They don't teach you how to organize a home in grade school. Although it's not up there with reading and writing, home organization is an important skill that can help you lead a life filled with more free time and less stress.

Organize a Home Like a Pro

One step at a time. Home organization can seem like an overwhelming task, but breaking it down into smaller parts can make it easier to get started. Try devoting some time to a single room and then moving on to the next. If an entire room seems like too much to tackle, try a closet or smaller area–the key it to get the ball rolling somehow.

Write It Down

Another trick to staying on top of your home organization projects is to commit them to your schedule like any other obligation. Put them on the calendar, in your date book or set an alarm on your cell phone.

Labels

Start organizing by dividing the items in a room into piles labeled stay, relocate, recycle, donate, trash or sell. Store items that don't require your immediate attention and deal with the other piles before moving to the next area. Try to eliminate at least one item for every three you keep.

Trash or Treasure?

If you're a collector, examine the way you deal with your collection. If it's stored away in boxes and bags, and has been for years, perhaps the collection isn't as important as you thought it was. Make a decision to display the collection proudly or find an acceptable way to dispose of it.

Hanging Around

An important step in home organization is closet organization. Want to know which clothes to keep and which to get rid of? At the beginning of the season, flip all the hangers in your closet around so they hang backwards. As you wear clothes, put them back in the closet in the correct orientation. At the end of the season, it will be easy to see which clothes never made it out of the closet. These are the clothes you should consider donating or selling.

Add Storage Space

Having more places to put stuff makes it easier to organize a home. If you're pressed for space, look for creative storage ideas like shelves attached to the back of a door, or unde-furniture storage.

It's in the Bag

Shopping bags, whether paper or plastic, can add clutter to your pantry. Purchasing a set of reusable shopping bags will cut down on the extra bags and keep you from having to make that agonizing decision at the checkout counter. Paper or plastic? How about neither?

Don't Lose Momentum!

Once you organize your home, make an effort to keep it that way. Make a conscious decision to put things back when you're done with them. Also, set aside a specific time of the week (10 or 20 minutes is plenty) to pick up and organize things that "slip through the cracks."