While we're in the spring cleaning mode, it's also a good idea to use this time to declutter. Here are a few ways to do it and you won't have to spend a ton of time or money.

Fantastic Plastic

Does your basement, attic or garage look like a warehouse with cardboard boxes all over? Plastic bins are a great alternative to cardboard boxes. They come in all shapes and sizes and it's really easy to see what's inside the bins versus a stack of cardboard boxes. Store seasonal items, off season clothes and shoes and even miscellaneous items in plastic bins. They stack neatly and are nicer to look at than ratty boxes.


What's Cooking?

I love to cook and bake and I had a messy pile of recipes on everything from 3X5 index cards, torn out pages from magazines and notebook paper. Plus, I had cookbooks in cupboards all over. I must admit my mother helped me with this one. She gave me a three ring binder with colored labels for categories and extra plastic sleeves to keep track of everything. My cupboards are neater and cleaner and I don't have to dig through a pile of papers to get at what I need.


In the Closet

As we're moving from winter into spring and summer, try this: When you wear something and put it back on its hanger, instead of hanging it over the bar, go under with the hanger. When fall rolls back around, look at everything that still has it's hanger over the bar. That means you didn't wear it all season and it should go in the pile for donations.


There's An App For It

There are several apps out there that can help you in the organizing department. One that's awesome is YadaHome. Instead of having your grocery lists with coupons clipped onto it jammed inside your planner, try YadaHome. You can use it to organize your grocery list, coupons, family schedules, recipes, photos, social networks and contacts. It's available for Blackberry, iPhone and Android.

How Do You Get Organized?

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