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Fight back against the clutter with these ten simple tips.

1. Create a space just for your mail. Designate a spot and make sure there's a garbage can nearby so you can chuck all of the unwanted stuff.

2. Designate an inbox and outbox. These can be wall pockets, a leather box, or a pouch that hangs off a knob on the back door. Your outbox is for what goes out with you the next day.

3. Place a catch-all container near the door. Place your keys, sunglasses, parking pass, subway pass, etc. in this spot. They'll be easily reachable when you're heading out.

4. Have a main bin. You can put your bills, stamps, checkbook, and a pen inside, and place it on a bookshelf for easy access. Just make sure the lid is on when guests come by.

5. Get as many bills and statements online as you can. Download your credit card bills and bank statements and back them up on an external hard drive once a month to reduce the chance of identity theft.

6. Have mobile file boxes to keep your paperwork organized and handy. When mail comes in, either file it away or shred it.

7. Keep a paper shredder for safe disposal of paperwork with personal identification information. (You can get a good shredder for as cheap as $30.)

8. Deal with your mail on a regular basis. Don't get overwhelmed every month -- look at your schedule and pick one day a week to spend half an hour going through it.

9. Purge your files once a year. If you aren't sure about throwing away something, ask your accountant. The IRS has three years to audit you, so you can probably get rid of files older than that.

10. Designate a place for magazines and catalogs. This can be as pretty as it is practical. Forgo the sofa-side bin and go for a wall rack, your favorite mags can be affordable wall art, and more importantly -- contained! 

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