Do you use it?
Do you love it?
Does it represent who you are or something special?

Then it goes!
Toss, donate, gift, pay forward.

What I tell clients to declutter depends on the individual client... they are all different. But always to clear of kitchen and bathroom counters as much as possible to make them look bigger.

Three weeks ago, I got a new toy and wanted to play with it, but I needed to find my old heavy duty tripod. The old one that has one leg that will pull from the receptacle and make me spend the next ten minutes re-assembling. That is the Tripod I wanted to find.

I think I folded it and placed the collapsed tri-pod in a shelf in the resources room. Wasn't there. Or in the bedroom or other bedrooms or family room or Florida room or garage. I looked. Five times, talking to myself, "WHere is it?" I realized I threw it away because it had a busted leg.

Resigned to spending $100+ for a replacement, I head to the office to do some online shopping. On the drafting table behind my desk I see, set up for use, my old tripod.

I searched the room no less than five times looking for a collapsed tripod, and could not see the one atop the drafting table. It had been there, unobstructed, plain as day, since the creation of my last ad campaign.

My point is, sometimes we can not see, because we can only see what we want to see. Many people can not see their clutter.

I start with, "Do you know when last you used any of those remotes on the table top?"

1. Have a home for everything, having stuff does you no good if it is lost in the clutter.
2. Think twice, or thrice before buying anything, most of us do not need most of our stuff.
3. Be generous, give your stuff away, it may be better off cluttering someone elses house.

Yep follow Kathy Streib you'll get plenty of ideas

Nicol I have no problems thinking about what to write my problem is time:)Endre

Nina Hollander makes some good points. Candice A. Donofrio is right on..whether selling or not!

Nichol,

Candice A. Donofrio gave you a great list.  It is exactly what we do.  A

We don't live in our homes in same way we sell our homes.  Until then, be happy where you are and with what you have.  In that same vein . . .

The world’s most elegant woman, Coco Chanel, was said to have advised the following when dressing with accessories:

“Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off.”

Taking this sage advice from a woman who was far ahead of her time, what would you “take off” from your calendar of 1001 things to do today?

If you could do one less thing, what would it be?

Nichol Sandoval Candice A. Donofrio and Bob Crane gave you some good ideas.

Hide-your marijuana plants ! 

I've been working with some hoarders during 2016. It takes patience. Make a list of places that take donations.( Salvation Army, Lupus Foundation, Viet Nam Vets, etc). See if they want to give anything to family members. Make a place for things that go in trash and to recycling. Old clothes can be donated to homeless, churches, or any charity organizations. You'll need lots of boxes. Small ones are best. They will want to save many things that others think are junk. Don't argue or try to pressure them to get rid of anything that they aren't ready to get rid of. Spring cleaning isn't the same for everyone. outside, gutters might need cleaning, leaves raked, bushes trimmed, decks sealed, shingles repaired, chimneys and fireplaces cleaned and /or repaired, furnace filters cleaned or changed, etc. The list could be different for different people.

Nichol Sandoval - replace and not add! If a new smartphone comes in, do not save the old one! (And that's true for all other things, too.)

If you haven't needed it in a year let it go. Store things in clear plastic containers so you can easily see what is stored inside. That's my two cents.

Kathy Streib, Shar Sitter, Sharon Tara and other stagers on AR would be great resources for you!

Ditto Candice and Bob. Personally clutter stresses me out and I want to throw or give away almost everything. It is harder talking to clients who are sentimental about their belongings.

Just do it is my motto.

I live by Candice A. Donofrio 's answer....if I don't use it, I get rid of it....I can honestly say I Have NO Clutter...

Paper work:  Toss it, File it for reference or Use it now.

Take a photo of the room.
Look at the photo.  
Does it look spacious? Airy? Clean? Inviting?  
Sometimes a photo speaks a thousand words ...

Not at all...

I just keep buying out buildings LOL

Bob Crane nailed this one!

Decluttering is a great way to recycle usable items to various shelters or other groups in need.  Who needs 4 kitchen colanders or 2 dozen bath towels?  We not only help ourselves when we declutter, we help others!

Hmm afraid I really can't offer any suggestions that come to mind

Whenit comes to organizing/cleaning, I just put stuff in piles by category until everything that needs sorting and filed is out.  Then I organize those piles into file or folders or the big round file.

It feels good to sift through stuff, and get rid of it! 

Have you used it in the last six months?  Will you for sure use it in the next six months?  No to both?  Get rid of it.

Organization ideas: Have a list of the items with a priority rating (urgent, high, medium, low) and estimated time to completion (hours) on your monitor or fridge (some place you'll see it regularly).  Start working on the big ticket items and maybe some of the "quick wins" like weeding a front yard.

 As a stager I've advised on clutter on a regular basis. I would say collections and excess decor accessories would probably be the most common items I've had to suggest be removed. Books, clothes and toys are right up there too.

There are many excellent blogs on this topic.

This could have been a blog!

Michael J. Perry took my answer. 

You can always write about your market and do market reports on specific neighborhoods or segments of your market. That's my two cents for when you have writer's block. 

You are asking the wrong guy but my assistant take care of it all the time.

Hi Nichol, Thanks to James Dray for tagging me on this. 

I suggest they make 3 piles (if they are  moving) 

1. things they don't use or want anymore and can be donated, given to others or sold

2. things they will want at their new home but don't need now

3.things that just need to be tossed in the garbage

Best of luck!

Kitchens should be first, clear the counters. My best clients rented a storage unit and removed lots of stuff for better showings. As to yourself, when decluttering, don't try to do too much at once, it can be overwhelming. Best to do about 10 items a day. You'd be surprised how easy it will be to find them!

There are varying degrees of clutter and hoarding.  Every client is different. There is an emotional/psychological component to what causes people to keep things they do not use. Everyone is treated with dignity. Generally speaking, lists will not help.  I wish you all the best with your quest for organizing tips. 

  We moved recently.  We gave away mountains of stuff.

Good luck.

Nothing I can add.  You got some great tips here.

Hi Nichol, I was never one for lots of "stuff", I use it or loose it!

For clutter, i always tell them start in the kitchen, bath then bedroom and on to the living room. As far as what to write about. Write about your area, any good events? whats the market like? how is the weather and is it affecting the market? 

For declutter tips, read some of Kathy Steib's posts!

Rent a storage unit and move as much of your unnecessary belongings off the property as possible! If it is spring or summer, box up your winter clothes. Get rid of your turkey tray, extra plates, mismatched tupperware, and those spices you bought six years ago and never use. Take down most of your pictures, spackle and touch-up the paint. No more than one item on any flat surface, period! The more stuff they remove, the more spacious the home feels and the easier it is to clean prior to a showing.

throw it away

Well, stagers have the job of telling the sellers they live with too much stuff. I have videos & checklists on my website that I refer clients too.

NO IDEAS from me at all until they are going to sign first. I would say that people have no idea their house looks like a tornado hit it. I always tell people that the kitchen is one of the top areas to tackle first OR at least stash it in the cabinets.

People just do not want to see other peoples junk or distracting garbage anywhere in the house.