It’s easy to tell someone to do something. Parents do it all the time. “Clean up your room.” “Make your bed.” “Be nice to Jimmy.” But if they’re never given instruction on how to do what you ask, invariably they’ll get frustrated, angry, and never try again. I’ve seen this happen countless times at work. Employees are given a task without the proper instruction on how to do it effectively.

In my article, Declutter and Reduce the Clutter in Your Life, I told you what you had to do to help you obtain a more simplified life. Declutter! But how?

After the Holidays, I always feel the need to declutter and organize. Perhaps it’s the indulgences of the season, from food to parties to shopping. It’s a bit overwhelming, and I don’t know about you, but it helps me to get my “ducks in a row.” It gives you a sense of order, and it will simplify your life.

Of course, the best time to do this is before the holidays. That way you can donate your items to the needy or a charity. You could sell some things on ebay to make some money. But who has time before the holidays arrive?  From Halloween on, we are thrust into the spirit of consumerism, whether we like it or not.

There are some folks out there who love to clean, and there are some of you that hate it. And right now, it’s hard to afford the $150 a visit that services cost. Being in the latter group, I have developed some typical and not-so-typical quick cleaning techniques to hold off the house until the next big cleaning day.

Like most women I know, I’m a multi-tasker, not by choice but by necessity. Do you iron while watching TV? Clean the toilet while talking with your friend on your phone? (You know she’s multi-tasking too!) This is the way I clean in-between my cleaning days.

I’ve always heard that you should be able to pick up your house in 15 minutes if unexpected company arrives.