Re-thinking my jewelry

I am not much of one to accessorize with necklaces, but recently I acquired some pieces that I wanted to use on a more regular basis and was faced with the shortcomings of the current solution I used to store things.  I had been using a stand from the Container Store for both my bracelets and necklaces, and the delicate metal unit had become a jungle!  Even worse, I found I was not wearing anything I owned because I had a hard time seeing what was on the actual stand.  See what I mean?

My necklaces and bracelets before

I reached my wits end after my husband and I returned from vacation in June and decided I must make some changes.  I went to the store and tried to find a decorative rail of hooks but nothing caught my eye.  Then I remembered how much I loved Command™ Hooks by 3M.  I picked up a package of six clear hooks and mounted them on the wall next to my closet and full length mirror. 

Clear Command Hooks by 3M

The mounted hooks

All my necklaces organized onto the wall

All my bracelets organized onto the stand

With a little effort, I was able to re-organize my bracelets and necklaces in a visually appealing manner and make everything more accessible.  With this new change in place I have been wearing my accessories more often too!  Now to find a better solution for my earrings…

Do you have an organizing maintenance routine?

One way to keep clutter at bay and prevent a huge clean-out every five years is to put together a simple organizing maintenance schedule for your home.  If you follow a few rules and a rough routine you can eliminate a lot of time going through years of accumulated items and clutter.

1. Above all else, establish a one in, one out rule.  If you bring a new item into your home you must choose an item to donate or throw away.  This strategy works great for toys, clothes, tools, movies etc.
2. Do not exceed the parameters of storage you have set for a certain category.  For example, if you have chosen to store garden tools in a shed, do not let them spill over into the garage so you can keep collecting more.  Choose what to pare down until everything fits back in the shed.
3.  Establish a yearly maintenance routine.  Here is a rough example:

a.    Winter/Spring

                                          i.    Go through clothes

                                         ii.    Go through papers

                                        iii.    Go through main living areas

b.    Summer/Fall

                                          i.    Go through attic, garage and basement

                                         ii.    Go through bedrooms

                                        iii.    Go through toys (right before holidays)

Consistency is key to a good routine.  If you adhere to your guidelines and make a commitment to address every room in your home at least annually you will find yourself staying better organized and maintaining a better understanding of what is in your home.

Say goodbye to Stray Stuff

Sometimes things just disappear.  Socks, power adapters, an earring…at one point or another we have misplaced the mate to a pair.  I always encourage clients to have a spot to temporarily store things that have lost their friend.  Bins in the laundry room or utility area usually serve nicely.  But just like every other area in the house, these spaces need to be weeded every once in a while.

I once organized with a client who had two kitchen garbage bags full, and I mean FULL, of mismatched socks.  She had been stashing these wandering travelers away for two years.  She and I came to the conclusion that they were not worth the space they were taking up or the money she was supposedly saving by not buying new socks. 

If you are going to create a “Lost and Found” area in your home, weed through it on a regular basis.  Set a rule, that if after 6 months or a year the item has not been re-united with its counterpart, it goes out the door.  As much as we want to we cannot always wait indefinitely for the other half to appear. 

Here are a couple products that we have found useful in preventing separation:

Sock Clips

Sock Clips

Cable Tags

How to Enjoy Memories

As we go through life we acquire things that are precious to us for various reasons.  Unfortunately due to space constraints we often store our keepsakes away in a safe place but don’t ever look at them or enjoy them.  If we are going to make room in our hearts for items to keep for memories sake then we need to make room in our spaces.  A great way to do that is to display our prized items a part of our décor.

A friend of mine is very gifted with crafts but also loves keeping mementos from trips, concerts and other experiences.  Recently she created coasters out of ticket stubs to her favorite movies and stage shows.  Another friend of mine was given a beautiful framed shadow box with her wedding bouquet pressed and dried, framed by wedding invitations.  Yet another person I know had her wedding dress made into a baby blanket for her first born.  I personally use one of my wedding centerpieces as a candle holder on my dining room table.

There are many DIY websites out there and countless resources for ideas, not to mention services to complete tasks you don’t have time for.  If you are going to keep something research ways to make it a part of your everyday life instead of stowing it away to gather dust and not be enjoyed.  This creates clutter and defeats the purpose of holding onto a precious item.  You cannot enjoy memories if they are stored in a box!

