We are all familiar with clutter and those items that just don’t seem to have a place in our home. Not only can clutter make your home feel messy and disorganized, but it increases stress and complicates our lives. Even though no one likes clutter, many people struggle to keep their home neat and organized. The good news is that you don’t have to live with this constant struggle. Try one of these great ideas to minimize clutter in your house.

Manage Everything You Touch

Think about all of the items you touch throughout the day in your home. At some point, you will touch clothes, toiletries, shoes, food, towels, cleaning products, mail, office supplies, and more. Imagine if every time you touched an item, you put it away in its rightful place. The truth is, we often sift through these items and just leave them lying around. Before you know it, these piles of stuff just get bigger and bigger until it seems too overwhelming to put it all away. Tackle this problem by making sure that every item you touch has a place.

Don’t Be Too Sentimental

The thought of keeping sentimental items might be sweet but it’s not practical. It’s certainly ok to hold on to a few pieces of your child’s artwork, but saving every single handprint isn’t necessary. You aren’t going to enjoy piles of artwork shoved in a box anyway, so frame a few of your favorites and toss the rest. Keep this mindset with other items that might seem meaningful. It’s fine to have a few sentimental keepsakes but do so in moderation.

Have a Designated “Donate” Box

Pick a place in your garage, mudroom, or laundry room and create a “donate” box. Every time you come across an item you no longer use, you can easily toss it into the donation box. As you fill the donation box, make a quick trip to your local donation center and drop it off. This is a simple way to eliminate unnecessary clutter in your home.

Follow the 3 Month Rule

Many people have a hard time deciding which items to part with but you can find a simple solution by following the 3 month rule: If you haven’t used the item in the past 3 months, you probably don’t need it. Obviously this doesn’t apply to holiday decor, seasonal clothing, or patio furniture, but it's a great rule of thumb for most other items.

One Thing In= One Thing Out

If you plan on bringing new items into your home, be prepared to purge a few of your existing items. For example, donate a few shirts before you bring home some new ones. Pack up an old toy before you buy another one. It might sound simple enough, but it can really help you to avoid too much clutter in your home.

Don’t Shop for Leisure

It’s easier said than done, but if you really think about it, you probably don’t need a lot of the items you buy. Any shopping should be done with a purpose. For example, go to the grocery store because you need food or go to the hardware store because you need light bulbs. Avoid shopping for leisure as this generally leads to unnecessary purchases.

Fifteen Minutes a Night

The most common excuse for a cluttered home is “I don’t have time to clean.” The secret to a clutter-free home is a simple method that involves tidying up for fifteen minutes a night. Straighten up pillows on the couch, pick up toys, put away mail and paperwork, wipe down kitchen countertops, take out the trash, and start the dishwasher. We can all spare a few minutes a night and it will make for such an enjoyable morning.