Archive for decluttering
July 20, 2010 at 7:26 pm
· Filed under Spring Cleaning, decluttering
So you are ready to clear out a room, clean up and get it organized. You go into that room to get started and then the energy drops. What is going on? In many cases the thought of making decisions on what to keep and what to let go of is just daunting. Emotions, memories, remorse about a purchase, the “I might need it later” excuse all come up….I am sure all these feelings sound familiar.
Here is a great tip to work through some of the tough decisions.
- Have a box or bag specifically for the undecided items. These are the ones where you think you might want to get rid of it, but just can’t make the firm commitment.
- At the end of your organizing session close the box or bag, label it “possible donate” and put it aside for a month.
- If you don’t know what is in the container or do know but don’t miss it your decision is made. Donate or toss the contents and you are on your way to a simpler space.
By the way, this works great with kids toys too. If the kids don’t miss it or even notice it is gone you can give it away (or throw it out).
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June 28, 2010 at 7:05 pm
· Filed under decluttering, paper management
How is your desktop? Piled high with papers, catalogs, kids art, unopened mail and more? Wish you had space to work?
Are you ready to attack and clear?
- Set up trash and recycle bags right next to the desk.
- Start at the top, grab the first piece of paper and do a quick rough sort. This means that main decision is whether you are going to keep the item or paper, or throw it out.
- Place the things you are keeping in a pile.
- You might have a few (but only a few) piles like needs immediate attention, put away, read later….
- Set items that need to go to another room near the door, but don’t leave the room….you might get distracted and never come back.
- Keep going until the entire desk top is cleared.
It is actually easier than it sounds. Now you have a clear understanding of what is actually in all those piles. You got rid of the clutter, and you can form your plan to put things away.
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June 12, 2010 at 5:01 pm
· Filed under Garages, Mail, Spring Cleaning, closet, decluttering, kids and toys
Life is moving fast and throwing lots of stuff at us everyday. We can be neat, orderly and even organized, but the stuff keeps coming at us and often will get ahead of us. Emails, mail, phone calls, shopping, permission slips, registration forms, seminar and meeting notes…the list goes on. The point is no one is expected to be perfect all the time.
We are working so hard and fast to keep up that we lose track of what is happening. Here is an idea that might help you step back and take a small moment to see what is going on.
The idea of “take a Fresh Look” is based on re-looking at your space, home or office, as others see it. In-other-words, you are blowing right by things and not looking at all.
Go out your front door (or office door) and come back in with a renewed focus.
LOOK, I mean really LOOK at what is there…
what do you see?
- Post-it’s littered all over.
- Toys strewn all around.
- Coffee mugs and glasses all over the counter.
- Piles of mail, magazines and catalogs that have been sitting for week’s.
Now you get a clear picture of what is really going on. You see your space as a guest, colleague or client sees it.
To address the issues use the “Power De-Cluttering” that I mentioned a few weeks ago. 5 quick minutes might be all you need to sort through one pile of mail on the coffee table. 5 minutes will let you consolidate all those loose Post-its to one list. I bet a bunch will get tossed out too. Clear off the mugs and glasses and the counter looks neat.
Give it a try.
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June 12, 2010 at 4:59 pm
· Filed under Garages, decluttering
I have to start by telling you that there are entire books written on cleaning out and setting up garages. But I won’t go on that long. Here is some inspiration and the basics to get you going.
With the nice weather and the end of the school year, unfortunately vandalism on cars picks up. If you are parking outside when your stuff is housed in the garage, hummmm. Let’s think about that. It is better to protect your large investment by making room in the garage. Really, really, really, the space is there if you get rid of the stuff you don’t need or want anymore. (unless you have a structural issue…not my area of expertise).
Sounds simple, but it looks daunting. Trust me on this one. It starts out that way, but I have found that 100% of the garages I go in to de-clutter with a client are always easier than you first think. Yes, even I get intimidated sometimes, but you will never know it.
Consistently garages are filled with three things:
- Good stuff that we want and need.
- Old stuff that we no longer want or need which can be recycled or donated.
- Junk, as in trash, that needs to go out in the garbage.
Looking at the filled garage from the outside everything looks big. The space looks full. Just start pulling things out and separating them into these three groups. Once you pull out the donations and trash you get a true picture of the stuff you want to keep. That is the key to cleaning out the garage.
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June 12, 2010 at 4:56 pm
· Filed under Mail, closet, decluttering, kids and toys
POWER DE-CLUTTERING
Piles of stuff here, there and everywhere. It seems exhausting and over-whelming just looking at it all. How are you ever going to get started let alone get it done?
I love to suggest the “break it down to its parts” theory. You know this from project management skills at work. Well bring it home. After all, cleaning, organizing, storing, purging…it is a project.
POWER DE-CLUTTERING is the idea of taking small parts and attacking them one little part at a time.
