Think of things in terms of blocks or cubes. A cupboard is a cube or stack of blocks. So are bookshelves, drawers, and even books. Even Time can be blocked.

Every space block can be emptied, sorted, cleaned and arranged in a finite amount of time usually the matching Time Block to the Space Cubic Block. As we look at our homes, we need to look at the smaller parts rather than the big picture sometimes, as the big picture is akin to that old eating an elephant scenario.

To make this work the first week must be spent getting sheets, towels and two outfits per person clean and accessible, enough dishes for a meal clean, and supplies gathered.

Tote containing: box of garbage bags, cleaner in spray bottle, cleaning cloths, tape, pad of paper, pencil/pens, mite box, folder for important papers

Paper box (a box with a lid) containing: manila folders, some already labeled with every known creditor, bank, account, person in household, current tax year, previous tax years, schools, pets, coupons. Do not label any file MISC. Keep a pen, post-it notes and a list of files in the box for documenting where you are putting things.

Limiting Box--a box that is close to a cubic foot in size. I use a Sterling Tote that is about 15x10x11 in size. This limits the amount that you are working with at a time. It also limits the mess to one place. A dishpan also will work. Do not get it to big or you won't be able to deal with it in small amounts of time.

Sorting Station--I needed a place that was consistent, would be available for an extended time, would make it easier to maintain the house, and would limit what could stay there. I organized a space in my utility room that holds 4 boxes. The boxes are labeled Storage, Thrift Shop, Resale Shop, and Not This Cube. On the floor I keep a good sized trash can. I bring in my portable file box and set it on the dryer and the sorting boxes go on the washer in exactly the same pattern each time. I also have a big clown container that animal crackers came in that I use to put pens, pencils, markers and crayons in as they are found. I have 4 tin cans on my dryer that are labeled Workshop, Jewelry, Hair Stuff and Office Stuff. I use them for laundry time and sorting time. Nuts and bolts go to Workshop, paper clips to Office Stuff. We have various Mite Boxes (named for the Widow's mite in one of Jesus Christ's parables) most churches just use them in Advent and Lent, but we as a family use them year round. All found money goes here.

Remember to keep things simple. Don't go buy a bunch of boxes.... use orange or apple boxes. Don't allow yourself to let the sorting boxes get very big or you will again be overwhelmed.

Sketch Pad or stack of notebook paper on a clipboard

If you do not have a dishwasher make sure you have a good dishpan for the dish part of the plan.

This is mainly a preparation and planning week. The first thing you do is start a load of laundry with towels and/or sheets. Then go through the house identifying cubic spaces. My entryway bookshelf is 4 C2 cubes, the stairway bookshelf is 3 C1 cubes and the floor at the bottom of the stairs is about 5 C1 cubes (there is that much junk that gets dumped around there). As you go make sketches of the space (dream drawings) noting what you want kept there and what you would like to have. On a separate piece of paper start listing things that you have to figure out where they go. Take your time with this. You can continue to do this after you start the actual work of clutter busting. Stop during this time and continue with laundry. The more laundry you can get done ahead of time, the better off you are as you continue the plan. When you are going through children's rooms and spouse's areas, include them in the "dream drawings" as that will help them buy into the maintenance side of the plan. Ask them where they first look for things. The more you find a way to work with how people in your home naturally look for things, the easier time you will have helping them learn to put it back there.