Make clutter-clearing a daily habit.

Creating clean, uncluttered spaces does not have to be an overwhelming chore. Instead of having a major spring-cleaning once a year, Craven suggests splitting into smaller, more manageable tasks: "Each time you acquire something new, discard something you don't want or need." Or open a drawer, find one thing you have not used this year, and throw it away. The idea is to make shedding the unnecessary a daily habit, she says.

Set aside areas for various activities.

Jumble is almost unavoidable in an active household where parents and children simultaneously pursue work, play, and hobbies, but not if you assign special areas for certain activities, for example, one for paying bills and doing routine paperwork, another for working on crafts, and still another for watching television.

"You will see less clutter and encounter fewer family conflicts if mess-producing activities are given their own special places," says Craven. "These work and play areas need not be spacious. Simply putting boundaries around family activities will minimize confusion and help maintain a sense of order." A folding screen, a beaded curtain, or a vibrantly-colored area rug may be all you need to outline the boundaries between spaces.