What you do at the end of the year sets the tone and direction of the new year. This year set your intention to take the 12 Months of Clearing Challenge. Commit to clearing your entire home of those things you no longer love or use. Sound like a tall order? It is! But, it can…

There’s a popular quote floating around productivity circles that says, “eat a live toad in the morning, and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” Many people apply this to getting things done, saying that if you tackle your most difficult and overbearing task first, nothing else will seem so difficult. I…

One of the biggest reasons for the pervasive clutter in my apartment is a lack of time to deal with it. It takes longer to put a shirt away than it does to just throw it on the floor, so onto the floor it goes. As long as there’s a path from the door to…

In December 2005, Paul Graham published an excellent essay entitled “Good and Bad Procrastination.”  It is an essay that is worth revisiting from time to time.  In it, he argued that at all times we can work on one of three things: a) nothing, b) things that are less important, and c) things that are…

The modern home is far bigger than the home of just 30 years ago – and far more cluttered! How can that happen? Basically, our demand for stuff is outstripping our ability to buy space – no wonder self-storage is one of the leading growth industries in the United States. Questions about runaway consumerism aside…

In this uncertain economy people need to do more with less, make do, do without, do the math, and do it themselves. Why not DO SOMETHING by investing time in getting organized? Here are eight motivating reasons to do it now: Save money by knowing what you have. If you already know that you have…

Admittedly most of struggle with increasing workloads. Getting through a regular day isn’t as straight forward anymore as it was maybe ten years ago. With the increased pressures we face every day, it only makes sense to find ways that help us hack our days to keep some sort of mental balance. The sooner we take…

Unclutterer.com, one of our favorites and great resource for organizing and simplifying your material life, have put together an easy motivator post for those of us who struggle getting started. Living an uncluttered life doesn’t mean that you have to live an ascetic life. Simple living is about getting rid of distractions that prevent you from…

Blood, wax, grass? These tough stains are easier to remove than you think. Take a look at these simple solutions: Blood This, for me, is the easiest stain to remove. Whether fresh or dried, I just pour hydrogen peroxide on the affected area, wipe the bubbles away and with it, the blood stains. Have your own easy cleaning…

These short, daily routines could put you on the right path to a regularly clean and tidy home for you and the rest of your family. Here’s an example: Bathroom, 2 minutes daily Make cleaning the basin as routine as washing your hands. But don’t stop there. Get the most out of your pre-moistened wipe by using…

As small as this hack is, it had to be posted. Something this simple for a problem that so many households try desperately to prevent, it’s worth adding to your cleaning how-to’s. Place a cotton cloth directly over the stain and with a dry iron (NO STEAM!) press down for several seconds on the cloth. Remove…

At a dinner and spilled some red on your white or off white shirt? Don’t strip off just yet, there are some things you can do to ease the pain of stains. Act immediately – Don’t wait until you’re finished making dinner or get home from wherever the alleged spilling occurred. If you spill something…

This one is self-explanatory: if you’re tired of buying laundry detergent and want to save a whole lot of money every month, try making your own! I’ve been experimenting with making lots of cleaning supplies at home, but this one is by far the craziest – and the most successful. Basically, I made a giant bucket…

Scotch tape has always been a great tool for cleaning lint and hair off your clothes in the morning. Well that same piece of Scotch tape can double as a great way to clean your keyboard. This will help to stop your keys from sticking and result in less typos…

When you are sharing a house the hardest thing to do is get the place clean and tidy on a regular basis. Many systems have been put in place to make sure each person does their part, but not many last. The key, I think, is to find a solution that suits the personalities of your…