Before you start the major dejunking process described below, take some time to plan a place for everything you want to keep.  This is the foundation of a neat home: "A place for everything and everything in its place!"

Budget your space, much like you would budget your money or your time.  Consider the amount of space you have to work with and what you want to do with it.

This is a new way of thinking about your space and belongings – not simply where can I put everything, but what do I need and where do I need it.

 1.  Start by making a list of the functions your house is used for (e.g., sleeping, cooking, washing, eating, playing, visiting, making things, entertaining, studying).

 2.  Decide the best use of each room as you match it to one or more of the functions.  This is also a fresh approach to organizing your home.  For instance, two or more children could share a room with bunk beds and free up a room to be used for a your school work and library.

 3.  Next, write the name of each room at the top of a page and list the uses of that room and what items should be in that room for those needs.

 4.  Now assign a space in each room for the items needed there.

 5.  You will need some general storage space as well somewhere in your house for miscellaneous items that don't fit anywhere else or are being saved for later.  This could be either unused space in the rooms, or a separate area in the attic, basement, shed, etc.

 6.  After you know exactly where each item belongs, print copies of your list.  Post them throughout the house (inside cupboard or closet doors), and distribute them to family members.  You can also place labels on shelves and in drawers and closets, etc. until habits are firmly established for putting things where they belong.

 7.  Now you are ready to remove clutter and unneeded items from your home.

One way of getting started might be to check your list for needed items and "go shopping" among your stuff, find them, and put them away.  The balance can be discarded as suggested below.

Dealing with clutter is an ongoing challenge.  The "Four-Box Dejunking Method" below is recommended by many experts to help you identify and dispose of clutter.

As you go through the items in your current work zone, force yourself to make a decision about each item you pick up and place it in the correct box.  Indecision is often the biggest problem in dealing with clutter.

Refer to your master list of items needed for each function and space assigned for those items.  Ask yourself questions like these:

Be sure to schedule time before you stop working each day to appropriately dispose of box contents.

Throw away the rest.  Use large trash bags for non-garbage throw-aways, rather than overfilling your garbage can.  Some serious dejunkers even rent a small dump box.

To prevent clutter from accumulating again, try one or all of the following suggestions.

After a particular area (as small as one counter top or drawer) has been cleared, do a daily clutter check of that area to make sure no clutter is permitted to return.

Each member of your family needs to know where every item belongs.  (Review your master lists!)

Keep eliminating stuff until everything fits in the space you have available, rather than wishing for something you do not have – more space for more stuff!

Work hard on the habit of returning items to their homes.

One suggestion is to have an attractive basket or other container in a corner of each room for items that need to be put away in another room.

At a designated time each day (e.g., before dinner, bedtime, or free time) have each person check the containers and put away his own belongings and things that he has used.

When you buy a new item, another item must be discarded, recycled, sold, or donated.  This keeps the sheer number of items below the clutter point.

This can also save money as you consider if you really need or want to buy a new item badly enough to release one you already have.

It is more cost effective to rent some seldom-needed items or to borrow them from your public, church, or home-school library.  This is another way to keep down the volume of material in your home and storage space.

Ridding your home and life of clutter is enough reward in itself, but you may also realize other profits.  Items that could still be of use to others can be disposed of in several ways:

Give them to people you know that could use them, or donate them to your church, mission, Goodwill, or Salvation Army.

See "Yard Sale Tips" at organizedhome.com.

Did you miss spring cleaning this year (or maybe the last several years)?

Of course, if you are really well organized, you have been keeping your house neat and clean all year.  But those of us who always seem to be a little behind probably need to do a good, thorough house cleaning right about now.

If you followed the steps above for dejunking your house, you are ready for the next step – discover a new level of clean.

It is amazing how easy it is to clean a house with the clutter out of the way.  In fact, your house might even be cleared up enough so that you can hire some help for the scrubbing!

Afterwards, enjoy the fruits of your labor as your family and friends live and fellowship in your clean and orderly home.

For valuable tips on efficient ways to clean anything, see the online resources listed in the left-hand column.