Less is More

Because I am an organizer many people think I hate stuff, that I despise things and belongings.  When working with a client one-on-one I am able to dismiss this assumption pretty fast.  I don’t hate stuff and I do not disregard other people’s precious items.  What I try to help people see is that relationships and quality of life are so much more important than anything we own.  Organizing is often not about the physical stuff so much as it is about our perception of those things. 

If disorganization, clutter or a lack of systems negatively affects you and those around you, you are being held captive by what you own and allowing it to control you.  This will cause stress in your life and ultimately your relationships.  Sometimes people have simply acquired more than their space can comfortably contain, but the belongings are relatively current.  Other times clients are drowning in an avalanche of memorabilia or things associated with memories.  This habit will hold you in the past, keep your present from being enjoyable and even your future from moving forward. 

It is essential to visualize what is most important to us, and also those around us.  When we can clarify and then agree on what that vision is we become more able to live and exist with less.  Remember less is truly more!

What to do when organizing another person's things

Sometimes we are forced to organize the space or possessions of another person.  You may think that is an obvious statement given my work with clients and their stuff.  However, I am talking more about working with someone close to you, or working with someone who cannot be there and do the work themselves.

My husband works very hard and also goes to school part time for his master’s degree.  His time is very precious and he has not had much of it over the last year and a half to go through old papers or make his desk a productive work-space.  As I have taken on these tasks myself I have learned a few best practices to add to my repertoire, specifically how to work with someone close to you, all the while preserving his final say and respecting his space and belongings. I hope you can use these strategies to perhaps help your children or spouse.

1. I usually let him know that I am attempting to organize something or some space and tell him up front that I won’t be throwing things away unless they are obvious trash.  This alleviates any fear he may have that I am just looking for an opportunity to get rid of his stuff.
2. I try to sort into categories I think make the most sense to him and not me.
3. I try to put the categories in storage places I think will be most intuitive for him and not me.
4. I label everything, including files, drawers and bins so he does not have to guess where things are.  This is crucial if someone needs to learn a new system of storage but did not create it.
5. I ask for five minutes of his time to show him where everything is and get his feedback on the placement.  If he wants something moved, it gets moved.
6. I wait until another time to ask him to look through the “trash” with me.  If there is a lot I break it into several little “sessions” so he does not feel overwhelmed.  We are more likely to sit down and do it together if it does not seem like a task that will take all afternoon.
7. I try to be patient of he asks me where something is instead of showing exasperation as he learns the new storage arrangement.  Remember that person was not there when you put everything away and they may need some grace and assistance.  

Don't bring it home

When we are away from home and the clutter it is easy to buy something and think it will fit right in at the house.  But our homes are so often filled with these types of items, the impulse purchases we make because we couldn’t resist acquiring them.  A huge part of clutter management involves being brutally stringent about what comes through the door.   

When you are out and about and something catches your eye ask yourself these questions before you walk away with a new trinket…

“Do I truly need this?  Can I live without it?  Is this thing necessary for me to live my life?”

“Do I have a place for this item to reside?”

You must be honest from the beginning.  If you answered “no” to any of the questions above the item should not find a home with you!  If you absolutely need to bring something back and space is limited decide before you leave the store what item at home can go to make room for the new purchase.  

Do I really use this?

Do you ever go through a box of items or through a closet and find something you have not used in a while but you swear you will still use it?  Even better, do you tell yourself that this object has an important function?  I have several experiences like that a day when working with a client.  Often times this new found treasure displays some tell tale sign of not being used or handled for a long period of time.  At that moment I often challenge my clients to think about whether or not they really use this item or if they simply think they use it. 

First off, if this item is so important and so functional, why has it remained buried only to be found right at this moment?  If it was so useful why were you not using it?  This can be a hint that the item does not need a home with you anymore.  If you need more convincing look at the state it is in.  This will tell you right away whether or not your perceived need of the object is justified. 

I was working with a client the other day when we came across many empty tall kitty litter bins.  They were her husband's so we could not just throw them away without asking.  I did still inquire as to why they were there and if they were truly needed.  She said he used them for sports storage and that they were important and should be kept.  I began moving them over to his pile of stuff to sort through when I pulled over a bin with an awful odor.  Two mice had died in it, and one had already decomposed into just bones!  These bins had been sitting there so long that two mice had been able to die in them.  There was the tell tale sign that these bins had not been used for a long time. 

So I challenge you, do you really use this?

