The stack of magazines and newspapers in the garage.

The collection of Boys II Men cassettes.

The T-shirts that seemed like a good idea at the time.

The coins clogging up vehicle cup holders and dresser tops.

The hour is nigh for these items and the millions like them wreaking havoc in the hearts, minds, cars, closets, cabinets and crannies of everyone. Spring cleaning is here and Cougar News knows how to help.

Also, Saturday, April 5 is the Great American Clean-Up. Find your community.

Five tips to cleaning up some of those unwanted things.

5. Writing Utensils
Pens, markers, Sharpies and pencils tend to pile up. You get some for free. Some are found underneath the couch or behind the refrigerator. The answer? Go through all of them and make sure they work. Just toss the ones that don’t. Then, take the useful ones and plant them in strategic points in your life: the office, the kitchen, the car and the bathroom. Any other’s left? Give them to people that will use them.

4. Clothes
Look in your drawers and closet. If you haven’t worn it in six months, give it to Goodwill or another charitable organization that can get it to someone who needs it. That goes for everything. Jackets, shoes, shirts, belts, et al.

3. Books
Textbooks, novels or whatever is sitting on your shelf or melting in the back seat of your Honda Civic can be useful to others. See what you can donate to a library or school. Find a book that you think a friend might like and give a random gift of literacy.

2. E-mails
Too many e-mail accounts due to various contacts and whatnot? Have them all forward messages to one account. Also, check out the great Merlin Mann and his advice to keeping that inbox at zero. Take time everyday to respond and go through what you get. Don’t let your inbox be a to-do list.

1. Paper
Recycle. Reuse. Shred. File. Almost every ounce of paper can have a use. It doesn’t need to stack like the Tower of Babel on your desk.