Organizing Expert Brooks Palmer Tells Us To Just Let Go Of Clutter

We've learned the best way to conquer cleaning and organizing around the house is to start small. Luckily, we're speaking to the experts all month long to get the best tips for getting a fresh start for 2013.

What we don't often remember is that it's necessary to get rid of clutter before we can start cleaning or even organizing what we've got. Brooks Palmer, blogger and author of Clutter Busting says to begin with one area, whether it be a room or even just a box, and focus on that. Otherwise, you may become overwhelmed at the thought of straightening up the whole house. You'll be surprised at how quickly it will go!

Palmer says to pick up each possession and ask yourself, do I need this, or can I let it go? Isolating each item will help you think clearly and identify if you're only hanging on to it because you are afraid of hurting someone's feelings, it has memories attached to it or you spent a lot of money on it. Afterwards, you'll feel great -- clutter just takes up space and gets in the way of what you really want to do with your space.

Illustration by Raydene Salinas

Palmer's go-to place for busting clutter: The file cabinet. Although you think your unit is housing important papers, he's found that nearly 70% of them contain outdated files or papers we no longer need.

Have a great tip or trick to add to our list? Let us know!

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