Publishing Guidelines: You may publish this article with the article and resource box intact and unchanged provided any links are hyperlinked. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated. (The challenge paragraph may be omitted for space.) -----------

“Too Much Stuff” Syndrome or How Decorating and Organizing Can Help Your Sanity by Lisa DeClue

This area of home life is different from others in that it involves all the senses and to that degree it is successful, engendering varying emotions. Decorating isn't really a hobby, nor is it merely an activity; it's a driving force of many people to live in comfortable and pleasing surroundings while they regenerate from a stressful world. Yet, decorating by itself is not nearly as completely satisfying as having an organized home that is rich in beautiful detail. Decorating and organizing go hand-in-hand, like a one-two punch of home completion.

In an effort to motivate you to action, use these suggestions to help you on your way to an organized home this spring and summer.

Paper Clutter 1.If you’re like my dear Mother and you still have newspapers from 1978 because you haven’t read them all: Don’t walk, RUN to the sanitation department and rent an industrial sized dumpster to leave in your driveway for a week. 2.I’m giving you permission to touch your incoming mail and papers more than once – only if the second “touching” is on the way to the dumpster. 3.You know that pile of “things to file” that keeps growing? Guess what – dump that too. You can always print off another copy or send away for the info. over the Internet. (This, coming from the daughter of a paper monster…)

Clothing Twice a year, my mom would make me try on clothes for the upcoming season. She would invariably choose cold mornings to try on summer things and the hottest day on record to slip into woolens and flannels… (If your kids give you flack for trying on clothes in the comfort of air conditioning, you may use this as your own example.) If you haven’t worn something in the time it took you to have your second child, it’s probably not worth hanging on to (unless, of course, the dumpster is full).

Use a great tip I just discovered: Pick three nights a week to try on 5 items in your closet, then go to your dressers and do the same thing. At this rate, the average American woman should be able to go through all her clothes in about 3 years, 9 months and 14 days. No need to worry, it’ll be a different season then!

Kids’ Toys 1.You could try to “limit” the number of toys they play with each month and cycle them to and from the garage so your little ones get variety. 2.That takes too much effort. I just threatened my boys if they left toys out on their floor at bedtime, they would be in the dumpster the next day (the toys, silly!). Do this twice, and you’ll have this hot spot under control.

I hope these points have given you some new ways to look at the problem of clutter and refreshing methods to deal with them. Given the fun you’ll have with that dumpster, you might want to consider renting a second one for the hubby’s stuff.

I’ll tell you what. If you really do rent a dumpster (okay, it can be the smaller version) I’ll have a reward for your diligence. Ladies – Email me that you filled your dumpster to the very tippy top and something funny that happened during the process. I’ll send you a coupon for a discount on a Fragrance Lamp that will fill your home with lovely aromas. Gentlemen – Email me the same (that is, that you actually rented the thing and filled it, and an amusing related story) and I will send you a Gift Certificate for your wife. Such a deal!