Here are some useful tips:

Reduce clutter

Try to minimize the number of things you have around your house. Those trinkets and ornaments may look pretty, and perhaps have sentimental value, but they also occupy space and require dusting. Can you get rid of some of them, or at least keep only a few out at a time and store the rest. You could circulate the items after a while when you get bored. If you are a hoarder, this will take a lot of discipline and self-control, but just think of the amount of time you will save.

Shop wisely

When you are about to buy something new, first think where you will put it. If you're not sure if there is place for it DON'T BUY or at least defer the decision until you can find a place. A useful rule is ‘one-in-one-out' which means for every new thing you buy you get rid of one item. This could apply to clothes, shoes, toys, ornaments, kitchen appliances and so on.

Don't put it down, put it away

Make it a point to put away everything immediately after you use it. Put away the scissors or stapler rather than leave it on the table. While cooking you take out the masala dabba, don't put it on the kitchen counter to be put away later but put it right back in the cupboard. File your bills soon after you have paid them, don't leave them in the hall to be filed ‘when you have the time'.

Spend 15 minutes each day tidying up

At the end of the day, when you are exhausted, probably the last thing you want to do is tidy up. But a few minutes spent putting away things can prevent a huge mess piling up. And when you wake up in the morning it will feel really good to see a reasonably neat home.

Involve the family

Get every member of the family involved in good organizing habits. They may grumble, but the benefits will last a life-time.

Plan the night before

One nightmare for most families is getting ready and leaving home on time in the morning. There is usually a frantic rush, tempers are frayed, breakfast doesn't get eaten, there may be tears and shouting... A lot of this can be minimized if clothes are laid out the previous day, school bags are packed, shoes polished and breakfast and lunch planned.

Have a place for everything

This may seem like a distant dream, but when you think about it, isn't it possible to have a designated place for scissors and extra pencils, for unpaid and paid bills, for umbrellas and school bags? Yes, it takes some effort to convince the family to put these things back in their place after they've been used, but it is worth persisting. You could end up saving hours each week.

Does all this sound like a lot of work? Perhaps it is, especially initially, but just think what an organized home would be like: you lay your hands on something that you want within a few minutes, tidying up gets accomplished in a short time, you don't get frantic when unexpected guests land up at home, your bills get paid on time, your dining table is not covered with junk, and you actually get time to do some of the extra things you always wanted to...

What are you waiting for? Get started!

www.getorganizednow.com is a good source of ideas on getting organised