hot on the heels of not knowing how long to keep things, is not knowing how to store things properly. If you're not sure how to store something, it tends to end up as clutter by default: lazy around the house and being tripped over at the most inopportune moments. Or worse, hiding when you need it.

Establishing easy routines for housekeeping and organizing is key. Once you've got a good routine down, you can go on auto-pilot to clear the clutter rather than think about the clutter.

The best routine is to declutter for a small amount of time every single day. A home organization routine brings you through your home weekly to organize and clear the clutter in another area for a total of 15-30 minutes per day. Totally doable.

Trays, bins, baskets, jars, and hooks are all excellent clutter busters because they take one-off items like pieces of mail, remote controls, cooking utensils or toiletries and make them look organized. Group like items together in one of these natural clutter busters.

Will you be dismayed to know that your clutter isn't even unique? The clutter in most homes comes from a surprising array of sources, most of which will be instantly recognizable to you.

Aspirational clutter is stuff you only aspire to use but ends up cluttering up your home.

• You take one painting class and buy an easel and set of brushes.
• You take one cooking class and run out to buy a wok and all of the accessories.

Stop buying! If you think you might like to become a painter or a gourmet cook, great, but stick to it for a few months before you fill your home with a new hobby's accouterments.

Letting go—especially of sentimental items—is a big part of decluttering.