By Christina Giaquinto

In my experience as a professional organizer and brand ambassador of DIY customizable closet units that organize any space in your home, I have discovered a number of helpful decluttering tips. Here are some tried-and-true strategies:

• Isn’t it the worst when you are trying to leave for an outing and can’t find your keys, cellphone, or other essentials? Organize a bin by the front door or in the garage that contains essentials.
• Write down five things you want to do. By taking pen to paper and consciously thinking of what you want to experience during a season, you will truly be able to make your dreams a reality. Then, once you write down the top five must-do’s, schedule each of them into your calendar. This will ensure you accomplish the bucket-list items and allow you to plan other activities around them.
• Write down your home organizing goals. Have you been meaning to paint one or more of your rooms a new color? Do you really want to clean every single carpet and rug in your living space? Commit to one home organizing project. I highly recommend scheduling the project into your calendar so that there are plans set in stone to get it done!
• It’s paramount to have your car organized. First, do a deep clean. Yes, that means vacuuming under the seats. Once the car is deep-cleaned, organize a station that you keep in the trunk for items you might need while on the road. Preparation is key!
• Organize your garden tools. If your garden tools have been buried in the garage or shed all year, declutter any rusty or broken tools and organize a garden tool bag for yourself that ensures you can focus on the love of gardening and not stress about finding what you need. Staying organized means you have a system in place and know where everything is.

Christina Giaquinto, who represents Modular Closets (a marketer of DIY closet units), focuses on helping her clients declutter and organize. Her work has been featured by Women’s Health, Reader’s Digest, and Realtor.com.