Looking at my desk, I just knew that I had to do something about the clutter around me. To my right I have a huge mug that contained pens and other unnecessary things. I am positive that some of those pens no longer write but I have neglected it for far too long. On the left part of my desk are piles of books, papers and notebooks that I haven’t really opened for the past month. And to make matters worse, I can find plenty of my daughter’s things all around my desk from hair accessories to missing pieces of her toys stored elsewhere. I totally felt suffocated in my very own space.

When you have to frantically find your son’s baseball gloves and other everyday stuff, you may already have a growing problem with clutter in your home. Many families are battling clutter every single day, and be comforted by the thought that you are not alone. According to experts, clutter can affect many aspects of a person’s life, and it can particularly affect your productivity. Before you think of work deadlines and your kids’ after school activities, it may be good to start by getting rid of all the clutter in your life.

You can begin by tackling the problem in a per area basis in your home. Bear in mind that there is no short cut in de-cluttering your home because it is actually a lengthy process. There is just so much to do that it can even take days or weeks to complete. If you are too busy, try to set at least a few minutes of your time each day devoted to cleaning and freeing your family from all the clutter.

Prepare empty boxes so you can separate items that will go to the garbage, and set aside those that are for donation, recycling, or for a yard sale. Some parents may find it hard to let go of old items especially when these have a sentimental value. But when you keep too many things, it will just eat up space intended to store other important things.

Before you touch any of your child’s belongings, make sure that you ask permission because kids can be very strict with their property rights. While going through old toys, clothing, and the piles of documents that you need to sort, take the time to organize so you can easily locate the things that you need the next time around. There are plenty of affordable document, closet, and space organizers that you can purchase to get everything in order.

If you feel the urge to keep unnecessary things, think about the people who may need them. If you haven’t really used something for some time, it can mean that you really don’t need it. Instead of just stocking unnecessary items, contact local organizations that accept donations. The things that you don’t really need can go a long way when you give it to people who are in need.

You can even get everyone involved so you can teach your kids to avoid clutter. Try to make the task of de-cluttering your home a fun activity for everyone. If you agree to do a yard sale, get the kids to help you sort out the items and agree on where the proceeds will go. Kids can be enthralled with the idea of doing something for a common cause, or by the idea of earning money through an activity such as a garage sale.

Getting organized may eat up a lot of your time, but in turn it can lead to increased productivity and lesser stress. I am still in the process of de-cluttering my home but I can truly say that I am already reaping some rewards. Win the battle against clutter, and you are guaranteed to have more time to do other important matters.