It’s summertime, and thoughts are naturally turning to the beach and vacation. Probably the last thing you want to hear about is getting organized. Cleaning up your cluttered desk is probably up there with doing the dishes or taking out the garbage.

But, what if we told you that getting organized can actually INCREASE your free time and add to your vacation? “For every minute spent organizing, an hour is earned,” says Ben Franklin. And who wants to argue with Philadelphia’s native son? In other words, if you spend an hour organizing, it’s like getting 60 hours of extra time! What a deal!

Do you have piles of clothes, papers and “stuff” collecting in your home? You’re not alone. It’s time to clean up that clutter and make your home or office a more enjoyable and relaxing place to live and get your Philadelphia apartments as organized as you can, before the summer is over.

1. Create a schedule. Depending on how high those piles are, you may not be able to accomplish the task in a single weekend. So, try tackling one room at a time. It may seem like a daunting project, but it will be less scary if you break it down into segments.

2. Practice a one item in, one item out rule. When you buy an item of clothing, for example, throw out one item of clothing. Not only will it keep down the clutter, but it will also make you rethink whether you really want to buy that new item.

3. Create a stress-free environment in the bedroom. That means no piles of toys and no mounds of clothes. It should be a place where you can rest without worry.

4. Make cleaning up fun for kids by turning it into a game. Kids are often the clutter culprits; involve them in the process to make things neater and more organized.

5. Know your vision for the room. What do you want from a room? Is it a place where you work, a space where you unwind, a playroom for the little ones or something else? If you can answer that question, you’ll be able to decide what items stay and what items go.

6. Try to make decluttering a part of your everyday life. If you do it at the same time every day—like before you go to bed—the piles won’t accumulate and you won’t have to set aside a block of time to do a major cleaning.