No matter how organized you are, clutter is easy to accumulate. It’s a problem most of us have. Ask yourself, what areas of your home accumulate the most clutter?

Is it your piles of unopened mail, laundry that doesn’t get put away, or all those Amazon returns you haven’t had the time to deal with? For some, it’s specific groups of items but for many of us it’s random items that don’t have a home, so they just sit out in limbo.

Here are five ways to help you cut down on and stay ahead of clutter:

Don’t purchase items needed far into the future.

Let’s say your child’s birthday party is in August and you decide to buy decorations in April while on a Target run. Unless you have a specific contained spot in your home that you know contains just party decorations, wait until a few weeks before the party to make the purchase. If you don’t have a specific spot for the future item, it will create clutter and it’s highly likely you won’t be able to find it (or remember you bought it) by the time you need it. Causing you to make another purchase and pile up on the clutter.

Open your mail AND throw it out.

Mail arrives up to six times a week, making it the fastest clutter to accumulate. Aside from the occasional birthday card and bills, most mail is non-essential. Consider creating online accounts with auto-pay or e-billing for all your bills, including medical. If you feel you get too many emails already, set up a new email address just for your bills so they are all in one place. Another great way to reduce mail (and waste) is to call and cancel subscription services such as magazines you no longer want to receive.

Unsubscribe from your auto-ship’s and subscriptions.

Auto-ship services are great, when used appropriately. They can cause an accumulation of items that you may not need, or at least not at the rate you’re getting them. You also could be getting items you no longer use but forgot to unsubscribe from. This rule also applies for subscription boxes that you don’t fully benefit from. If you’re not using 90% of the items you get in that box, it may be time to consider canceling the subscription and buying these products individually.

Have a designated donate bin in your home.

When it’s time to get rid of items, don’t toss them to the side in your closet or hallway. Placing a donate bin (it can be decorative) in a prominent place makes it easy to toss items you want to purge. Once the bin is filled, transfer it to a bag or box and place it in your car. Make a plan to stop by a donation center the next time it is on your way to work or an errand you’re running.

Don’t let gifts take over your home.

Whether it’s a birthday or the holidays, surely you or your family members will receive a gift (or twelve). Chances are most of these gifts are not needed or wanted. Try telling family and friends you prefer they donate to a charity in your name or a gift card or an experience such as a manicure, entrance to a museum or a night out. You likely don’t need another mug or an outfit you’ll never wear. For those who still choose to gift you items you don’t need, find an organization to donate these items to (Toys for Tots is a great organization for kids toys). You’ll be helping others while keeping clutter out of your life.

Which of these tips you will try to implement into your daily life?