Conquer Clutter Room by Room

Basements, Attics and Closets

Basements, attics and closets are like black holes for your possessions. The bigger they are, the more impossible it is to find anything. Think about it—if you really treasured that item, you wouldn't have shoved it on a shelf or in a corner to be forgotten. Stop promising you'll use it someday and start clearing some useful storage space for yourself!

Quick Tips for Closets
Follow the 12-month rule. Closets are a ripe environment for clutter. There are always a few pairs of pants or dresses you swear you'll fit into again someday. Or a blouse that you're betting will come back into style. It's time to let go. Sort through everything in your closet. If you haven't worn it in the past year, it's time to donate.

Keep track of your clothing use. An easy way to determine what you're really wearing is to use a simple hanger trick. First, hang all of your clothes with the hangers facing the same way. After you wear and wash an item, rehang it—this time with the top of the hanger facing the opposite way. If certain pieces never get turned around, then it's time to consider letting them go.

Quick Tips for Basements, Attics and Other Storage Areas
Start slow. It's taken months or years to build up the clutter. Organize one section at a time. Find out the best times of year to clean out the black holes in your home and more.

Collections and momentos. Ask yourself if those items stored in a trash bag or old box in the garage are really that important to you. If they aren't honored and respected, maybe they are really clutter that you do not need to hold on to. If you truly treasure items, display them proudly and properly in your home.

Streamline. If you haven't used it in a year, get rid of it.

Get stuff off the floor. Once items start spreading across the floor, it's almost impossible to keep them under control. Use vertical space and shelving units to increase your storage space.

Make the most of your space. Basements and attics are sometimes used for many purposes at once—storage, crafting, a place to watch television, etc. Once you've cleared away some of the clutter, decide what you're really going to be using your space for and organize accordingly. Use this room function chart as a good tool to start planning.