how do you get rid of clutter?

One of the best tips I joke about with friends is that men don't leave the room with something in their hands. Our way of keeping clutter at bay is to never leave the room without something. Got an empty coffee cup? Need to pee? Take your cup to the kitchen before going to the bathroom. Men would just go pee. Another one is that you put something back where it came from when you are done with it. And always put your remote on the top of the tv before you go to bed at night. No matter what kind of mess or clutter you have you'll always be able to find it the next day if you put it there. In general don't leave things lying around in the first place you won't have to "pick up" a lot later on. Teach your kids the same thing. That way you won't have to tidy up after them as much and it will make neat peeps out of them too. I hardly dare say it but maybe not going to the dollarstore unless you need something might be a good idea. A lot of people hoard stuff they never use and eventually it clutters up closets, drawers and more. Buy only what you know you will need in the forseeable future. Buy only what you know you will use by the expiration date and don't stock up on too much non-essentials and life will be a lot easier.

I was told that the best way to get rid of clutter is to do it just to plunge ahead. If you have the resources, it's best to do it at one go, but if you don't then do it one step at a time. One room at a time. Don't overwhelm yourself, lest you will not do it. Do it a room at a time, or even a furniture/appliance at a time. Example, your computer table, there might be some papers, ballpens that you don't use anymore, bills and stuff that you can throw away. Next can be your old vcr and tapes that you dont' watch no more or CDs that you or your family has outgrown. Another thing is when you're getting rid of stuff i think the best way is to just do it, don't think of sentiments or sentimental value, when you see something you own and you know that it's not something you can or will use anymore, don't reminisce about what it was, how you got it and stuff like that, cause if you do you're bound not to get rid of it. Try to be as analytical and unemotional about de-cluttering, it's not gonna be easy mind you, I know, I've gone through a lot of it, just think that you'll make new memories with new stuff that you can procure now that you've got the space for it. :)

I have baskets throughout the house to collect things of all sorts. I have one for each person in the house, too, and as I'm going about trying to de-clutter the living room and kitchen, I'll put each person's things in a basket and take to his/her room.