My biggest excuse for not cleaning is that I don’t have time. But it’s not exactly true. I certainly do have time to, say, wipe the counter. It’s dealing with the stuff on the counter before I can clean that takes all the time.

Clutter makes cleaning harder but it also zaps our energy and takes a hefty toll on the environment in producing all this stuff and then dealing with it and its packaging as waste. There are all kinds of psychological theories and explanations for clutter and it’s more serious sister, hoarding. But at base, clutter is a habit that, like any habit, can be broken.

The first step to kicking the clutter habit is to reduce the clutter at the source. That means not allowing so much clutter to enter your home in the first place. Start with the clutter that comes into your home unannounced and uninvited.

Stop Unsolicited Clutter
Call your credit card companies to opt out of their mailing lists. Every time you receive a catalogue, contact the company to remove yourself from their lists. View their wares online instead. Next, visit DMAChoice.org or OptOutPrescreen.com to have your name removed from all the major mailing lists.

Tough Love Clutter Control
Are you one of the millions of people who suffer from having friends or family who shop or go to garage sales for sport? They spend their weekends searching for bargains and then dump stuff on you as if it were a gift. It’s time to put your foot down. They may be spending about a half second thinking about their purchase so why should you have to spend a lifetime looking at it?

Have a garage sale of your own and tell them directly that you want to live clutter-free and need their support in the form of not giving you more stuff. At holiday times, encourage friends and family to forgo stuff and give gifts of experience like museum memberships, yoga classes, or trapeze school.

Stemming the tide of clutter coming into your home uninvited is a great first step to breaking the clutter habit. Stay tuned: Next week we’ll tackle ways to reduce the clutter you buy yourself.