Article: If your house is unorganized, you probably don't have designated places for all your things. Instead of resigning items to a certain room or area, keep track of a very specific location for everything in your home. Don't simply leave something on your nightstand, create a space specifically for that item. Do the same for everything in your home so that things aren't left lying around without a place to live. Keep something like a basket or small stand near the front door where you can place things you need to deal with when you have more time. This might include your mail, items from the store, or things from school and work. Choose a day during the week on which you have most (or all) of your time free. Then, choose a single area in your life that is unorganized and needs to be cleaned up. This could be rooms in your house, your car, or your office at work. Then work only on throwing out unnecessary items that are taking up space in that section of your life. Get organizational storage containers, folders, and boxes to help your place stay organised. You can buy items designated for organized storage from many department and furniture stores, or you can make your own using things like cups, shoe boxes, and dishes. Make these organizational pieces a bit more attractive with a coat of paint or a covering of fabric. Consider the last time you used the items you are sorting through. If it has been many months or years since you last needed it, consider throwing it out. Although you might assume that you "need" everything you own, an disorganized house is probably likely to have some items you don't. Sort through the things that constantly give you clutter and determine how useful it is to you. If you haven't used it in a long time, don't use it frequently, don't like it anymore, or don't need it, get rid of it. Keep your emotions separate from the items you are sorting. Sure, your great aunt may have given you that porcelain knickknack, but do you truly want or need it? Make steps to throw these things out, and don't feel like a bad person for doing so. Separate things you get rid of into piles such as trash, donations, and things to sell. Then, process each pile accordingly. Hold a garage or yard sale to make some money on the things you are throwing out. Large items, such as furniture or electronics, can be listed on online selling sites like eBay or Craigslist so that you don't have to host a large event in order to make your money. Don't defeat the process of organising your life by bringing in new things that you don't need. One major reason you might do this is bargain shopping. Avoid big sales or bargains, as these will lead to you buy things that you don't really need or want simply because you don't want to pass up the good deal. When you're shopping, ask yourself where in your home that piece will go. Do you have a specific location for it, where it can stay permanently? When you go to the store, keep a list of the things you are looking for. Then, as you search for items do not stray from your list. You will come back with only what you need, rather than what you thought you needed. Consider the money you save by avoiding that sale. Although you may be making a bargain purchase, you are still spending money on something you might not need. Everyone does it - takes out a pen from the drawer, writes a note, and then leaves it on the counter. Instead of placing things where it's most convenient, take an extra moment to return them to their correct places. If the task you are considering takes less than two minutes, just do it right away. Getting it done will leave your house organised and give you less to do later. If there are several things laying around in the same area, take a few minutes to put them all back. This will keep the unruly pile from growing larger and more difficult to deal with. How many times has your house become unorganised because you put off cleaning it up? Although this is tied to procrastination, you can make your list of things to clean and organise more manageable by presenting yourself with smaller tasks. Choose a single item - such as dusting - and give yourself a specific time and day to do it. If you do this with all your chores, your space will always be clean without you having to spend several consecutive hours working on it. Do you have boxes or drawers full of mystery items, long lost from your memory? Well get out your handy label maker (or use a classic marker) and label everything you have. Keep like things in the same place, in order to make the labeling process go a bit smoother.

What is a summary?
Find a place for everything. Declutter space by space. Get rid of things you don't need. Don't bring in more unnecessary items. Put things back right away. Divvy up your chores. Label everything.