Need vs. want: Ask yourself if you really need an item before purchasing it. In today's economy, most of us cannot afford to throw away money on non essential items.
All tips courtesy of extreme cleaning specialist, Matt Paxton. His book "The Secret Life of Hoarders: True Stories of Tackling Extreme Clutter" is available wherever books are sold. Photo Credit: istock.com/Mark Rose

Immediately unpack: Placing an unpacked bag on the sofa or floor can build up into multiple bags over time and buries the items you will need in the future.

Every item has a home: Put things exactly where they belong. Follow through and immediately take items to their final destination to save time.
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Place like items with other like items: When unpacking, be sure to put mail with other mail, food in the kitchen, and toys in the toy box. Sounds simple, but cutting corners and not placing like objects together can make it very difficult to find important items in a hurry.
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Equal in/equal out: Make room for what you are bringing in. When you bring something new into the home, remove an item of equal size.
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Constantly recycle: Stop keeping unimportant papers. Immediately recycle all newspapers, magazines, cards, and mail upon reading.
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Have a stormy day fashion show: Make a tradition to have a family fashion show during the first major snow (or rain) storm of the year. If everyone else in the family laughs at the outfit, it's probably time to let go of that silver tweed one-button blazer.
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Respect personal space: Divide storage space in the home into designated areas for each family member. If the item doesn't fit in your space, the family must vote to see if it is allowed to be stored in the family space. If it's not allowed in, recycle or donate it. Your stuff can not become your family's problem.
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Finish dinner before watching TV: Dinner includes cleaning up from the meal. Make sure one person stays in the kitchen and puts away all the food and dishes. That person is also responsible for cleaning the entire kitchen. Dinner isn't over until the sink is empty. Leaving dishes in the sink starts the next day off on a sour note (and smell).
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Do a 10 minute sweep: The entire family should clean a 2 foot by 2 foot area each night for a maximum of 10 minutes. A good time to start is right before your family's favorite TV show. It only takes 10 minutes a night (every night) to keep a home clean all year round.
Photo Credit: istock.com/Mark Rose