This week the Real Simple (October 2007) article answers the concern: "I start projects, but then I get overwhelmed."

Editorial assistant Kate Parker, says "I'll take everything out of my closet with the goal of sorting, editing, discarding, refolding, and rehanging. Then I'll look around to find my entire wardrobe scattered all over my (tiny) apartment and it becomes too much to bear."

1. Slow down. People tend to get overwhelmed by the emotions that come up during the process of purging their belongings, says professional organizer Steve Webber (see The Experts at the end of this article). His advice? "Don't work for more than an hour continuously. If you think the task is going to take two days, it will probably take four. Double the amount of time you first imagined it would take so that you are not disappointed," he says.

Seedroff: Minutes are okay. Use a timer. Take out only what you can achieve in the allotted time on your timer. Stop when the timer goes off and reassess whether or not you can, will or feel like continuing. Be sure to reset your timer so when it rings you have given yourself permission to stop and celebrate what you've accomplished.

2. Avoid distractions. To stay on track, Katherine Atteberry suggests placing a "goes elsewhere in the house" box in the doorway of the room you're decluttering. When you find a misplaced item-say, a corkscrew-while cleaning the living room, toss it in the box rather than strolling to the kitchen and ending up sidetracked (ham sandwich, anyone?). Put the box aside for a day and return items when you have a free 15 minutes. 

3. Take shortcuts. Most people love looking at photos but dread arranging them in albums. Ilene Drexler says to store images in Kolo photo boxes ($30-45 each, which feature sturdy plastic dividers that can be easily labeled to sort images by event or date. [Then contact Philip Halls at Scangaroo to digitize them]. Or hang a canvas laundry bag in the closet, toss in items, and donate little by little rather than conducting a massive overhaul.

This week continue taking baby steps and making progress. Make a list of three projects you'd like to complete by December 31--one for October, one for November and one for December. Be realistic and focus on one project at a time. Happy de-cluttering the feng shui way.

Until next week

Wishing you Simplified Interiors

Kathie Seedroff

**This article written by Nicole Sforza. Additional reporting by Nubia DuVall and Martha C. White.

The Experts: Deb Allert, Clutter-a-Go-Go, San Diego CA; Katherine Atteberry, Mind Over Matter MOM, Bozeman MT; Stephanie Calahan, Calahan Solutions, Bloomington IL; Liz Canavan Alchemy of Order, Boulder CO; Ilene Drexler, Organizing Wiz, New York NY; Betsy Fein, Clutter Busters, Rockville MD; Nancy Heller, Goodbye Clutter, New York NY; Jill Lawrence, Jill-of-all-Trades, Washington DC; Nancy McGivney, Getting Things Done, San Clemente CA; Martin Pospeshil, Klutter.org, Buffalo Grove IL; Eileen Roth, Everything in Its Place, Scottsdale AZ; Steve Webber, Steve's Organizing LLC, Tacoma WA