To do lists are your friend; you get an astounding sense of accomplishment each time you check an item off. Just remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day, so be reasonable and don’t try to accomplish everything at once. Target trouble spots such as your closet or the space under your bed, and be specific by writing down “color coordinate shoe rack” rather than simply “clean up my room.”

Get rid of your packrat ways. Do you really need those Valentine’s Day cards from third grade? Probably not. Go through your bookshelves, closet, etc. and fish out things you could care less about—the process will free up space for more meaningful items. Don’t go on a cleaning rampage and throw everything out in haste, however, because sometimes you don’t realize what you have until it’s gone. So, think twice before throwing anything out—you most likely will not get any use out of those fitness testing certificates in the future, but you may want to keep one around simply as a remnant of your high school days.

Start small and work your way up. Sure, your garage may look like a train wreck, but that is probably not the best place to start, seeing as how a seemingly impossible task will do nothing but discourage you. Start off with a table compartment or a rack of CDs, and work your way up, because by showing yourself that you can get things done, you’ll gain the confidence to tackle bigger problems such as the garage.

Your closet may resemble a disaster area, but have no fear—help is here. For starters, gather up all of the clothes in your room, whether they be stacked up on the back of your chair or piled up on the floor, and put everything together into one big pile. Then, go through the pile and group everything accordingly—shirts with shirts, pants along with other pants, etc. You can rearrange the piles with as much detail as you’d like. For instance, you can separate long-sleeved shirts from short-sleeved ones, and capris from jeans. After separating the piles, store the clothes into your closet in their assorted groups, either by hanging them up or putting them in your dresser, and you may even go as far as to color coordinate the. Cleaning up your closet will not only enable you to see your floor again, but also save you time getting ready in the morning, as you will know exactly where everything is.