Let’s say your dining room table or desk is buried under piles of paper, up-opened mail, kids schoolwork, your work, phone messages, old newspapers…well you get the picture. It sounds overwhelming. Don’t look at the total pile. Instead commit 15 minutes and start grabbing papers that are ready to be recycled. With a bin or bag at your side, just grab and toss.
Here is why this is easier. You committed to a short period of time (15 minutes) and you are only making one decision (keep or recycle). In just 15 minutes you will have made the first dent in that big pile and it wasn’t so over the top….
Tomorrow, try another 15 minute stint.
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May 25, 2010 at 3:25 am
· Filed under Spring Cleaning, closet, decluttering
Something I see allot of as I work with people is the “save it for a special occasion” thing. Someone gives you a lovely gift and you think it is so precious you will save it for a special occasion.
Bah Humbug! What are you waiting for? Holding it for “someday” means the item is just clutter.
Get out that great smelling soap, wear that silk scarf, and treat your feet to those special extra fuzzy slippers. The gift was meant to indulge you, not your guests and relatives. Seriously, a closet full of “for someday” is just not useful. Reward yourself for all your efforts and enjoy those gifts of indulgence for yourself.
Here’s to looking, feeling, and smelling great this week.
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May 25, 2010 at 3:24 am
· Filed under Spring Cleaning, decluttering
The Master bedroom should be a place of rest, a sanctuary, maybe some loving going on. It is not the family central. Here are a few tips (OK, RULES) to make this a restful place in your life.
Nightstand: ONE Book…not all the books you want to read. That just stresses you out. Instead keep only the book you are reading there. Store the other books you hope to get to in another room. The same holds true for magazines and newspaper. Isn’t that better already?
Dresser top: a coin or jewelry tray, a photo, some fragrance…that’s about it. Not piles of stuff (especially if it relates to kids). Calming….
Laundry piles, clean or dirty: NO. Not an option. Seriously, I fold my clean laundry on the bed. After all it is a good open flat surface. BUT, the piles get stacked into baskets and shipped off to their destination rooms. If there is not enough time to fold the clean laundry then it stays in the laundry room or a basket OUTSIDE of my master bedroom.
Treat your Bedroom like a sanctuary and that is what it will be. Don’t allow the piles and other stuff to come into that room. Designate spaces for the other things.
Peace.
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April 30, 2010 at 5:36 pm
· Filed under Mail, Saving Money, Spring Cleaning, decluttering, paper management
For the fun of it…here are my favorite organizing tools.
My 4 favorite tools for organizing.
Letter Opener: Opening mail happens every day and is not the height of excitement. Why not make the job easier? I have a letter opener from Target which cost less than $3.00. Who says you have to spend allot?
Label Maker: I am an organizer…need I say more. No seriously, these are easy to use and super fun. My handwriting is inconsistent, so why not make long term labels that are easily readable.
Super Sticky Post-it notes: Have you found these yet? You can stick and re-stick these. It makes decisions last, but movable and I like that. They are available at all the office supply stores.
Removable Labels: I discovered these from a client (thank you). These are great when you are setting up a new system and need a short term label. Once you have learned which drawers have the undies (all puns intended) you can remove the label and there is no residue on your furniture. I use them in all rooms of the house. These are also available at office supply stores.
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April 30, 2010 at 5:34 pm
· Filed under Spring Cleaning, closet, decluttering
Are your closets stuffed full? You want to de-clutter but are having a tough time making decisions? Consider this idea.
Set up a “Ready to Let Go” Lay-A-Way.
The idea is to use time to help you make decisions.
Take those items that have you waffling and put the in a box. At the end of your time de-clutering close up the box, label with with today’s date and put it out of the way (like the garage). If in a month you can’t remember what is in the box, you know these items are ready to go. You might cheat a little and have a look inside, but be super critical and make sure that you remind yourself that you already forgot about these things…it is time for them to go.
| Having trouble making these decisions yourself?
Get an organizing buddy. This could be a friend or relative, but be sure it is someone who will be kind and objective.
This is what I do as a Professional Organizer. Give me a call if you are stuck. I will help you make your decisions in a gentle and kind manner.
510-482-1619
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April 30, 2010 at 5:33 pm
· Filed under Spring Cleaning, closet, decluttering
It is the beginning of a new season and time to re-organize the closet. It feels great to move the heavy sweaters out of the way and bring out the tank tops and sundresses. It is not fun to do this if your closet is stuffed full. Here’s a simple tip for everyone to help you de-clutter your over-flowing closet.
Keep a bag, box, bin or hamper in your closet and drop in clothes you no longer want. This is your donation bin.
This is a really great idea because it asks you to continue to process of editing all year.
The change of season is the perfect time to review your wardrobe and make some edits. You can do it all at once, or better yet, a little everyday.
No room in your closet? Put your container in the laundry room.
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