Brooke, the owner of an organization business in Chicago, emailed with a few tips to share with our readers. We hope you enjoy her advice, along with some before and after pictures of her work!
If you’re holding onto an unused matchbook from your date with McHunky five years ago, then it’s going to be McHarder to get yourself organized. Mementos, souvenirs and random scraps of paper all find their way into your purse, desk drawers and bedroom closet. Without an urge to purge or a good kick in the tush, they’ll take over precious real estate inside your home. But there’s hope for the stashers! You can create a junk-free haven.
First, commit to surrounding yourself with only treasured and practical objects. If you can’t use it or don’t need it, chuck it. That broken cigarette lighter from the 2004 Summer Olympics can go. Ditto on your dog-eared stacks of super old magazines and that oversized t-shirt you received after finishing your company’s annual 5K run. Learn to let go!
After you’ve weeded through your chaos, tackle the hotspots. I’m talking to the peeps that have a tendency to shove mail inside a drawer or let it pile up high on a kitchen counter. Sort through your mail as soon as you get it. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a dozen L.L.Bean and Pottery Barn catalogs by the end of the month. Buy an attractive faux leather box from a discount store to house your bills. All anniversary, birthday, shower and wedding invites should be entered on a calendar and then promptly tossed into a circular file. And, if you can’t open your front door without having to climb over a mountain of shoes, get a wicker basket and move those puppies out of the way. Locate the disorder and then create ways to contain it.
Clutter accumulates because stuff becomes homeless. Organize as you acquire. And, if you bring in something new, throw out or donate something old. It’s way easier to keep up than to catch up, so initiate a routine. Grab a big basket and make the rounds, tossing in anything that needs a home. As you sift through off-season clothing, get rid of anything you didn’t wear (or think you’ll eventually wear because you won’t). Clean out filing cabinets at the end of the year. Pitch that stinky food in your pantry.
If you set attainable goals, an overstuffed closet or disordered garage won’t seem so overwhelming. Take on a room drawer by drawer. Organize half of your linen closet. Focus on a section of your basement. Or, set a timer for 25 minutes and go to town. Mini decluttering sessions can be quite valuable.
I’m an expert downsizer, organizer and rump shaker. My philosophy is: Order in your house creates order in your life. It’s time to bid adieu to your collection of empty wine bottles and tidy your abode pronto!
Contact me if you’re in the Chicago area and would like to schedule a session.
Brooke Lawrence
The Duchess of Declutter™
brookeslawrence@hotmail.com
(312) 330-2400
http://www.theduchessofdeclutter.com
Ugh. I am guilty of the mail piling up. My new hubby and I haven’t sorted out a good system yet of going through the mail, what to do with bills, and filing.
I do think, though, one of our main problems is that he’s a total hoarder, and it’s really hard to get him to “let go” of his junk. He just won’t let go of some of it, and other times my suggestion of purging some of his “stuff” starts arguments. Any advice for how to handle that?
Hi Rachel.
It’s The Duchess.
I suggest the following: When you get your mail, immediately throw out or recycle what you don’t need (i.e. catalogs, flyers, misc.). Put any magazines you intend to read into a magazine holder, which you can buy at Bed, Bath & Beyond or The Container Store. Make it a point to recycle any unread magazines at the end of each month. As for bills, buy a cute faux leather container to store them. When it comes time for them to be paid, scan them and then toss out the hard copy. That way, you get rid of the paper and don’t have random bills lying around that have already been paid.
I would be happy to meet with you and teach you how to reduce your paper trail!
Baskets and bins do make a wonderful way to organize and de-clutter. Magazine racks, too. At bluedango.com, we often hear from our customers that they use our fair trade baskets for organizing mail, car keys, and other items that clutter kitchen counters and flat surfaces. Fair trade baskets are most often created from natural materials and/or dyes–an added benefit for the eco-friendly shopper.