She knew there was a couch in there; she knew somewhere there was a table; but two years ago, Marilyn McCann could not find one clean surface in her home.

Her furnishings and floor had been buried with years of old clothes that no longer fit, along with out-of-season holiday decorations and broken appliances she hoped someone could fix.

With only a tiny path leading through the knee-high piles in the living room and up her stairs, the situation had become overwhelming.

Luckily, McCann, of Butler, had access to people who could help.

Pam Barcus, a service provider now contracted through the Irene Stacy Community Mental Health Association, was paired up with McCann, who had been hesitant to invite anyone into her home due to the mess.

"It wasn't a case where I walked in and said 'Let's get started.' We went slowly,"said Barcus.

After a friendly lunch, McCann felt comfortable revealing to Barcus her cluttered home.

The pair took nearly eight months to clear the clutter, going room by room, pile by pile.

Though McCann's access to mental health resources gave her the opportunity to find help, Barcus, a self-proclaimed pack rat, noted that being messy can be a hard habit for anyone to change.

"The willingness has to be there,"she said. "If the willingness isn't there, it's never going to happen."

Despite the experience she gained helping others clean, Barcus does not consider herself a professional, admitting she came to terms with her own clutter six months ago.

Recognizing Barcus' skills for helping others, Pam Hinchberger, volunteer recruiter and payee program auditor for the Mental Health Association, asked Barcus to speak recently at the association.

According to Hinchberger, some of her clients have allowed their clutter to become so bad, they have been threatened with eviction from their homes and apartments.

"They don't see it as a problem,"said Hinchberger, noting many clutterers learn to live within their own mess. "They know where their stuff is and they're OK with it.

Perry O'Malley, director of the Butler County Housing Authority, said the authority inspects its housing units annually, or quarterly for family units.

O'Malley estimated that every few years a tenant is found whose clutter creates a fire, health or safety hazard.

"We usually solve that with a letter,"he said, noting he has never had a case when a tenant's clutter led to eviction.

Having helped several clients clean out their spaces, Hinchberger hoped Barcus' informal presentation would help others avoid the same hassles.

Besides security, Barcus noted that clutter can affect a person's self-esteem and personality.

Since helping McCann clean out her home, she noted the mother of two takes better care of herself, is more independent and has time for her hobbies, such as crocheting and embroidery.

"I noticed that back then, I didn't want to do anything," remembered McCann.

Barcus' method for organizing began in McCann's living room.

Clearing a space on the floor to sit, the women separated items into things that were clearly trash, those McCann would definitely keep, and items they would reconsider later.

After sorting through the items and removing nearly 40 bags of garbage from the house, McCann and Barcus sorted items into clear storage containers and put items used regularly onto shelves and in drawers.

Though it took some convincing to talk McCann into storing seasonal items, Barcus did not force McCann to store her favorite holiday decorations, many of which adorn her home year-round.

"This is her house,"Barcus said.

What's left are organized spaces that still maintain McCann's personality.

"I'm not white glove," McCann said of her cleaning style.

She noted that she kept her home clean, but comfortable.

Since completing the task, Barcus will occasionally help find items to purge, but she said for the most part, McCann keeps her own space clean.

"Once you start to see that it looks better, you get motivated," Barcus said.

Through experience and research, Barcus came up with several tips for clearing out clutter:

• Clean one room at a time. Focusing on an individual task is less overwhelming than trying to tackle the entire problem at once.

• Sort items into "junk" and "keep" piles quickly, then revisit the "keep" pile to purge more items.

• Ask a friend for help. An impartial party can help separate emotional attachments from necessities.

• Make it fun. Barcus and McCann took frequent breaks during their cleaning to have lunch or simply enjoy treasures discovered in their sorting, such as long-lost photos of McCann's sons as infants.

• Clothing, appliances and other items in good condition can be sold at a garage sale, given to a salvager or donated to charity.

"I think it's always easier if you know it's going to a good cause,"said Barcus.

• Throw away any items not used in more than a year.

• Store seasonal items in clear containers or labeled boxes and keep everyday items on shelves or in drawers.

"The floor is made for furniture and feet," Barcus said.

For other advice, Barcus suggests looking to the Internet or books for ideas and tips.

Though for McCann the process took months of work, the benefits are as much personal as they are aesthetic.

"That goes with the clutter,"said Barcus. "When it's gone, you feel better about yourself."