Clutter free living-25 more great tips

Living clutter free is all about being well organized and efficient in your day to day living. Remember, good Feng Shui is about living in a well balanced, harmonious space where energy can flow freely; this means living in a home devoid of clutter. It will not only make you feel better to know where everything is, it will also save you a lot of time looking for things that have been misplaced. There are numerous ways to live more clutter free, so here are 25 more great tips on how you can achieve that goal!

1. Losing keys is one of the biggest problems in households, there is nothing like running around like mad in the morning trying to find your car keys so you are not late for work. Having them right next to the door makes perfect sense but so many people leave them on counters and dressers. Umbra has a magnetic key and letter holder that not only holds your keys but also your mail. www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp

2. Under the bed clutter is not recommended but you can have some great storage containers that can fit neatly underneath. You will sleep better at night knowing that the underside of your bed is organized instead of a messy chaos.www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp

3. Put up extra storage shelves or cabinets in your laundry room to store laundry detergent and totes with linens to keep them off the floor and well organized. www.containerstore.com/shop/elfa/components/solidShelving

4. Use a bulletin board to keep newspaper clippings or to post up grocery lists and important post its. Bed Bath & Beyond has a bulletin board made from recycled materials! www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp

5. Need to leave someone a quick reminder but you do not want to tack things all over your fridge or bathroom mirror? A message center is a great and easy way to do this. A really unique idea is to have a peel and stick slate chalk board that you can place on your wall or on a cabinet and it is not permanent. It is great for use in your kitchen or home office.                                                                      www.organize.com/peel-stick-slate-chalkboard-sheets.html

6. Clear containers make for excellent storage so that you can can see what is in them. If you have holiday decorations to store, get totes that match with the season to keep them better organized. For example, if it is Christmas decorations you are storing, purchase red or green totes. You can also get tall clear containers that store rolls of wrapping paper and organizer containers that also store bows and ribbon. These can be stacked in a closet or under a guest room bed that is rarely in use. www.containerstore.com/shop/storage/holidayStorage

7. Get a filing cabinet to store all your important documents and bills. Do not save everything because you have one of these, decide what you need and recycle the rest! These can be stored in a home office under a modular desk or get one with wheels that can be rolled out of a closet. www.westelm.com/search/results.html

8. Keeping your coffee table neat and tidy can be a big chore. Be sure to have a coffee table with a drawer or a shelf that you can display baskets in for storage of magazines, books and travel literature. If you have a flat table with nothing under it, you can house storage ottomans underneath that can also be brought out for extra seating when you have guests.
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9.  Do you find that you have television and stereo remotes that are hard to find and always getting misplaced? Try getting a remote control holder that can also store magazines. www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp

10. If you are one of those people that are always rushing out the door and are searching for iPods and cell phones at the last minute there are some great ways to store them. Have them sitting on a docking station where they can always be kept in one place. www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp   www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp                                                                                                                    
11. In the habit of collecting seashells, buttons, rocks, beach sand and various other small artifacts? These types of things can be stored in the bottom of clear vases and put silk flowers on top or in bowls or even in a lampshade. Check out this unique find at Arhaus Furniture. shop.arhaus.com/carty/default.asp

12. Wall shelves are a great way to store candles and accessories so they are not adding clutter all over your countertops. www.zgallerie.com/p-4286-nairobi-wall-shelves.aspx

13. To save space on counters and dressers, use hanging picture frames to display family photography. www.chiasso.com/shopping/modern-home-accessories/modern-picture-frames.aspx

14. Do you have your ironing board sitting against a wall or out on display? Why not consider an ironing board organizer that you can install on any closet door to store both your ironing board and your iron, even if it is hot! www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp

15. Are your shampoos, conditioners, sponges and soap laying all over your shower in disorganization? Why not get a shower caddy to house all of them so not only is your shower neat and tidy, it will be easier to clean! They come in all shapes and sizes, for really great deals, check out your local Marshalls. www.bedbathandbeyond.com/stylePage.asp

16. Why not have an entryway bench to store shoes, magazines and athletic gear. A bench with cubby holes, storage baskets or pull out drawers is a neat and tidy way to store things so they are not crowding a front entryway. It is bad Feng Shui to have things crowding a front entry. Having a bench is also a great place for your child to sit down and do up his or her shoes, or even a great place for yourself to sit! www.potterybarn.com/products/samantha-entryway-bench/

17. Do you have a lot of clutter on your bathroom counters, no towel racks or just not enough storage space? Consider some bathroom furniture to help put things away. There are many options such as wall cabinets, shelving units and above the toilet shelving. These are great space savers and excellent ways to make your clutter appear more organized and tidy. www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp

18. Are you a coupon clipper and have no place to store them so they get thrown away or left all over your counters? A great idea is to have somewhere to store them such as a coupon organizer book that you can store in a drawer and throw in your purse when you go to the store. www.organize.com/coupon-organizer-fruit-flower-meadowsweet-kitchens.html

19. If you have overcrowded or disorganized drawers in your kitchen you could benefit from having a kitchen rail. This is an organization piece that helps you to have your tools close at hand when you are cooking. You can have different baskets that connect to the rail to have whatever you need up off the counters and at your fingertips. www.organize.com/vario-comfort-organization-system.html

20. One of the biggest problems of clutter we have is emotional attachments to personal belongings. If you are having a problem with wanting to keep everything your child has made in school, try to imagine the bigger picture. Think of how much you will accumulate by the time your child reaches the age of 18. A great way to decipher through this mass is to decide what you love the most and scan or take pictures of the bulkier items and throw them away. You can turn all the work into a photo book that you can keep as a coffee table compilation. A great place to start is at www.blurb.com

21. Shadow boxes are a great way to store keepsake items that create a theme that you can store for a lifetime. These can be mounted on a wall or put up on a shelf or even stored in a curio cabinet. Shadow boxes can be purchased at Aaron Brothers, Michaels Arts and Crafts, or any hobby store. www.ehow.com/video_4432973_what-shadow-box.html

22. A great way to recycle old baby and kid’s clothes or even old college sweatshirts would be to have them made into a memory quilt or even turned into a pillow case. You can either purchase a kit for the quilts to make them yourself or for an additional small fee they can be made for you! www.ticcheandbea.com/

23. If you have a laundry basket that is lined with fabric and has a lid that is not in use, it can be repurposed. You can place it at the end of your bed and use it to store extra pillows or bedding. www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp

24. Picnic baskets can be used as a multi purpose item. If you already have one and you are not using it, it can be a great storage for your child’s art projects. These can be stored on a shelf or in the corner of a room as a decorative item. If you do not have a picnic basket, you can pick one up at Michaels Arts and Crafts and World Market.

25. Create an art wall. If you are feeling crafty you can blend storage with display by adding a string of wire on a wall in your child’s room. Use metal clips or even clothespins to produce a craft wall of all your child’s art pieces. These can be switched out as time goes on to add new art and decor to the wall!

Check back for the next article on "Give your home a fall makeover!"