It's where you go when you want a breath of fresh air — the perfect place to sip your morning coffee, unwind after work, entertain guests or kick back with the family. I'm talking about your outdoor living room. Whether it's a patio, a deck or even an outdoor kitchen, you don't want clutter to distract you from enjoying the sun, a cool breeze or even the night sky. Try these simple strategies for keeping your retreat neat.

Put everything in its place. Whenever possible, store items near where they will be used: reading material in a magazine rack or basket placed next to a comfortable chair and an outdoor lamp; grill utensils, charcoal and lighting fluid in close proximity to your barbecue grill; and dishwashing soap, paper towels and glass cleaner under your outdoor kitchen sink.

Think about all the items you repeatedly bring in and out for use in your outdoor living room, including shatterproof serving bowls and dishes, paper plates, napkins, cups, citronella candles and extra seat cushions. Find an outdoor place where you can store these items for easy accessibility. It could be a cabinet just inside the door, a picnic basket or lidded plastic box, or a storage bench that doubles as additional seating.

Think "efficiency." What else could you use? Serving trays make it easy to carry drinks and food outdoors with a minimum number of trips. You might also be able to use one or more plastic tubs that you can fill with ice and beverages — when empty, they're great for lugging dirty dishes back inside. Foldable mesh crates are also great for quick cleanups. Store them under a patio sofa or chair. Borrow a rolling cart from the kitchen if you need additional outdoor counter space.

A freestanding coat rack makes a great towel rack or place to keep jackets handy for a cool evening. Decorative wall hooks would also do the trick. Give new life to an old bookcase or shelving unit by bringing it outdoors. Place a couple of pretty baskets or lidded boxes on shelves for storing small, frequently used items such as sunscreen, bug repellent, matches, tea lights or sunglasses. Other shelves could be used to display plants, candles or other ornamental items to enhance your decor.

Clean up your act. The single most important thing you can do to maintain a clutter-free room is to pick up and put away what you leave out during the day. Consider assigning this task to a different family member each week. Better yet, teach and enforce this simple rule: "Don't just put it down; put it away."

Keeping your outdoor living room clean can be a real challenge. Assign to family members chores that need to be done regularly, such as cleaning glass tabletops, shaking out dust from pillows and cushions, and hosing down outdoor rugs, furniture and umbrellas.

Take a tip from the cleaning pros and place a mat at every door — inside and out — to reduce the amount of dirt that gets tracked indoors. Always cover your barbecue grill when it's not in use, to keep it clean. And keep bins handy for easy disposal of garbage and recycling. For convenience, store extra bags at the bottom of the can.

Unnecessary items cluttering your space? Stow away anything that will not be needed in the current season. But don't put things into storage that should be trashed, donated or sold, especially if the only reason those items are still around is because they made the move with you from a previous home. Give yourself permission to let go.

About Our Expert: Organizing expert Donna Smallin, recipient of the National Association of Professional Organizers Founders Award, is the author of seven books on decluttering, organizing and simplifying life, including the best-sellers “Organizing Plain & Simple,” “The One-Minute Organizer” and “The One-Minute Cleaner.” She’s shared her expertise in guest spots on the CBS “Early Show,” HGTV’s “Smart Solutions,” and CNN’s “Open House,” as well as BBC, Lifetime and CNN radio programs.