DEAR HARRIETTE: Spring is here, and I’m trying to get rid of the clutter in my house. I have so much extra stuff that it’s not even funny. I try to unload things, but it never quite works. I recently watched the Marie Kondo show on Netflix. She was showing families how to tidy up their homes. It looked like her process might work, but how am I going to get on her show? What can I do on my own to get the clutter out of my house? -- Clutter-Free
DEAR CLUTTER-FREE: You do not need to get on Marie Kondo’s show in order to reduce clutter in your home. Consider following her process, which you can also find in her book, "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing." But this is only one avenue. You can get help locally through ClutterersAnonymous.org, or even ask friends who are good at organizing to come over one day and help you clean out -- if you feel that you are able to let go enough to allow them in.
(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)