For years, my mother has been bugging me to clean up my room. Ever since I could remember, I have always led a carefree lifestyle. Translation: I let things (usually!) fall where they may. There have been times in the past when my bed was taken over by books to be read and clothes to be worn. My mother was often times exasperated with my lack of cleaning ability. When I would profess that I have no time to do all the cleaning up necessary so I could even see what the floor looks like, my mother would have an easy answer: Put things back where you got them. But then again, most of my things have been strewn all over my room for so long that they practically live right where they are.

After a while, my mother tired of repeatedly lecturing me regarding my organizational skills — or lack thereof. She just refused to enter or even look inside my room altogether. But now that I’m grown and moved miles away from my mother, I think I really need to harness whatever skill on organization that I may have been born with. I fear that in a few more years or maybe even months, my husband will be singing to the same tune as my mother had.

But what solution is there, short of a miracle, to solve clutter problem? Thanks to Shine, I’ve found some worthwhile suggestions.

In Quick and Simple’s Win the War on Clutter, there are 7 ways of keeping clutter at bay. But if you think those 7 methods are just too long for you, the site proposes a F.A.S.T. Plan, i.e. Fix a time to de-clutter, Anything not used for 12 months must be gone, Someone else’s stuff should likewise go and Trash should definitely be tossed.

If this FAST Plan doesn’t work for you either, then there’s only one thing left for you to do: move to another house.