Clutter, she argues, “tends to accumulate during major transitions of our lives” such as the death of a spouse, arrival of new baby, a change in jobs. It’s generally a period when people are distracted and don’t have time to deal with things.

“Basically, their lives have changed but they haven’t adapted to the new reality of their lives,” said Moore, who helps people unclutter their homes and runs educational workshops.

Getting rid of unneeded things can be a relief and bring financial rewards, she said. That’s because people often come across “buried treasures,” including stashes of cash and coins, unused gift certificates and cards, or useful items that were hidden away.

Moore adds that becoming aware of having too much stuff also can motivate a person to come to grips with overspending.

She told the story of a woman who sought help organizing all the things in her house. The woman blamed a lack of time, saying she worked 60 hours a week and was too tired at night and on weekends to deal with the mess.

It turned out, Moore said, that the woman’s way of relaxing after a day at the office was to go on the Internet and shop.

“When she recognized what she was doing, she was motivated to stop,” Moore said. A bonus was that less buying led toless clutter.

Mike Sullivan, director of education for the nonprofit credit counseling agency Take Charge America in Phoenix, said he often deals with people who complain they can barely make it from paycheck to paycheck, with little left over to save or to pay down debt.

“It hit me that there are many things people have to sell,” Sullivan said. “If they can spring clean their houses and raise just a couple hundred of dollars, it can help break that cycle.”

Sullivan suggests families begin by trying to identify the unwanted clothing, toys, tools, kitchen appliances, furniture and what not they want to sell. Then they need to think about where they can make the best profit.

Yard or garage sales are popular in some parts of the country, he noted.

“I recommend that families get together and try to schedule neighborhood sales,” Sullivan said. “If you get the whole neighborhood involved, you can share advertising costs and often attract more people.”

People can also take used items, especially clothing, to resale stores, he said. Some store operators will buy the goods outright; others take the goods on consignment, meaning that

payment is made after the items are sold.

“If people have designer clothes or specialty items, they might also consider auction sites,” he said. Among the most popular is online auctioneer eBay Inc.

Another way to find buyers, especially for larger items, can be through advertising in a local newspaper or on the Craigslist Web site, he added.

Sullivan said getting rid of stuff can eliminate what has become an increasingly widespread expense–the monthly fee to rent storage rooms or sheds. “Sell some of that stuff and you can save the $75 or $100 a month you’re paying for storage,” he said.

Both Moore and Sullivan point out that families have the alternative of donating unwanted goods to a charity, whether it’s books to the local public library or used clothing to Salvation Army or toys to a family shelter. Or they can take the proceeds from a yard sale or auction and donate them to a cause the family cares about.

Charitable donations are not without their financial rewards. Families that itemize their tax returns can claim deductions.