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This Side Up: One of my golden rules is to go vertical. So many of my clients tell me that they need to see things in order to remember them; ditching the piles and hanging visual reminders can be a great cure for losing the physical—and mental—clutter.

Start by hanging a bulletin board where everyone in the house can see it; this board will house important documents that need to be referenced often. Next, install wall pockets for more transitional items (such as mail or bills) or pending to-dos; this will keep them within easy eyesight while staying neat and contained. And, for notes, consider using a dry-erase message board. The Container Store offers a great variety of boards for all needs.

Purge Those Piles and Make Efficient Files: Repeat after me: “Vertical is visible, and horizontal is hidden.” It’s incredibly easy for a pile to grow out of control and enter the zone of overwhelm. Follow the above rule, and use an upright file organizer for any files that need to be easily accessed on a regular basis.

Go Digital: Nothing feels better than purging paper and saving files electronically. You’ll feel lighter, more organized, and ready to tackle the day! (Plus, you can access needed items on the go.) To keep track of your ever-evolving to-do list, try a checklist app like Wunderlist; for other points of reference, consider using a cloud-based storage system such as Evernote.

Need some inspiration? Check out my Command Center Pinterest board!