In the October 2007 The Organizer column, five Real Simple staffers divulged their biggest stumbling blocks to organization. Then experts weighed in with tips and tricks for how to get in gear. Will the staff members take this advice to heart and curb clutter for good? Read on to find out. Then share your organizing secrets in the Your Words community area.

The Problem: I start projects, but then I get overwhelmed.

“I take everything out of my closet with the goal of sorting, editing, discarding, refolding, and rehanging. Then I look around to find my entire wardrobe scattered all over my (tiny) apartment and it becomes too much to bear.” —Kate Parker, editorial assistant

Kate’s Update: “I tend to get too ambitious about what I can realistically accomplish in one day, so the idea of breaking the daunting task of organizing an entire closet into smaller projects will make the job more manageable. I’ll try tackling different parts of my closet on different days, perhaps an hour organizing shoes one day, a half hour sorting through winter coats the next. Before I know it, I’m sure it will all come together. I’ve used a “goes elsewhere” box before, and I think it’s great advice. It keeps you focused on the task at hand; you can always return to sorting through those miscellaneous items later. I also love the idea of putting a “donations” bag in the closet. And I plan on having the Salvation Army pick up donations from my apartment once I’ve gathered enough stuff.”

The Problem: Nobody takes my systems seriously.

“My rule is to take your shoes off when you walk in the door. I have a shoe hanger in the hall closet for my husband and me and a storage bench for our two girls, but shoes still get strewn all over the entryway. My two-year-old is young, but my six-year-old should be doing a better job. And let’s not even discuss my husband.” —Gabriela Clough, research director

Gabriela’s Update: “The door to the closet seems to be the deterrent for my husband, so a different system is a good idea. I’m going to buy a nice-looking basket for my husband’s shoes — perhaps having a place out in the open will work. As for my girls, they like new and pretty things. I found a bench with flowers etched into the wood, which I thought they would like. It also has a few hooks for hanging book bags and coats, and there’s more space for storage. But the key is that they can’t hide their shoes underneath this bench like they could with the old bench because this one is closer to the ground. So if they don’t put their shoes in the bench, they’ll see how messy things can get. Hopefully, it will be a good way to put two and two together.”

The Problem: I buy boxes and bins, but I don’t know what to do with them.

“I don’t measure or do all the preparation before I buy containers. I get them on impulse, and then half of them don’t work in my space. Now I have a house full of containers.” —Kristin van Ogtrop, managing editor

Kristin’s Update: “I’ve finally managed to have success with using boxes to clear up my clutter — but because I measured first! My linen closet was a jumble of kids’ medicines, adult medicines, Band-Aids, and beauty products, all of which I wanted to separate and order. I took a couple of minutes to measure my shelves and then went out to buy containers. When I got home, my boxes actually fit on the shelves! Now I have all my products organized in pretty boxes made out of woven recycled paper. The small amount of forethought that it took to measure my space before purchasing storage items resulted in a cute and functional system that I'm very happy with.”

The Problem: My life still feels out of control, even though I’m hyperorganized.

“I've gone to a lot of trouble to organize my five-year-old daughter’s room. But now she’s so used to everything in its own place that she recently demanded a separate drawer just for skorts.” —Noelle Howey, deputy editor

Noelle’s Update: “I'm trying to apply the three-minute advice to my house these days, which is tough to do, given the fact that I have two crafty children who manage to take my things and squirrel them away in the least likely places (for example, hiding my favorite spatulas inside my husband’s winter boots). That said, I’ve relaxed my standards for what I consider an organized room: I’m telling myself it’s good enough to have a drawer in our dining-room sideboard reserved for my daughter’s art supplies; I don’t need to organize the paints and the crayons there. The drawer is only but so big: It can’t take more than three minutes to find something inside it. Also, I’m prioritizing more. We spend most of our time in the living room, so I’m insistent that the area stay orderly. But my son’s closet? He’s just a baby, so it’s probably OK that things are a bit chaotic behind that closet door.”

The Problem: What I have is organized, but there is just too much of it.

“I feel like I need to hang on to things. I have an accordion file overflowing with college-tuition bills and credit-card statements. I just don’t want to risk throwing them out.” —Nykia Spradley, editorial assistant

Nykia’s Update: “This advice is so helpful. I didn’t know how long tax returns and receipts should be kept, and that’s not something I want to mess up. I’m happy to discover that I can toss receipts after seven years, as my piles of paper scraps cause the most clutter. Now all I need to do is start a filing system that will prevent these records from getting out of hand, something easy to use as I complete tax returns each year. And then I can stow everything away for next year. I love the last suggestion about taking a picture of certain items before tossing them or giving them away. It’s the perfect way to not feel guilty. My memories will be just as strong when looking through a photo album.”

Your Turn

Share your organizing secrets in the Your Words community area.