Staging a Home? Declutter It First

Back in her days as a pack rat, writer Betsy Talbot gave in to clutter. She let piles of magazines gather dust, printed out too many paper copies of digital photos, and kept hundreds of obsolete CDs from her music collection even though she had upgraded to an iPod. Talbot was reluctant to declutter and get rid of the things she and her husband never used anymore. Sound familiar?

Just because you loathe decluttering and throwing things in the trash doesn't mean you are going to be recruited for the next edition of A&E's series, "Hoarders."

According to Geralin Thomas, a certified professional organizer featured on "Hoarders," there are a couple of key factors that set a clutter-prone, disorganized individual apart from an full-blown obsessive collector. Whether you're decluttering before a home sale or just trying to lead a more organized life, here are some tips to help get you started.