Don't bother being a perfectionist if you want to get your home organized.

Even being a little bit tidier will make a big difference, says Jeff Bredenberg, author of the recently released "How to Cheat at Organizing: Quick, Clutter-Clobbering Ways to Simplify Your Life" ($15, The Taunton Press).

That said, Bredenberg goes on to tell how to be more efficient in nearly everything. He'll tell you how to take on the medicine cabinet. The living room. The trunk of the car. Your wallet. Your condiments. He keeps going.

He offers ways to simplify credit card debt. Exercise programs. Travel. Trips to the doctor. He's so efficient he's exhausting.

But that's OK. You don't have to follow all of his advice.

Start small by trying just a few of Bredenberg's ideas for cutting a clear path through the house:

If you never use your formal living room, consider converting it to another use. Home offices are a common choice for the former "parlor."

Buy furniture that has two uses. A bench with a removable top is a good choice. So is a coffee table with drawers.

Use functional accessories. Bamboo or wooden boxes and woven baskets of all sizes can be beautiful. Big clear glass vases can hold collections of small items.

Go vertical. Use shelves. If you have a lot to display, consider adding a shelf around the perimeter of your living room, about 10 inches or so below the ceiling.

Put an "out" basket in every room. Each time you find something that doesn't belong in a room, drop it in the basket. Eventually, you'll remember to pick it up and disperse the goods.

Do you really need a dining room centerpiece? Keep your pretty tableware out instead. Bundle silverware in napkins and place them in glasses by a stack of plates.

That way your table is nearly set, you've cut back on trips carrying things from the kitchen and your cabinets are less cluttered.