The other night on our local weather report I was amused by their “skeeter-meter.” Of course, that informs us about the current mosquito population. So I thought it would be interesting to rate our homes on the “clutter-meter.” Last week I listed reasons to declutter suggested by psychologist Sherry Bourg Carter. For caregivers, I think the most relevant is: “Clutter constantly signals to our brains that our work is never done.”

Stop and rate your home on a clutter-meter of one to ten, with one being neat and orderly and ten denoting total chaos. Are you satisfied with your rating? If not, imagine how much easier it would be to perform your daily caregiving tasks in a well-ordered home where you can find important documents without searching; can easily locate your mother’s favorite nightgown without foraging through a stack of laundry on the sofa; and are delighted (instead of embarrassed) when unexpected guests drop by to visit with your dad.

Before you start, there is one caveat: if you are providing care in your loved one’s home, secure his or her permission before you begin. If the care recipient is cognitively unable to provide permission, you should talk to other family members before you initiate the process and decide how you will distribute any items you plan to remove from the home. If you provide care in your own home, you are good to go.

Following are some helpful ideas to inspire and get you started.

• Make a plan. You cannot undo the results of years of haphazard housekeeping in a week, but you can decide what area will be your first makeover project. By successfully completing the initial closet or room, you will feel a sense of satisfaction that will motivate you to continue throughout your home.
• Start early in the morning following a good night’s sleep. If at all possible, have someone else take over your caregiving duties while you organize. Decide whether you prefer to work alone or with a family member or friend. While having a helper may be preferable, it is usually easier to toss out unwanted items if no one else has veto power.
• Consider this an enjoyable project instead of a dreaded task by focusing on the eventual results. Play your favorite music. Schedule regular breaks to eat an energizing snack, get some fresh air or even walk around the block. Hopefully you will discover one or two long-lost items that will stimulate you to keep going.
• The best way to tackle a closet is to first remove all of the contents. Thoroughly clean the walls and floors. If the closet has not been painted in decades, consider making this a two day project – remove and paint on day one and organize and replace on day two. Be ruthless when returning any item to the closet. Ask yourself if you need it, use it, or want it. If you cannot honestly answer yes to one of these questions, then discard it. Many professional organizers suggest three discard piles: garage sale; donate to charity; and garbage. Unless you have a large number of valuable items that would make the effort required by a garage sale worthwhile, I would skip that pile and donate all usable items in good condition before trashing the rest. Some people say one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, but I would suggest that one man’s trash becomes another man’s clutter.

Caring Quote: “Clutter is nothing more than postponed decisions.” Barbara Hemphill