1. Dispose of it. Much of clutter is trash you either though you might need or figured you'd throw out later.

2. Put it away. About half of remaining clutter in most homes consists of items that simply haven't been put away. Fill a laundry basket then deliver items to proper rooms. Avoid this trap by making things easy to put away and by enforcing a family "use it and put it away" rule.

3. Donate it. If you don't use it, it's not a treasured decorative item or memento, and it's not an important piece of paper, get rid of it. Pass it along to someone who might need it.

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Want to celebrate Valentine's Day in a different way? We've collected a bunch of unique ideas - special ways to show how much you care about your spouse, family members and friends you cherish.

Heart-Felt Valentine's Meal ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Make up a batch of heart-shaped pancakes for a yummy Valentine's breakfast or brunch. Just pour batter in frying pan in a free-form heart shape and serve with strawberries and whipped cream.

Balloon Goodies ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Insert candy surprises into balloons before inflating them - add a folded-up Valentine's message then inflate each balloon. Tie with a red ribbon and attach to your loved one's chair for them to find Valentine's morning.

Family Affair ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Have children help you prepare red Jello with cinnamon hearts mixed in, mashed potatoes colored with pink food coloring, heart- shaped cookies and any other creative ways to present your Valentine's Day meal.

The Gift of Time ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Give a hand-made coupon for some work you can do to free-up some time for your spouse or parent. For example, a coupon good for cleaning Dad's garage or for a full-house vacuuming for your wife. How about a coupon for your best friend - you can walk her dog or baby sit one evening.

Coupon Day ~~~~~~~~~~

Each of you can create individual notes, say 4 or 6 each, to describe a special surprise - a back rub, a bubble bath, kisses from head to toe, a special meal - fold up notes and toss them into a jar. You can take turns having fun plucking a coupon from jar and doing what it says.

Scavenger Hunt ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You can prepare this one for your spouse or for your children to enjoy. Write up little notes about how you feel and what they mean to you and place them around house along with a candy heart or other treat. Add a riddle at end of each note about where to find next note. At last note, have something special waiting there. For example, you can be waiting for your hubby in a candle-lit bubble bath with two glasses of wine. For your children, then can find a teddy bear or other toy or treat.

Less Fortunate ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Visit a hospital or chronic care home to pass out small Valentine surprises to residents. They will enjoy care and attention from something so unexpected.

Alone? ~~~~~~