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When we try to remove clutter, our first instinct is to start looking for the clutter. WRONG!

You may have noticed that TV shows about decluttering never work this way. The TV program approach is to move everything out of the house into the yard, then ask the owner to choose which things to put back in, and which to get rid of. There's a very good reason for this approach. We get used to all the stuff we have in our house, so when we stand in a room and look for "clutter", everything looks as though it belongs in the room, even if it's not really necessary. We need to do something to change our perspective on the stuff, otherwise we will never be able to identify what shouldn't be there.

You may not have the manpower to put your life on the lawn, but you can still apply the method.

You'll need a writing pad and a pen. Divide your page into two columns - "Essential" and "Loved". Find a spot in the house to collect all your clutter once you've identified it. Work room by room.

Look at the room you're in. If you can move everything into one corner or even outside, that will make things much easier. If you can't, don't worry, but what you do next will depends on whether you've moved things or not.

If you can't move anything, then go around the room and consider each item in turn:
- If you couldn't use the room without that item, write it in the "Essential" column.
- If you could easily use the room without it, but can't bear to live without it, write it in the "Loved" column.
- If it doesn't fit in either of those columns, pick it up and move it to your clutter pile - no excuses, no hesitation. You can always review it later!

If you have managed to move everything into a corner (or outside), look around the room and ask yourself "which items are absolutely essential in this room?" By this I mean, if it's the lounge room, you absolutely need some chairs. You probably also need a television and sound system, and something for them to sit on. Write them down in your "Essentials" column. Don't include anything that's not TOTALLY essential to using the room. For instance, don't include Grandma's china cabinet, even if you adore it, because the china isn't used in that room.

Now ask yourself, "what are the things that aren't essential, but I can't bear to live without?" Write these things down in the "Loved" column (now you can add Grandma's china cabinet!)

Now put down your pen and paper down. Going around the room, pick up and remove everything that you haven't written down

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