Multiple Uses Rule

Unclutterer has regular Unitasker Wednesday posts about ridiculous products that can only be used for one thing...panini makers, juicers, dog strollers. When buying an item, ask yourself if it can be used for more than one thing. If it can be used for up to three things, buy it.

7 Things You Might Not Realize Can Be Clutter

1. Too many knick knacks, souvenirs and collections.

2. Walls covered with artwork, photos and other hanging stuff.

3. Too many pieces of furniture in a room.

4. Papers, magnets, and other stuff stuck to the front and sides of the fridge or kitchen cabinets.

5. An abundance of drinking glasses or plastic ware in kitchen cabinets.

6. Sample sizes of anything, especially makeup, that are not the colors or brands you use.

7. Sheet sets for sizes of beds you do not own, well worn sets, mismatched sets, or more sets than you could use in a year.

From 1000 Best Quick and Easy Organizing Secrets by Jamie Novak (great book!)

The One Hour Closet

I took one hour and ruthlessly decluttered my closet. I looked at every article of clothing with scrutiny and ended up with a pile of unwanted items that took up my bedroom floor. One hour made a big difference in how I am able to organize my clothes. I just kept thinking the whole time, "What if I have to move into a small sailboat? Where would everything go?"

Is It Worth It?

A few years ago, my husband bought what he thought would be a fun water toy: an AquaSkipper. It looks something like a bike with skis that is used to fly along the surface of a lake, provided you have a dock nearby to take off from.

Well, it's been a few years and he has yet gotten it to work correctly. It is large and difficult to maneuver, store and carry. I ask him if he is going to take it to the lake and he complains that it takes forever to put together and so it sits...in the garage...collecting dust.

It may seem a good idea at the time to buy something that might give you hours of fun or enjoyment, but is the time spent to haul, upkeep, clean or put together the object part of the fun?

My favorite possession is my kayak. Really. I see it as my escape from the world and use it as my own private island. I paddle away from trouble and enjoy the feel of sun on my face and water dripping down my hands and head. To me it's no trouble to store it, haul it onto the top of my car, drive it to a lake an hour away and haul it into said lake.

Anything that is more trouble or care than it's worth should not be part of your life, no matter how much money you spent on it.

Managing Your Tchotchkes

We all have those little collectibles that we have garnered from world travels, discount store or boutique sales, kind friends and family members. But organizing them to show them to their highest capacity, yet keep them clutter free, can be a challenge.


1. GROUP LIKE ITEMS: Put items that are similar together. Put shells and rocks in bowls or vases, put figurines all on one shelf or together on a pretty tray, plate or charger.

2. ONE IN, ONE OUT RULE: If you get another tchotchke. Another one should be donated or given away.

3. DISPLAY, NOT PACK AWAY: Your favorite items should be on display all the time. Don't pack away items "for later". Later may never come. Live life today and enjoy what you have.

Help! I'm a Hoarder

This show was on TLC a couple of nights ago and just goes to show the extreme hoarding problems that some people have. I got a better understanding of how long it can take to remedy of a hoarding problem and all the psychological aspects that go along with hoarding. People find their things to be a safe refuge from a sad, scary world.

Help! I'm a Hoarder

Organized camping

Even when my husband and I go camping, I try to keep our campsite and gear as organized and decluttered as possible. We bring only what we really need, plus a few personal items for our own comfort, like a book, soft pillow or socks, or our small camp hammock. Each thing has its own place and its own container. This is what we usually bring:

1. Tent
2. Sleeping bags, mattresses and pillows
3. A backpack each for our clothes and personal items
4. A cooler for cold foods
5. A dry box for our dry foods
6. "The Kitchen Box" which is a rugged plastic bin that holds our cooking pans, utensils, clotheslines, matches, tablecloth, oven mitt, soap and other things. Everything just gets tossed into the box (no need to be anal on a camping trip) and then immediately gets cleaned out after each trip.

We also strive to keep our campsite organized. Making sure the tent zipper is closed keeps out bugs, closing the lids on our food and kitchen boxes keeps out the birds and squirrels and keeping everything organized means we are able to find everything right away.

I have noticed other campsites in our area that are strewn with kids' toys and clothes, food is left out, and garbage piles up. If you do this in your home, no one can see it unless they come in, but in a campground your site is open to the world. No one likes to see that kind of mess, especially out in nature.