Homeowner's Declaration of Independence

Published On: January 19, 2010


As a long time homeowner I have had to deal with my number one enemy - the monster that lurks under every bed and in every closet - CLUTTER! Nothing will interfere with the enjoyment of your home as much as disorganization and clutter.

Over the next few weeks I will be sharing some tips on how to simplify your household and get organized. But first, let's look at some ways to prevent the clutter in the first place. You can call this your Homeowner's Declaration of Independence.

1. Garage sales are events you stage, not events you attend.  Unless you are a professional junk or antique dealer, there is no reason for you to ever attend a garage sale.

2. Discover the joys of borrowing. Let's be honest. There are some things you might only use two or three times a year. You don't need to buy these things! Your friends will be happy to dig them out from under their beds or the bottom of their closet and loan them to you.

3. Throw away those full color store inserts in your newspaper and the mailbox - do NOT browse them first. Those ads exist for one reason only - to make you think you need more stuff. I know, you think you are just window shopping, but that is the first step to buying a juicer with ten attachments, a second George Foreman grill or a desktop fountain just like the one in your attic.

4. Treat ebay and other internet shopping sites like disaster sites - steer clear of them. You will not escape unscathed. Clutter will leap into your shopping cart of its own volition!

5. Finally, if you absolutely must buy something, do it only to replace something you already have. It's okay to replace your grill, the refrigerator, etc - just don't multiply them!