Clutter is something we all deal with on a daily basis, especially if we’re having a busy, hectic day.

Sometimes we don’t have the time to hang up our keys or sort through our mail properly. At least, it feels like we don’t have the time. While getting yourself completely organized can take some time to get used to, there are some quick and surprising ways to jumpstart your journey to complete organization.

1. Write Everything Down

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I found some similar items for purchase online: Printable calendar, Markers, Pineapple decor, Notebooks & Clipboard. 

This one may not be surprising, but it’s one that many people forget about. Our brains are miraculous, wonderful organs, but sometimes they don’t prioritize exactly how we want them to.

To keep from having to rely on your sometimes-too-smart brain, write everything down. Get into the habit of keeping a notebook and pen on you wherever you go. Or at least a pen.

In a pinch, you can use a napkin or even your hand as paper, but always have a pen with you to write down anything you need to do that you may have forgotten.

2. Freebies Are Just Free Clutter

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All those tempting, little free samples that companies offer you? Don’t take them unless you know for sure you’re going to use them. They just become unused clutter that probably doesn’t have a home.

If you do have a basket or tub full of those samples, get rid of them. Either donate them or give them away to friends and family as gift baskets.

3. Unsubscribe

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I found some similar items for purchase online: Table lamp, Gold Moroccan ottoman, Office chair, X writing desk , White vase, Fluffy accent pillow, & Acrylic desk organizer.

Clutter doesn’t have to be physical objects collecting dust, it can be virtual ones too. Clean up your email by unsubscribing to those newsletters you never read.

Your inbox will thank you and you won’t have to waste your time deleting them.

4. Test Your Pens

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Do you always find yourself searching for a pen that works? Take some time one weekend to find all the pens in your house and test them. Keep the ones that work and recycle the ones that don’t.

There’s a great site called TerraCycle that recycles old pens for free. You’ll finally be able to organize your desk drawers and always have a pen that works on hand.

5. DIY Kits

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I found some similar items for purchase online: Decorative storage boxes

If your nail polish is always in a different spot than your nail file, make a manicure kit. Take a clear plastic container with a lid and put all the items you need for your manicure in there. Label it and give it a home.

Now you know where everything is and as long as you always put them away properly, you’ll never lose another nail file again. You can do this with any task that requires multiple items. From shoe shining to bill paying, keep items that help you do a task together.

6. Create a Weekend Bucket List

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Do you ever find yourself bored on the weekend and spend precious time trying to figure out what to do? Why not create a weekend bucket list?

Write down all the things you’d want to do on the weekends and then you won’t have to come up with an idea on the spot. Keep your weekend bucket list in the fridge or the back of a calendar; somewhere you’ll remember to look.

7. Be Ruthless

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I found some similar items for purchase online: White cube storage shelf, wicker cube baskets, White cube boxes,  gold table lamps, Accent pillow, Marble top table, Oval gold mirror, Magazine rack, Decorative tray, & Brigitte Bardot art.

No matter what you’re trying to declutter –  whether it’s your closet, a drawer, or an entire home, be ruthless. Don’t second guess yourself. If your instinct tells you to get rid of something, do it.

If you haven’t used something or if it holds no special meaning to you, get rid of it. You’ll thank yourself later for being so harsh when you have much less to clean and worry about.

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This article was written by Kelly Mahan, also a writer for interias, a company that connects homeowners with reliable and professional contractors for their home improvement projects, remodeling, and interior design.