Maybe you’re one of those people who would like to be organized but simply has too much stuff.

The best way to start getting things in order is to cut the clutter.

Old clothes pile up fast. If you are not constantly cleaning out the stuff you don’t wear, it’s easy to lose track of the stuff you do. Bag up old clothes and give them to charity. Likewise, there is no sense in keeping household objects such as old picture frames, lamps or even furniture. What’s not being used is just taking up precious space.

Try selling anything superfluous in a garage sale or on eBay. It may surprise you how much money you can make off something you thought nobody would ever want.When you have finally cleared out all of the unneeded clutter, you will be able to start managing your things more resourcefully.

One great way to get organized is to create a system for dealing with vital papers and documents. Categorizing your monthly bills, bank statements, health forms and receipts into a filing cabinet is the best way to keep track of important information.

Other significant documents should also be handled so that you are prepared to access them at any time. For example, keeping your insurance card and vehicle registration in an easily accessible folder somewhere in your car will prove helpful should you find yourself pulled over by an impatient cop.

Buying something simple like a folder or a storage box can make organizing things a much simpler process. Purchasing plastic dividers for your drawers, for example, is a novel way to compartmentalize everything from socks to knickknacks. Also, buying a photo box to catalog and store your pictures keeps precious memories safe.

Like photographs, CDs often end up thrown in a drawer or left on a shelf to collect dust. Time after time, they get ruined simply because they are not protected. Toss out those bulky jewel cases and load your CDs into a compact carrying case. You can even arrange them according to year of release, genre or artist to make finding what you’re looking for easier.

Another time when you may scramble to find what you need is when something goes wrong with an appliance or technical gadget. Keep all your instruction manuals together to know exactly where to go for help with your hi-tech woes. Similarly, in order to fix the problem, you will often need to dig up your wrench, pliers or screwdriver.

To ensure that the right utensil is always at your fingertips, store all your tools, including nails and screws, in a toolbox.

For those who lack structure in handling daily life, there are a few things that can make a world of difference.

Stop writing down names and telephone numbers on scrap paper and napkins. Get an address book and transfer all of your friends’ personal information into it. Include birthday and anniversaries to never forget someone’s special day.

To efficiently chart out all of your own special engagements, use a monthly planner to outline the weeks ahead. Being prepared for tomorrow is great, but being ready for next week is even better.

As a college student, your planner will also undoubtedly be filled with course deadlines and test dates. The best way to stay on track with all of your assignments is to make a daily “to do” list.

Outlining exactly what needs to be accomplished will keep you from feeling overwhelmed and push you to get more things done each day.

Finally, don’t pile all of your old school papers in a stack on the floor. Try cataloging all your completed coursework into notebooks. You never know when you may need to use your old notes from freshman year as a reference.