There are 300,000 items in the average American home. This is excessive by almost anyone’s standards, but even if that number seems rational to you unless you have excellent organizational systems in place, it’s likely that you find yourself battling clutter in your residence on a daily basis.

We all have a lot of stuff, so it’s no wonder that we find it spilling out everywhere and all over the place.

The accumulation of stuff and the drive to organize it all has lead to the rapid growth of the minimalism movement. This concept, paired with intense clutter-busting, will help you to regain control over your stuff, and in turn, your life.

Read on for some great clutter busting tips.

1. Keep Flat Surfaces Clear

Clear off flat surfaces in your home — including the floor. Flat surfaces have the tendency to collect clutter whether you like it or not. They also collect dust, and if there are many things piled upon them, you will be unable to wipe away the dust, too.

Knickknacks, papers, misplaced items, phone chargers, pens, and a million other things clutter our flat surfaces everywhere around our homes. Shoes, toys, boxes, bags, and other objects that aren’t furniture litter our floors. Find these things a home and put them there. The change you see will be immediate and amazing.

2. Get Rid of Stuff

Send things you don’t need or use out of your home and your clutter will decrease in turn. If you don’t use something, give it to someone who will. If it’s broken, fix it or throw it away.

If you don’t like something anymore or never did to begin with, what is it doing taking up space in your space?

3. Deal with Papers Immediately

Papers are a major culprit of clutter. To stay on top of clutter-busting, deal with papers right away when you get them.  If you still need it, file it where you can find it.

If you read it and don’t need it anymore, recycle it. Don’t keep newspapers overnight. Magazines should be recycled as soon as they are read.

4. Establish a Routine

Get in the habit of clutter-busting every night before bed. If you do it on a regular basis, it won’t take long. Just ten or fifteen minutes of work should do the trick to stay ahead of it.

Put things away. Throw things out. Put everything where it belongs and if something doesn’t have a home yet, make one for it.

5. Enlist Help

If you live alone, this is all up to you. The clutter you created is yours to corral. However, if you live with others, it’s not all your fault, so you shouldn’t be the only one dealing with it either.

Make sure everyone does his or her part in staying ahead of the clutter. As a team, you can overcome it.

Happy Clutter Busting

Clutter busting is an ongoing process but if you create systems to get everything reduced, disposed of, or put away, you can conquer it in your home. Clutter in the home is stressful, and removing it from your space can help you in countless ways. You will feel so much better in a clutter-free home, so go get started.

And if you ever feel overwhelmed, don’t hesitate to reach out to us for reasonable house-cleaning services.