If you're like most people, you don't have the time (or the desire) to spend an entire weekend cleaning, organizing and decluttering your home. Have you ever noticed that some people just seem to have homes that are tidy all the time? Regardless when you pop in, even if it's unannounced, you won't find unruly piles of "stuff" in corners, on tables, counters and other various places. Have you ever wondered how these people pull off this constantly neat appearance? It all boils down to changing those clutter habits. We're going to give you 5 quick ways to turn your mess into success:

1. Give Everything a Place - Over time we tend to accumulate piles, mainly because everything doesn't have its own spot. You know the deal. It all starts with a piece of mail or a couple of magazines you'd like to read later. After a few weeks you've got a stack of stuff and you don't even remember how it got there. If this sounds familiar you need to give everything a place. A wicker basket for magazines, a desk tray for your mail, a junk drawer tray (yes, they make those!) and garage shelves for the items you don't want cluttering up your living space. Want to put an end to the sports gear, umbrellas and shoes piled next to the door? Install drop down garage shelving on the wall closest to the interior door and you'll be surprised how quickly the clutter disappears.

2. Never Empty Handed - This is a great little time saver that's especially good for families because it can almost become a game with your children. Adopt a new policy of "never going from one room to another empty-handed." There's always something that needs to be put away. If you're going out to the garage, take a stack of dirty towels to the laundry room. When you're coming back in, put the umbrella away. You get the idea. You may even get so good at the game that you run out of things to put away!

3. Be Ruthless - Do you save certain things "just because?" Don't worry, most of us are guilty. Whether it's the 200+ books you've accumulated over the years or the shot glass collection you've had since college, there are just some things that we save without thinking. If you don't feel like creating a big project, try tackling one thing at a time. If you simply can't part with something, at least transfer your treasure to a clearly labeled plastic tote. Store things you don't use every day on garage shelving to make more room in your home.

4. Tackle the Linen Closet - Are you one of those families that never gets rid of old towels, sheets, or shower curtains? Take an afternoon and declutter your linen closet. Again, be ruthless. Transfer your old towels to a bin or bucket in the garage for car washing.

5. One for One - This is another tip that can work like a game, but will retrain your brain to be more clutter free. When you purchase something, instead of just adding it to what you already have, play what I  like to call the "one for one" game. Did you buy a new broom? Instead of just putting it in the closet right next to the old one, put the new one in and take the old one out. Sounds silly, but how many of us have our new dustpan sitting next to the old one? If you play the one for one game, it may not work with everything (such as food or other consumables) but it will keep you aware of how the mysterious clutter builds up in your home!

A good spring cleaning or a weekend spent organizing the garage shelving is certainly needed once in a while, but adopting a clutter free mentality will help you to maintain the kind of home that is tidy all the time.