How To: Clear The Clutter.

Sometimes tackling a messy situation can be overwhelming. You just don't know where to start. I feel your pain! Here are the simple steps I followed yesterday that make clearing the clutter a manageable process.

1. Pinpoint the specific problem. For me, it was clearing out all my purses. For you, it might be the pile of God-knows-what on your kitchen island. By clearly stating the problem, you can create an attainable goal. And in doing so, you're setting yourself up for success. And that feels good! Success will encourage you to tackle other clutter areas in your life.

2. Organize the things you want to keep. Sort like objects into piles. Putting things away will be much easier, thanks to this step.

3. Throw it away! I have a tendency to keep things because I feel I might need them someday. Example: I've been lugging around the same salon menu in my purse for over a year. If I haven't needed it yet, chances are I never will. And if I do, there is this handy dandy little thing called the internet where I'm sure I'll find a more up-to-date version.

Everything is a compromise. You need to decide which is more important. For me, having an organized purse was more important than hanging on to the menu. You'll need to decide for yourself.

Although my purse situation did not warrant such measures, donate unwanted belongings to charity. Many organizations accept everything under the sun, including clothes, bedding, office supplies, toys, home decor items, and even unused toiletries. Clear the clutter and help others. What could be better!

4. Create an organized system to stay clean. I decided to keep belongings in small pouches within my bag. This way I can switch out the pouches easily from purse to purse and can keep my bag organized. I also assigned a drawer near our front door to house all my purse essentials. This way I can choose a different bag everyday and am not lazily grabbing for the same old bag just because all my things are in it.

Also very important: Set up an effective system, but make sure it's beautiful. The more you like looking at your organizing system, the more you'll use it. Above I lined the drawer with a vintage tie dyed fabric and used this ikat bowl to hold my lipgloss. Convenient and pretty!

Well I hope this helps motivate some of you out there! I'm using the month of February to clear the clutter. A perfect time as I unpack all these boxes filled with things I managed to live without for over six months. I think I'll be rereading this post often over the next month!