If you are preparing to sell the key word often used is "declutter".  If you are preparing to buy, you might want to use this word as well.  I remember when we moved to Houston I enlisted the help of friends to help with our packing.  My initial packing was slow and a sentimental journey - not very efficient. The final days were frantic. When we arrived in Houston and began to unpack I found that our trash had inadvertently been packed by well meaning friends!  The moral - always be decluttering.

Now I know the task of organizing and decluttering can be overwhelming - especially if you have children who see to have the exact opposite idea.  As anyone will tell you if you have an overwhelming task - break it down to be more manageable.  So for 2011 take the first step tackle either a drawer or a corner a day. That's it. That will take 15 minutes or 1/2 hour at most. A couple of tips to keep in mind

1. Keep a trashcan handy
2.  Check expiration dates
3. Ask yourself "do I REALLY need this?"
4.  Recycle  - have a box handy for any cardboard or paper that can be recycled
5.  Donate - just because you don't want, don't need it, or already have three doesn't mean it won't be useful for someone else.
6.  This "is there a better way to organize this?"  For instance I used some shoe box lids and inserted them in drawers to help small items from floating around.  A plastic (and thoroughly cleaned) deli tray platter is now a great organizer for scarves.

Repeat