I have always believed that clutter is the enemy.

After just a short time in my home I have discovered that I have fallen victim to the devilish ways of clutter.

It isn’t that I have stacks of newspapers around my home but going through my fall purge I discovered that there are items in my home that have not been used in over a year and it is time to get rid of them and to clean out the cobwebs.

It has also become a priority to make sure that things which are related are kept together which has been the focus of my fall fix-up. I cannot express how much time I have wasted searching for a simple item (like a roll of tape) that I know I have but have put in some random spot.

Disorganized no more, office supplies are with office supplies and tools are with tools – as it should be.

While this need for organization has not yet reached my papers and bills, it has extended into my pantry and my spice cupboard where I have taken full stock of what I have and what I actually need to purchase on my next trip to the grocery store.

I have found a great deal of chili powder and dill that I do not remember buying but was very happy to strike those items off of my grocery list. Organization not only saves you time, it turns out it can save you a bit of money as well.

Girls, we all know how much hair product we can buy.

It seems to be a never ending search for the best shampoo and styling products but what we are left with is a drawer or basket full of half used bottles of stuff rolling around and cluttering up the bathroom.

Give yourself a challenge over the next few months to use the stuff you have before buying new product or give away the stuff you aren’t using. A few months ago a co-worker of mine brought in all the hair products she no longer used and I snapped up a can of hairspray that had a lovely smell.

I now have a new favorite product that cost nothing and it makes me very happy every time I use it – something wonderful from something she found at the bottom of her bathroom vanity.

The freedom you will feel is indescribable when you lighten the load of your home and pare down to only those essential items that you use every day.

The space in your cabinets does not need to be filled and you are allowed to have a few extra hangers in your closet – really, you will be okay.

You may discover that your buying needs drastically decrease in the first month as you resist the urge to stock up on items that are already represented in your home.

Choose one area of your home and carve out a few hours to make that space as clean and clutter-free as you can.

Purge, donate and give away items and take pride in your newly organized spaces. Resist the urge to fill up empty places in your home with stuff and enjoy the cost savings and time savings of your de-cluttering efforts.

Kim Wyse is a freelance interior designer. Find her on facebook at ‘Ask a Designer’.