If an area of your home needs a good clearing out, there's no better time to tackle it than now. Set aside an afternoon, or weekend if it's a larger task, and jump on it with these easy steps. Photo: Container Store

Get started by jumping into the thick of it. Empty the contents of your wardrobe, pantry or other closet and start to sort through what's in it

Go through everything you've been storing, stowing, or keeping in stock, whatever it is. Create an area each for things you absolutely regularly use, things you sometimes use, and things you don't use often or at all. Then, one for anything in need of repair or cleaning, and one for items you know you can absolutely discard or give away

Once you've got everything sifted though, it's time to remove unused or give away items, bag anything that needs cleaning or repair, and move items that belong elsewhere in your home to their new location

Before you put everything back, take stock of storage needs and options. Hit the store for any solutions such as bins, boxes, etc. to make keeping order easier

With everything sifted and new storage solutions ready to go, it's time to put everything in place. Take your time and do it right -- you won't need to repeat the task of creating order again if so. Place items by type, color, or other organization systems to make everything easier to find later. Invest in additonal storage solutinons as needed

Remove give away or items you want to discard immediately to avoid procrastinating with these items (and potentially storing them again) later. Donate give away items or hold a garage sale. Bring items that can not be used to the trash or dump