Defeating "overwhelmed"

Often times I find people are overwhelmed by the amount of items they need to go through in a space.  The room is frequently viewed as a whole entity, the individual boxes, piles and trinkets melding into one giant mountain that must to be scaled.  I began working in a room today that was almost impossible to turn around in because of the clutter in it.  My client felt a bit discouraged by the sheer volume and the time it would likely take to get the room back in order. 

I reminded her that when tackling a space like this you need to see the individual pieces, not all the clutter at once.  Instead of thinking, “I need to get this entire room sorted,” think, “I need to get that box sorted.”  Pick a single area, pile or container to start in and  focus there.  Your goal should be to accomplish that one task.  When you break down a space into little goals it will be easier to mentally conquer.  

Get rid of miscellaneous clutter

What can you do with items or papers in transition? For instance, a pair of pants needs to be dry cleaned so it can't go in the closet. Where does it go? A vase needs to be fixed so it can't go in the cupboard. Where does it go? There is a tool that needs to return to the shed but you don't want to walk out there at the moment. Where does it go?

Things is transition can be the hardest to organize because they do not belong where they normally are stored. They need to be separate so the tasks associated with them do not get forgotten. However, most of the time we keep them out on the counter, or on our desk, or somewhere else where they take up space and create clutter. Here are some suggestions to keep transitional items organized but on the radar:

-Have a hook and a basket by the door or on the way to the door. Any hanging items or bags you need to take out of the house can go on the hook. All other items like library books, letters etc can be in the basket until you are ready to run the errand.

-Put a basket at the top of basement stairs or on the way outside to your garage or shed. When you have a tool or item that needs to be returned you can set it in the basket until you are ready to make a trip outside or into the garage. The same method can be applied at the bottom and top of stairs to different levels of the house. By placing items in “holding areas” you can wait to transport groups of items.

-Designate an area to keep items that need to be mended. You can even attach a note and broken pieces to the item so you remember what you have to fix.

Think of other situations where you can implement similar strategies. You will begin to cut down on transitory clutter!

Clutter and guilt

Sometimes clutter originates from incomplete tasks and projects. Often times we leave items or papers out as reminders, place holders for later. However, piles as reminders clog up your environment. They also can create a sense of guilt over things you “should” have done. These piles remind you of money “wasted” on interests you did not pursue and time you “should” have spent addressing an issue.

This sense of guilt prevents us from addressing clutter. In essence, our guilt can keep us in the problem. It is difficult to work through stacks of papers or items reminding us of tasks left unfinished, being forced to recall our past “failures”. In spite of the pain, clearing your environment, especially of these visual cues, will create a more peaceful space.

Before you start the sorting process, realize that you don’t have to commit to fulfilling all the unfinished things. If they have been sitting around for a couple years, weigh whether or not the issue is still relevant and if completing it will achieve the desired results. Is it still even of interest to you? If you decide to let it go, you will experience a lift and sense of freedom.

For projects you decide must be kept and completed, prioritize them from most to least important on a piece of paper. Each week schedule time on your calendar to work on the first project until it’s complete. Move on to the next one after the previous project is finished. You can move all the supporting paperwork and items to an area out of sight but keep the list visible as your reminder. With this approach in mind you can overcome guilt AND clutter.

Why we save things

Sometimes when you sort through your belongings and papers you come across things that have an obvious solution: a broken lampshade that is past its useful life and should be tossed, the first communion dress that is kept as a memento and the pair of jeans that no longer fit but can be used by someone else. These decisions feel like no brainers, questions with easy and direct answers.

What happens when you encounter an item you need to think twice about? People hold onto things for many reasons. The item may be valuable, it might have emotional meaning, it could be useful in some way or you feel compelled to keep it because it might come in handy down the road. Occasionally you may find a gift that has remained in hiding because it never really found its place in your home.

To avoid being overwhelmed in clutter by putting off decisions, do not overlook these more difficult situations and work to determine if something is important enough to keep. When you are faced with this scenario, ask yourself the following questions:

Do I love it?

Do I really need it? Can something else do the same job?

Do I have to keep this in the unlikely event I use it, or can I simply purchase it later if I am in need of it?

Is it worth making room for and do I want to spend the time to create a permanent home for it so I can find it again?

Can someone else make better use of this?

Is it part of the solution or part of the problem?

