If you're plagued with clutter and need some tips on how to get it under control, you've come to the right place. Some of the most common clutter issues involve incoming mail, collections of sentimental items and seasonal decorations. Many also struggle with what to do with clutter in closets, home offices and unused bedrooms. Extra furniture can be a problem, and laundry rooms and attics are clutter magnets. Some clutter involves areas that are sight-unseen, so they are easier to not address.

First, let's deal with incoming mail. Two rules to incorporate are open mail daily and touch it only once. When you get home from a hard day's work, open the mail. Toss the junk mail, put all bills in the bill box and all correspondence you must respond to in an envelope marked "correspondence." If you are limited on space and pay bills at the kitchen table, create envelopes for each of the categories and keep them in one area always for quick easy access.

For attacking clutter in other areas of your house, use the "How do you eat an elephant?" method. The answer is, "One bite at a time." Your goal will be to target the most prominent areas that everyone sees in the house, first. Work your way through the home one room or area at a time.

Begin by clearing all clutter in the room into one trash bag or box, regardless of the items. Remove anything that does not have a purpose in that room or area. Once the clutter is cleaned out, sort it into the following categories and put into labeled trash bags or boxes:

* Trash
* Charity
* Store
* Repair

Ask yourself the following questions while sorting:

* Can I throw this away? If you have no immediately use for it, toss it.
* Do I have an immediate use for this item? If so, put it use right now.
* Is this a sentimental item from generations? If so, either give it away to your children or store it in a plastic container marked family treasures.
* Is it something I can use now, but needs repair? Don't delay, schedule a date and time on your calendar that you will either repair it yourself or take it to be repaired.

If you want to keep extra furniture that is causing clutter problems, either rent a storage unit or ask a friend or relative to store it for you. When you are finished with each room, take the trash out immediately, so that you aren't tempted to bring it back in, again. Make it a goal to work on one room an hour every weekend until you are finished with it, then move on to the next. Get the family involved and make it a fun event. The benefits are that you could create some memories and some habits that will stick.

Donate the charity items on the way home from work, so that they don't stick around. For items to be stored, buy plastic see-through containers and sort them into specific seasons or holidays, type of items and anything else that will help organize them. Label them, accordingly.

After finishing the entire house, determine to go through the home once a month to clear clutter. Schedule it on the calendar monthly, so that it doesn't ever revert to its former cluttered condition. Take charge and you'll begin to gain a sense of pride as you see your clutter disappear and order take over.

Ki lives in Austin Texas. His site provides information and statistics on Austin Texas real estate along with a graphical search of the Austin MLS. Monthly updates are posted on his blog covering Austin real estate and the national market.