clutter control

It’s okay to donate your nice things

  I’ve heard my clients say this more than once…….”Jill, this is too nice to give away!” My response is, “yes, that’s a nice __________, but here’s the thing, thrift stores LOVE nice things.” Clients often believe they should sell their items rather than donate them because it feels wasteful and they want to recoup some…

You’re Gonna Want To Do This First

Who doesn’t love the container aisle with their lovely selection of useful tubs?  So much potential, so many different options.  You may salivate over the containers thinking they are the {easy} answer to all your clutter woes. Hold up there my organizing friends.  I  have {possibly} unwelcoming but money saving news for you.  You’ve gotta…

Is it Worth Something?

My father-in-law delivered my husband’s childhood collection to our home during a recent visit.  They both thought they may be worth something….since they are very old and in good condition. I had my doubts.  What do you think? Although most of our possessions are worth something this doesn’t mean we have to hang onto them…

Help Your Spouse Become More Organized

I am a contributor to Organizing Made Fun, an awesome organizing blog.  Here is what I wrote about this month. What if you thrive on organization and prefer a clutter-free home while your partner is the complete opposite and doesn’t seem to understand the importance of organization? It’s not an uncommon situation. As a professional…

3 {Facetious} Reasons To Leave Your Stuff Out So You Can Find It

Do you resist putting your stuff away because you don’t have the energy or you want to be able to find it?  This might be a good solution for a limited number of things but leaving a lot of stuff out creates piles of clutter, confusion and sometimes a big mess. There are 3 {facetious} Reasons…

Are You Afraid to Get Rid of Stuff?

During the decluttering process you may find that fear prevents you from getting rid of stuff. Fear won’t let you move forward, it keeps you stuck. You are afraid that you might need the stuff “someday.” When FEAR takes a hold of you, try this……ask yourself what would happen if I need it? How bad…

[Day 3] Fridge Door: Kitchen Clutter Clear Out

Okay folks.  It’s day 3 of the kitchen clutter clear out.  I’m going to share some tips to help you de-clutter the door of your fridge. Have you noticed how I’m dividing kitchen organization into very small, manageable projects?  This is a good habit to get into. Simply divide your house into small organizing projects…

[Day 2] Top of Fridge: Kitchen Clutter Clear Out

Do you have clutter on the top of your fridge?  It’s really hard not to use that space for storage clutter.  It’s a flat surface, out of the way, and perfect for the stuff you can’t fit into a cabinet. Unfortunately, once we put stuff up there, we tend to forget about it.   Has…

Perfect, Clutter-Free Mom’s Day Gifts

If you want to honor your mom, grandmother or someone who has been “like a mom” to you, there are some wonderful, meaningful options that will not add clutter to their lives. First of all, consider the following: Has she dropped gift hints?  If so, then at least you know she wants the gift and…

Too many donation requests from charities?

If you have donated to charitable organizations in the past you probably receive several donation requests in your mailbox every week.  Did you know some charities sell, share or rent your information with other charities?  It’s confusing and time consuming to keep up with the solicitations.  You wonder, didn’t I donate to this charity already?…

Is your collection meaningful or a burden?

Most of us have collected one thing or another during our lives.  Our collection grows, sometimes out of control, once we tell someone about our collection.  We receive pieces to add to our as gifts than we may have intended to collect. What do you collect? I was a collector, until I outgrew my collections.…

Organizing the dining room so you may dine

Has your dining room become a room to dump items you bring into your home, items you recently purchased, or a room for projects?  When was the last time you dined in your dining room?  Even if you rarely this room, wouldn’t it be nice to have it organized and clutter-free? Set up containers for…

De-clutter your way to organization

De-cluttering your home will result in a more organized home.  We all have too much stuff.  Even the professional organizer has too much stuff!  I’m constantly de-cluttering and putting things back where they belong to maintain an organized home. Just imagine if we pared down our belongings by a third! We will have less to…

Closet Tips Galore!

It’s National “Get Organized” month.  Is your closet full of clothing you don’t wear?  Is it unorganized and uninviting?  Hop on over to this month’s Blog Carnival featuring closet organizing tips from professional organizers–including ME:) Now is the time to get your closet in order so you may get dressed…..not stressed!  Start with these closet…

5 Areas to Edit and Create Space as a Result

There are 5 key areas in most homes that become overstuffed and need regular editing or purging to keep them organized and to create space.  Editing on a regular basis will prevent you from out-growing your space. 1. Files:  Open your file drawers, glance at the files, look for the thickest files.  Pull them out,…

A client makes an unconventional decision

Deferred decisions or the lack of decisions tend to cause disorganization, clutter, and chaos!  Think about it, if you don’t make a decision about whether to keep something, decide where to put things, decide on commitments/activities to participate in, decide to maintain organization, or decide to ask for help you aren’t going to change your…

Favorite Organizing Tool #4

The basic laundry basket. Why is it one of my favorite tools?  It’s a useful organizing container for many areas of your home, not just the laundry room. I’ve used laundry baskets to hold balls, sand toys, and more in client’s garages, for toys and dress-up clothing in play rooms, and in closets as dirty…

Favorite Organizing Tool #3

The Sharpie, or any permanent marker. Why is it one of my favorite organizing tools?  It’s permanent, quick to label and writes on most surfaces. I carry one in my back pocket while working with clients and have written directly on the container or used masking or duct tape to create a quick label. Do…

Favorite Organizing Tool #2

Plastic food containers.  Square or rectangular. Why are they one of my favorite organizing tools?  Because they are affordable, keep a category of items together, reusable, and also are fun to play with.  They were a better source of  entertainment for my daughter than her toys. I’ve used plastic food containers in my pantry as…

Favorite Organizing Tool #1

The zip top plastic bag.  I always have these bags, in several sizes, with me when I work with clients. Generic or name brand….it doesn’t matter. Why is it one of my favorite tools?   Because it contains a small group of items together, it protects it’s contents,  it’s inexpensive and it may be washed and…

Grateful for clutter?

It’s not unusual to feel burdened by clutter but there are times when our abundance can invoke feelings of gratitude.   We live in a country where many of us have all the stuff we need plus much more.   Acknowledge your abundance and share with others in need, when possible. Here are 3 ways to…

Make a decision

Your house fills up with stuff, your calendar fills up with commitments, and your papers pile up waiting for the next action.  Deferred decisions, lack of decisions, and procrastination are all causes of clutter.  Start making decisions and you will discover a solution for clutter, piles, and too much stuff.   Purchasing decisions:  Before you…

Daily pick-up

Tripping over clutter or having it glaring at you as you get out of bed probably isn’t the finest way to start the day. What if you started your day without a having to face dirty dishes in every room, tripping over assorted shoes, feeling toys squished under your bare feet, and clothing draped over…

Put it back where you found it

Having trouble staying organized?  Ever wonder why your house seems to fall out of order shortly after you restored order? Let me ask you this….after you are finished using something, do you put it away? If your answer is NO! it’s time to make a change that will change your life…seriously.  Instead of just leaving…

One in, one out rule

Now that you have a donation station, it’s time to put it to good use.  When you purchase and item, find something to donate and put it in one of your  donation station container.  Better yet, if you seriously need to un-stuff your home, donate 2-3 items for every item you acquire.   It’s called…