Organizing for Spring

After a long, winter hibernation we can look forward to the beginning of spring this weekend! However, along with the warm air and sunny days comes the task of helping our homes recover from the colder months now behind us. There is a sense of starting fresh even though 2010 began almost three months ago (yikes!). Here are some of the areas you could focus on as you start your spring-time organizing and cleaning:

-If you personally do your home’s spring cleaning it can be quite an overwhelming chore. Creating a simple list of what you need to do in each room is always the best way to proceed. You can methodically clean each room in an order that makes sense to you and you are less likely to forget anything. Create the list in Excel and you can use it over and over as well as edit the spreadsheet.

Go into each room and list the areas that need to be addressed. Some good ideas would be: launder draperies, scrub trim, dust sconces, dust radiators, wash floors and walls etc.

-With new school sports starting in the spring and a whole new slate of potential commitments, it is important to assess your current schedule. You do not want to be a slave to over-commitment. List all your present activities and projects and consider what is already happening before you allow another activity on your schedule. If your calendar is packed commit to dropping a current activity before adding a new one. Always go back to what is most important and vital to you to help facilitate a good decision.

-Create more space in your closet by rotating out the heavy, dark winter clothes. Not only will your closet look more perky but you will have more space overall. You won’t have to wade through a ton of clothing to find the one article you need. Designate a spot in the basement or attic for plastic bins and storage wardrobes for seasonal clothing. Don’t forget to organize your new clothes into the closet, keeping shoes, belts, hats, shirts, pants and other garments in their proper areas.

Manage email so it does not manage you

Business and home email communication have a tendency to be overwhelming and disorganized. So many of my clients are frustrated by the volume of email they receive and the difficulty they have finding important messages in a packed inbox. There are a few simple guidelines I use to help others and myself keep emailing clean, organized and simple. 1) Do not sign up for every offer and newsletter available. This is like putting your name on a list for paper junk mail. Only subscribe to a publication if you have time to read it, want to read it and want it taking up space in your inbox. 2) Create folders for subjects or people. This gets the emails you have to keep out of the main inbox and into different sections. You can find the emails quickly and they are available only when you need them. To take things a step further, you can create rules in almost any email program that allow you to automatically route messages to specified folders as they come in. 3) Do not save everything. Just like regular paper, ask yourself, “Do I need it? Want it? Will I truly look at it again? Can I get this information elsewhere or on the internet?” 4) Finally, have specific times (or a single time) of the day when you respond to email. Being aware of what is coming in is ok, but to answer every message as it arrives is time consuming and inefficient. It also can contribute to a general feeling of being overwhelmed and as if you are at the mercy of the newest need.

Are yard sales worth the effort?

Yard sales are a common way for people to turn unwanted items into a source of one-time income. Whether you have a sale to offset the original cost of a few things you no longer use or you simply want to see your “trash” become another’s “treasure”, yard sales are one of the most popular ways to purge a home.

I often get asked by clients if they should start a yard sale box as we organize together. I usually advise against it. Yard sales require a lot of time and energy to prepare for and their success can be unpredictable. The number one question I ask is if the effort and reward are worth the time invested. Here are two things to think about as you decide whether or not to have a sale:

1) Have a date in mind. Do not save items for an unknown time in the future. It is only worthwhile to save if you have a date picked and know the sale is going to happen. Otherwise you are simply creating another catch-all that takes up space and must be moved again later. 

2) Only save quality items. There are exceptions, but for the most part, if you offer junk and broken items at a yard sale, you are likely to still have them when the sale is over. The best way to get rid of things that are old or broken besides throwing them away is to put them on your lawn with a free sign. 

The bottom line is to determine whether or not the energy and time you spend are worth the reward you will receive.

Control freaks and their stuff

One of the largest obstacles to effectively organizing a room or a stack of information is the decision to let go of something. Whether you decide to throw it away, donate it or send it to the recycling center, the temptation always remains to hold onto that appliance that is gathering dust or the unopened gift from two Christmases ago.

I have thought about this dilemma for a while. The one major objection I get while working with clients is, “I might need this someday”. It took me a little while to understand the reasons behind someone being so uncertain about parting with an item they had neither used nor needed for an extended period of time. I have come to realize that the underlying issue is control.

We naturally are compelled to control our lives. Many individuals feel being prepared for every circumstance that comes their way will put them in full control of their lives and surroundings. However, there is simply no way to predict and plan for every situation that could come up in your life.

Therefore, holding onto “things” is not an effective way to control one’s life. Let them go, and you will be far more fulfilled with a clutter free space rather then a slave to potential circumstances.