Next, get your name off all marketing lists. Go to sites like CatalogChoice.org or GreenDimes.com to lessen the amount of junk mail clogging your mailbox. You can also opt out of credit card offers at OptOutPrescreen.com. I’ve done this, and it’s a joy to open my mailbox and find only two or three pieces of mail. And if you’re getting a magazine but never have time to read it, cancel the subscription. It’s liberating.
 
Then there’s the kids' artwork. Please realize that not everything your child creates is precious. Give the artwork a place to collect until you have time to look through it and pick your favorites. Or take photos of it with a digital camera and keep the images on your computer.

When your child’s artwork has a place to live, it feels less daunting to sort through and make choices about what to keep. Some children may get upset if you toss or recycle their art projects, but you can teach them how to approach their stuff critically. Remember, no one but you cares about your kid’s artwork. Sometimes your kid cares, but even they don’t want to fill a whole museum with their drawings. My daughter, who’s now 10, used get upset if I tossed anything she made. She has even learned to go through it herself to pick out the ones she likes best and get rid of the rest. Then we recycle the rest and make a home for the ones she really wants to keep.