A HOME FOR EVERYTHING Teach kids benefit of CONTAINERIZING items by category or by activity that required?for example, things you build, things you read, things to draw with/on, or toys with wheels. Teach them how organizing makes their things easier to find. So much of what we call clutter is just stuff that has no home, and even kids can ASSIGN homes to all their stuff and be taught how to put things away when they?re finished.

DRESSING IN A SNAP For kids clothing, install shelving in their closets that they can reach and use lots of hooks and HANGING SPACE. If kids clothes are in a folded pile or in a drawer, they are more likely to just wear what?s on top, rather than looking through pile, so hang as much as possible.

DISPLAYING THEIR ARTWORK Hang a clothesline along one wall of child?s room, a few feet down from ceiling level, and use CLOTHESPINS to display artwork that kids bring home from school. Once it?s been displayed, if child can?t part with it, use clear UNDERBED containers for longer-term storage.

Kids can be taught organizing concepts and tactics, which will serve them well through school and into their adult years. And who knows?with their creative little minds working, you might learn something new about organizing from them!

Monica Ricci has been an organizing specialist since 1999, and her motivational presentations teach effective organizing and simplifying techniques for home and work. She also offers free email tips and ideas on how to make life simpler and more organized. Her topics include clutter control, paper management, time management, organizing space and procrastination.Contact Monica at 770-569-2642 or Monica@CatalystOrganizing.com.

Step Four: Go through Undecided pile piece by piece, and ask yourself truly what value each piece CURRENTLY gives you.

Warning: Do not get sucked in by clothing trying to convince you of its value, and reminding you how good you used to look wearing it. Clothing is sly and it will say anything to get you to keep it around. It will remind you of how expensive it was, or that it was a gift from your mother-in-law, but do not fall for these sneaky tricks! You must be strong and objective.

Clothes that aren't serving you need to be culled to make room for those pieces that are valuable. The fact that you are undecided on this pile indicates that you don't love it, which means you should be able to get rid of more than half of it if you're ruthless in decision-making process. Once you've culled pile, you should have a whole bunch of clothes that didn't make cut back into closet. This is where your secret cash stash is hiding.

Step Five: Call a local consignment store and ask what their guidelines are for consigning clothing. Find out if you must make an appointment to consign or if you can just drop by at your convenience. Ask how proceeds are split between you (the consignor) and store, and don't take less than 50%. Ask what happens to your clothes if they don't sell, and do not do business with a store that gives you clothing back if it doesn't sell. Most consignment stores will donate anything that doesn't sell within a certain period of time to a shelter or another non-profit organization.

Step Six: Load up your car and haul clothes to consignment store of your choice. When you get back home, relish new look of your closet!

By following these six easy steps, you'll soon be collecting cash that was hiding in plain view in your closet.

Monica Ricci has been an organizing specialist since 1999, and her motivational presentations teach effective organizing and simplifying techniques for home and work. She also offers free email tips and ideas on how to make life simpler and more organized. Her topics include clutter control, paper management, time management, organizing space and procrastination.Contact Monica at 770-569-2642 or Monica@CatalystOrganizing.com.