My WebMD Sign In

Please enter email address

Enter your password

Keep me signed in on this computer

Show more Information

If you select "Keep me signed in on this computer", you can stay signed in to WebMD.com on this computer for up to 2 weeks or until you sign out. This means that a cookie will stay on your computer even when you exit or close your browser which may reduce your levels of privacy and security. You should never select this option if you're using a publicly accessible computer, or if you're sharing a computer with others. Even if you select this option there are some features of our site that still require you to log in for privacy reasons.

Forget your password? Having trouble signing in?

Why should I
sign up for WebMD?

With a WebMD Account you can:

Track your way to weight loss success
Manage your family's vaccinations
Join the conversation

See more benefits Sign Up

Why WebMD?

My WebMD

Show Menu

Facebook Twitter Pinterest

WebMD Home

Health & Balance Center

Health & Balance Feature Stories

Email a Friend

Print Article

Health & Balance

Tools & Resources

Font Size

Make 2005 New Year's Resolutions a Reality

Here are five baby steps to improve your health, family, and home in the New Year.

(continued)

continued...

Smart snacking tips that won't break your diet.

New Year's Resolution No. 5: De-clutter Your House

If your family's mail collects on the dining room table, you need help. That's where Cynthia Townley Ewer, editor of OrganizedHome.com, can get your New Year's resolution on track.

Ridding the house of junk mail is one of Ewer's specialties. "The greeting cards, the invitations -- that's the fun mail you read immediately," she tells WebMD. "It's the rest that seems to propagate in the middle of the night."

To get mail under control:

Don't bring it into the house -- not until you've done a first toss, that is. That means sorting mail over a trash can, tossing junk immediately, saving other mail for review later. "It's like speed dating, there's no lifelong commitment," says Ewer. A trash can in the garage or by the back door is convenient for this.
Do your tossing when you're not distracted, after groceries and kids are safely inside the house.
Give remaining mail a "home." Put it in a designated place. A magazine file holder is good for this, especially one that is transparent, so you can see what you're looking for, Ewer suggests.
Now the "R" word -- routine. You need a routine for dealing with bills, credit card statements, etc. Set a time every week for this. "This doesn't necessarily mean you have to pay all the bills at that time," Ewer tells WebMD. "But if you let it go any longer than one week, you won't see the bank overdraft or the erroneous charge on your credit card."
Set up files. You might need a file for pending matters (such as a dispute with a merchant or rebate in progress), another for "bills to pay," another for statements, etc.

Keep in mind, though, that there's no such thing as clutter-free living, says Ewer. Nobody's absolutely perfect.

As with your mail, it helps to establish "clutter preserves" for your other stuff. These are like wildlife preserves -- limited areas where clutter can live freely, as long as it stays within boundaries, Ewer writes on her web site.

Here's another New Year's resolution: Set aside one chair in the bedroom for clutter. "Clothing may be thrown with abandon, so long as it's thrown on the chair."

Get tips to help you feel better and be healthier all year long by signing up for a free WebMD newsletter.

< Previous Page

1|2|3

View Article Sources Sources