Cleaning advice

Here are some steps to clean up your act:

• Experts say excess clutter can lead to stress and decreased productivity. Making the decision to organize your space is really a decision that benefits no one but yourself. Forget about trying to impress guests with a clean home, and focus on the fact that once you’ve organized you’ll have more time to do the fun things you want in your spare time, instead of sorting through junk.

• Lifestyle designer Angelo Surmelis of TLC’s home organization makeover show “Clean Sweep” recommends tackling the room you spend the most time in or that will make you the most productive.

• Participants on “Clean Sweep” have just two days to make over an unorganized mess and transform it into a stylish, livable space. Junk is sorted into three categories: Keep, Sell and Toss. Author and professional organizer Cyndi Seidler also recommends organizing items into categories such as kitchen, clothes, office, audio-video, etc.

• While sorting items, Seidler recommends evaluating each piece to decide what value it holds for you. If it has use or importance, keep it and display it proudly. If it isn’t going to be used or displayed, toss it out.

• TLC’s Surmelis tells people if they don’t do anything else, paint. Not only does this add personality to a room and keep clutter from blending into whitewashed walls, but going through the process of taking everything out helps you self-edit what you decide to bring back in once the project is done.

• Every item in a room should have a home. Store away office supplies to keep clutter off desks, and keep miscellaneous clothing items in clear containers for easy access.

• If you’re to the point where you’re just completely overwhelmed, consider hiring an organizer or designer to help you out. Or, if you know what you want done, you can always hire the labor to get the project finished.