In order to live in a place that is tidy, organized and in order, you need to make a conscious effort to get it there. You can’t let clutter build up without making some changes that will prevent it from happening again.

The following are five tips to practice clutter control:

1. Keep only what you use and love…

2. Create “home for everything” rules that apply in each room of the house…

3. Toss or donate often…

4. Create storage solutions…

5. Designate a home for each item…

This post is part of the series: Clutter Control in Your Home. For other posts in this series, please click here.

A cluttered home can be an uncomfortable place to live. It can also be a fire hazard and a health risk. Clutter is also expensive — not only because you have to pay for storage space, but also because it costs time and money to organize and maintain your stuff. To get started on your clutter control, follow these five tips:

1. Keep your personal items contained in drawers and closets.

2. Don’t keep anything that you haven’t used in the last year.

3. Limit yourself to five sets of dishes, silverware, pots, pans and linens per household member.

4. Keep only one set of tools or appliances for each household member (e.g., just one vacuum cleaner, one coffeemaker).

5. Purchase storage space for seasonal items that are used less than four times a year (e.g., yard equipment, sports equipment).

Control clutter to improve your home and your life.

I’ve been practicing clutter control for two years now, and it’s made a big difference in my life. I’m so much happier now that I don’t have piles of stuff all over my living room. And I’ve found that it’s easy to keep things organized when you need to.

Here are some tips to get you started on the path to clutter control:

1. Get rid of things you don’t use anymore: If you haven’t worn it in over a year; if it doesn’t fit or is stained; if you never use it; or if you just don’t like it anymore, throw it out or give it away. It’s clutter—get rid of it!

2. Keep only what you love: If you’re tempted not to throw something out because “you might need it someday,” ask yourself this question: “Do I love this?” If not, get rid of it! You don’t need clutter in your home—it will just end up making things harder for you.

3. Donate things instead of throwing them out: If something is broken or stained beyond repair but still functional, donate it instead of throwing it out. You’ll feel better about giving something

Clutter. Ugh, I still shudder when I hear that word. It was a problem for me and it is a problem for many people. We have more things than we need, which makes it difficult to find the things we do need. Clutter is stressful and can even make you sick!

So, how do you go about getting rid of all your clutter? Here are 5 tips to help you get started:

1) Take everything out of your closets, pantry and drawers. If there are items you haven’t used in a year or more, get rid of them. If it’s not serving a purpose, don’t keep it.

2) Clean off surfaces like tables, desks and counters so clutter has nowhere to hide. Make sure everything has its place so that when an item needs to be put away, you know where to put it back.

3) De-clutter your schedule by cutting down on activities that aren’t as important as they used to be or that you don’t have time for anymore. This will free up time for other activities and allow you to spend more time with the people who matter most to you.

4) Donate excess household items that others could use instead of storing them in your home

Clutter is a problem for many people. It may seem like it takes over your home and life. You walk into a room and everything seems to be in disarray. Clutter has become your enemy, and you want to get rid of it as soon as possible.

The first thing to realize when facing clutter is that you can’t do it all at once. Attack one room or area at a time, so you don’t feel overwhelmed by the task ahead of you.

Set aside 15 minutes each day to attack clutter, whether it’s looking through a few magazines, tackling a pile of mail or cleaning out the refrigerator. Tackle small projects in bite-sized chunks rather than letting them build up until they seem overwhelming.

You’ll be able to handle hours of cleaning if you do smaller chores every day. The idea is to make this task less daunting by breaking it up into manageable pieces each day.

Once you have tackled an area of clutter, put away items that belong there on a regular basis and ask yourself if items around the house really belong in that area or can be stored somewhere else. If these items don’t belong somewhere else, then give them away or throw them away.

If you live with others and don’t want to attack clutter alone

While you may be tempted to paint a room in one big swoop, it’s actually much easier if you break the project into manageable chunks. To begin with, make sure you have the right equipment and supplies on hand.

Paint is expensive, so it’s best to use only what you need and not waste any. While you don’t need an entire gallon of paint to complete a small job, it’s a good idea to get one anyway. If you run out before completing your painting project, having some left over will save you from having to make another trip to the hardware or home improvement store. You can always return any unused portion of the gallon later.

Tape is also important when painting walls because it allows you to create straight lines without making a mess by brush or roller.

Keep in mind that the best time for painting is at night when there are fewer distractions. It’s also nice and cool outside so that your home won’t heat up as quickly as indoors during the day. If possible, try to find a weekend when friends and family members aren’t around so that they won’t be exposed to paint fumes. Also keep in mind that painting projects can take several days or even weeks depending on how big your room is and how many coats of paint