Seattle, Washington (NAPSI) - If you're like most Americans, you've lost something valuable because of clutter, according to a recent Harris Interactive survey. The most common thing lost? Important documents and bills.

So that you don't have to deal with such difficulties, here are 10 tips to help you get organized:

Tip 10: Start small when starting to declutter. Pick one area or room and sort through your stuff. Purge items no longer used and assign the keepers a place.

Tip 9: Keep things orderly. Create zones for certain activities or categories and store all related items in that zone.

Tip 8: Have a young family? Make it a game with your kids to get organized. Create a treasure hunt and you may rediscover items once thought to be lost.

Tip 7: Organization needs consistency. Talk to your significant other or roommate about maintaining a united front on keeping things organized.

Tip 6: Enlist help for larger organization efforts. Invite friends over to help clear out clutter; pay them with pizza and cold drinks for their work.

Tip 5: Donate duplicate or unwanted items to a charity that can then use your extras to support those in need.

Tip 4: Pick your battles. Start with what is manageable, like a closet, and work your way toward larger projects, such as the basement or garage.

Tip 3: Create routines. Make it a habit to tackle a new area of the home every month.

Tip 2: Put it away now. Done using something? Instead of letting things pile up, put them away immediately. You can have plenty of places to put stuff when you get storage units, shelving and organization kits from Gladiator GarageWorks. View them all at www.gladiatorgarageworks.com.

Tip 1: Enjoy the spoils of victory. Cleaning and organizing is a daunting but rewarding task. Enjoy your accomplishment.