When people talk to me about their clutter issues, the most common complaint I hear is, “I need a good system to get everything organized.” I realize that they are looking to me to provide that system but, for better or worse, what I instead deliver is the painful truth. There is no magic organizing bullet. The only system that really works is to clear your clutter. In other words, just do it.

That’s not to say that there aren’t some great tips, tricks and principles available to make the job easier. In fact, there are now so many books and blogs on simplifying and organizing that you’d need a special system just to keep it all straight. But the truth of the matter is that the best advice or system is not going to make that stack of papers on your desk go away. You are.

The good news is that once you’ve cleared the clutter, the only system you’ll need is to deal with stuff as it comes in. With the exception of an occasional “clutter clearing” tune-up, you should find it relatively easy to stay on top of things.

The real solution, then, is to figure out how to get it done. That’s primarily why my clients hire me – to make them do it. Perhaps my business card should read taskmaster instead of organizer.

So, short of hiring a personal organizer, how can you get to the task at hand? Here are a few ideas to make the task less daunting and, possibly, more fun.

1. Recruit a clutter clearing partner.

Whenever I need to go through my closet, I recruit my friend Sarah. Not only is she brutally honest, but she has a great eye and and an even better sense of humor. I feed her wine and she tells me to let go of the less-than-flattering leggings from seasons past.

Better yet, recruit someone with whom you can trade the favor. Make a date to kibitz over coffee WHILE you go through the kitchen drawers. Then do the same at their house.

2. Commit to an hour a day.

Clutter clearing is like exercise. It gets easier as you go. Start with a small area of your home (or life) like your desk, your closet, your garage or your email and work on it for an hour a day until the clutter is clear. Then move on to the next area. It may mean that you only get one drawer or file folder cleaned out each day, but isn’t that a whole lot better than not getting anything done at all?

3. Reward yourself.

The wonderful news is that once you’ve purged your closet of all the clothes you never wear, you’ve opened up space for the new flattering sweater you’ve been eying in the store window. You might even get to pay for it with the money you earn taking all of your old clothes to the local consignment store. How’s that for a fair trade?

4. Don’t give up.

If you give up before you’re half-way through, then you’ll be right back to square one. But if you stick with it, believe it or not, clearing the clutter as you go becomes a habit. In almost no time, you’ll have a clear inbox, closet, junk drawer, desk and, mostly, a clear head. So, what are you waiting for? Just do it.