Do you find yourself caught in the allure of magazines? There are thousands available on every topic imaginable. Magazines are so easy to purchase, yet so hard to let go of, making them one of the most commonly hoarded items in our homes.

Homeowners will go to battle to defend these shiny covers. Like taking candy from a baby, I've witnessed customers transform from an adult into a child and go into a temper tantrum, kicking and screaming, all the while defending the piles they haven't touched in years.  

The famous excuse, "I will read them when I have a free moment," will not work with me. You're not fooling anyone but yourself.  If you haven't taken the time to read them while hibernating in your home during the long winters months, do you really believe you'll find the time when spring arrives?  Of course not, and now is the time to put an end to that magical hold they have over you.

Here are 5 tips to tackle these piles down to a manageable size.

• Magazines can contain a wealth of information, but only if you take the time to read them. Rip out and file away the articles that interest you and recycle the rest of the magazine.
• If you need these magazines for research or work, pull out the relevant articles and place them in a binder by category/topic for easy retrieval. 
• Ask yourself: when was the last time I touched this magazine andor do I even enjoy this magazine anymore?  As with newspapers, magazines are filled with older beliefs and ideas that may already be obsolete.  As season change, so do our tastes and interests.  Right now - stop all subscriptions that no longer interest you, and only allow room for those that pertain to the live you live today.
• After you finish reading your magazines, take off the subscription labels and donate them to a children’s clinic, dentist office, etc. Let them clutter someone else’s waiting rooms.
• Analyze your magazine subscriptions. Do you read them in a timely manner? Stop clutter in its tracks and consider canceling some of them before it gets too late. Save money, and space in your home in one swift move.

With today’s technology, you can always find what you need instantly on the Internet. Isn’t that better then tripping over piles of yesterday’s news?