Couples and Clutter

Create a Budget

Establish a budget that will help you limit the purchases that create clutter. "Sometimes clutter is disorganization; other times it is overspending," Dr. Callahan says. "Creating a family budget will help you realize when you are buying things that you don't need and can't afford." She says you can increase your motivation to stick to the budget by making a list of the benefits of spending less money on your clutter collection and ask yourself, "What can my spouse and I do with the money saved?"