Recently I read about a couple who lives in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. They don't have a lot of clutter in their house, but they do find it nearly impossible to part with their children's things. The guest cottage behind their house is nearly filled with old toys, outgrown clothes, the kids' artwork, school papers, trophies, sports paraphernalia, baby beds, bassinets and a rocking horse. They can't bring themselves to clean out the cottage and part with all of these things for fear their now-grown children will think they don't love them.

I know the feeling and, honestly, I don't think it's that unusual. It's just that most of us don't have a guesthouse where we can stash all the clutter. Thankfully, it is possible to deal with clutter in realistic and reasonable ways so that it doesn't turn into chaos.

Marla Cilley, known to many as FlyLady and author of "Sink Reflections," says that the word "chaos" is an acronym for "can't have anyone over syndrome." Raise your hand if you can identify. Look at that. Hands are going up all over the room.

The good news is that clutter does not have to control our homes and lives. It requires just a modicum of determination to take that very first baby step, then another step, and another, all the way to peace and serenity.

READ THIS BOOK. Honestly, I cannot give you a better piece of advice than to read "Sink Reflections." You'll laugh, you might cry, but in the end you will for sure know what to do. Read it right now. Marla is a reformed clutter bug and knows what she's talking about. She would motivate our friends in Oklahoma City to get that guest cottage cleaned out — and she'd do it in a loving, compelling way. They would be able to retain all of the memories, reassure their children of their love and end up with a place for guests to rest, relax and enjoy themselves.

THE GIFT OF PHOTOGRAPHY. All of those things that you can't part with because they hold so much meaning? Take a picture of each one. Take several. Zoom in; pan out. Take a panorama if you want. Now the memories will be preserved in a way you can really enjoy them, and you can part with the actual item — guilt-free.

STASH THE CASH. I have a feeling that our friends in Oklahoma are sitting on a lot of potential money. The rocking horse alone could be worth a few bucks at a garage sale or on Craigslist. Who knows what other treasures are wasting away out there — things that could be turned into money and would fit nicely in a savings account.

TAKE THE DEDUCTIONS. I'm thinking about clothing and household items. I'm also thinking about all of the new things you, your family and your kids got for Christmas. Wow. Where did you put all of them? Now would be an awesome time to go through closets, drawers and cupboards. For each new thing you crammed in there, remove one or more items you don't really use or enjoy anymore. But don't throw these things away! If they are in good condition, donate them to a charity like the Salvation Army or another similar organization in your community. "Money For Your Used Clothing," a valuation workbook, is the only resource I recommend to help you identify the true market value of each of your items. Make sure you use the correct edition of the workbook for the tax year that you are filing. The 2015 edition — used for taxes you will file on or before April 18, 2016 — is still available at a discount ($20 plus shipping).

Just because you can't imagine changing your life from chaos to calm in a single day doesn't mean you shouldn't get started. According to Marla Cilley, "Things done imperfectly still bless our lives." And isn't that great news!

Mary invites questions, comments and tips at mary@everydaycheapskate.com, or c/o Everyday Cheapskate, 12340 Seal Beach Blvd., Suite B-416, Seal Beach, CA 90740. This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually. Mary Hunt is the founder of www.DebtProofLiving.com, a personal finance member website and the author of "Debt-Proof Living," released in 2014. To find out more about Mary and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: Tim Sackton