Clutter Away

by Stacy K.

Do your kids have trouble cleaning their toys or room? It could be due to a lack of organization. Give everything a home to make it easier.

An organized room for a child should have zones and containers for everything.  Creating zones means putting all items for each function in its own place.  For example, all clothes should be grouped together in a dressing zone and all toys should be placed in a zone where the child plays with them.

Using containers makes clean-up easier, especially for young children.  For children who do not read yet, it is helpful to use see-through containers.  Adding labels or photos on the outside of boxes helps children match each toy to its home.

What are the 3-4 most important priorities in your life? Your belongings at home should reflect them. All else is clutter.

My most important priorities are my family, health, spirituality (which includes philanthropy) and friends.

I use my priorities when making decisions about whether to save, donate or discard items in my life.  Decisions to let something go are easy and unemotional if they don’t fit within my 4 categories.  The item either fosters my goals or it doesn’t.  There’s usually no in between.

For example, I frequently toss or donate junk food because it doesn’t fit well with my healthy lifestyle.  As part of my commitment to optimum health, I make sure my kitchen is free of “clutter” that hinders my family’s good nutrition.  I find it difficult to maintain healthy eating habits when I have unhealthy items in the house, so I do not stock foods containing white carbohydrates, refined sugar, hydrogenated oils, heavy pesticide loads or hormones.  We still have lots of treats at home, just healthier ones.  (Except on Shabbat, when we eat white challah bread and make french toast!)  Foods containing these ingredients add unwanted clutter to my body, so I save them for occasional treats when I’m out with friends.

That which you cannot give away, you do not possess. It possesses you. – Ivern Ball

Our possessions should serve us and we should not be a slave to them. Here are a few questions to assess whether or not you are a slave to your belongings:

When you look around your home, do you see objects used all the time, or unused items, which give you feelings of stress or guilt?

Is your home big because it needs to house all of your extra belongings?

Are you paying for a storage unit to store excess items?

Do you frequently keep unused things because they were expensive or a gift?

Is your closet full of unworn clothing?

If you answered yes to more than one of these questions, you might be a slave to your possessions.  Working with a professional organizer can help you prioritize your belongings so they work for you instead of you working for them!

If you haven’t done so already, create a contact in your address book called “ICE” (in case of emergency) with 1st, 2nd and 3rd contacts, plus medical information where applicable.

If you are married, it may also be helpful to write a letter to your spouse with specific instructions in case of an untimely death.  The letter should contain details of how to handle finances, household operations, pertinent information about family members and other important details you wish to convey.  You may also want to write a letter to your children to share your life’s legacy with them.

My intention as an organizer is to teach people how to eliminate clutter and organize their belongings for easy access. It is my belief that everyone can do their own organizing once they identify the reasons behind their clutter and learn the proven steps to organization. As your professional organizer, I see my role as a hands-on “de-clutterer”, coach and motivator.

All information about my clients remains confidential. Photos and case studies will be used only with the client’s permission.