Clutter Hacks
Less is More
Trash Bags: They’re Not Just For Garbage…
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Please join me in welcoming our newest "Freak" - Stacey Murray!
My organizing supply tote is filled with bags of all shapes and sizes. But, when I go to a client’s home, I make sure my tote bag is filled with one specific type of bag: trash bags. Trash bags are the workhorse of a Professional Organizer’s supply stash.
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Experience Your Dream Drawer!
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I don’t know about you, but I like searching through my dresser for matching socks about as much as I like going to the dentist! In this increasingly busy world, every minute counts, especially in the morning when I am shuffling kids, hairdryers and my own work clothes. Have you ever dreamed of opening up your drawers and immediately seeing exactly what you need, right where you need it? Sounds crazy, right?
Tackling Photo Clutter
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Are you saving photos of people you don't know so you can pass them on to your kids…who also don't know them?Are you keeping photos of places or events you have no clue about, so you can pass them on to family or friends…who also don't have a clue?
Important Thought #1: OK, let's start here. You are telling yourself that these old photos of people you don't know are very important.
No, they are not. They are people you don't know. NOBODY values those photos. Do you know why?
BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW THE PEOPLE.
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A Legacy of "Stuff" (Part 1)
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Emails arrive so often describing how — in addition to all the heart-rending emotions of a death — there is the overwhelmed experience of not knowing what to do about all the "stuff" of a beloved person who has passed away.
One woman wrote that her usually uncluttered home is filled with all the items she cleared out from her mother's house after her mom died. She said she often bursts into tears seeing paths through this new clutter in her house yet she doesn't know what to do with any of it. She was clear that she did not want or need the stuff but she knew these were things her mother loved
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Your Kids Understand the Economy Too
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As parents, we sometimes don't give kids the credit that they deserve when it comes to understanding things. Those little ears are always open and they absorb a lot more than we think. Everywhere you go, someone is talking about the economy, they are hearing about it in school, their parents conversations and believe it or not, they do listen to the news!
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Get Organized for Tax Season in 5 Easy Steps
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In the words of Dave Barry, "It's income tax time again, Americans: time to gather up those receipts, get out those tax forms, sharpen up that pencil, and stab yourself in the aorta."
Filing taxes = huge pain. We all know it. We all go through it once a year. And while there's no way around tax season, there is a way to make the process less stressful.
P.R.E.P.A.R.A.T.I.O.N.
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Living with Purpose
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We all know what our kitchen, bedroom and bathroom are for, right?
Of course we do!
But how many of us really consider purpose on a daily basis when we are deciding what we bring into those rooms? It’s so easy to get caught up in the every-day of life and not even consider this concept.
How many times have you put something in your bedroom simply because you don’t have another place for it? Then you end up putting time and effort into working your way around the item just to take care of the tasks and purposes intended for that room.
This is the very thing that creates clutter in our homes and in our lives!
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Couponing for Real People
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I know of a few "extreme couponers" who can buy $100 worth of groceries for $15. It's fantastic! But the work they put into it seems like a full time job! Do you love the idea of couponing, but not the effort?
I came across a very helpful post over at HealthyFoods.net on couponing for people who hate couponing. Here's a sampling:
WARNING: If you know what a Catalina deal is and/or have actually employed one, this may not be the post for you. If you occasionally slice your pinky open while using adult scissors, this is definitely the post for you.
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Home Organizing on a Budget: Easier Than You Think
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Why is it that when someone thinks about organizing their home they think that they have to stick a lot of money into it in order to do it the right way?
When it comes to storage, there isn't any right or wrong way of doing things or choosing the things you want to use. Sometimes a cardboard box works better than a plastic storage container, especially if the amount that is stored in that box changes frequently.
Here's an idea of what I mean:
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Travel Organization: Airport Advice
As much as you might be looking forward to your next trip, there is always some stress involved planning. Airports don’t make things any easier, with rules and regulations that can make getting through security seem as time consuming as the trip itself. From that feeling in the pit of your stomach that you must have forgotten something to worrying about missing your flight, there’s a lot to keep track of.
The easiest way to keep stress at bay is by planning ahead. With some organization, the right tools and a little forethought, getting in and out of any airport is easy.
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Tips for Organizing Cosmetics and Toiletries
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Most of us use cosmetics or toiletries of one kind or another, but far fewer of us put a lot of thought into organizing them. Keeping these items organized can shave minutes off of your morning routine.
The first step in organizing your cosmetics and toiletries is to go through and get rid of anything that’s past its prime. Below are some helpful guidelines for weeding out the old stuff.
Cosmetic shelf-life guidelines:
Unopened, sealed products usually have a shelf life of 3-5 years or more. As long as they stay sealed, they will last for years. The shelf life countdown begins when you open it.
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Is Your Life Unbalanced?
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Often times, we tend to think of clutter as “stuff” in our space: piles of paper on the desk, clusters of toys on the rug, mounds of mail on the kitchen counter, stacks of magazines on the sofa, and heaps of laundry on the bed. And while this is true, there are other types of clutter that can creep into your life.
For example:
•Do you over-commit to people, organizations, or causes? Then you have something that clutters your schedule.
•Do you have someone in your life that bleeds your energy and patience, so much so that the very mention of their name causes you great stress? Then you have something that clutters your spirit.
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Got Your Eye on Green Cleaning? This Tip's For You!
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All the beauty experts say to throw away your mascara after 3 months of use. But doesn’t it seem like a bit of a waste to chuck something that seems like it must be useful – if you could just figure out what to use it for, that is!
Thanks to our friends at DIY Life, that old mascara wand can turn into a magic cleaning wand!
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Lesson Learned From a Broken Washer
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My washing machine broke. The spinney part barely moves and the effort makes it sound like a barking seal. We have to use the laundry facility in our park until we can get a new one.
I needed a couple things cleaned yesterday and didn’t feel like walking in the rain to do it, so I hand washed them in the bathtub. Turns out that’s no small thing! It was only ten items, but the effort left me a little breathless and sore-armed from wringing.
That got me thinking about this age of convenience we live in, and the resulting clutter it brings to our lives.
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5 Ways to Slim-Line Your Wardrobe
Here's a guest post from my friend, Sheila Chandra, from 'across the pond' - enjoy!
Most people wear 20% of their clothes 80% of the time… That sounds like a bit of a waste doesn’t it? And the reason they tend to do that, is because many people’s closets are over-stuffed and in chaos. How would it feel to open the doors on a well organised wardrobe every morning? Would it save you 5 minutes every day?
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5 Steps to Shoe Storage Success
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Are your shoes taking over your room? Do you have trouble finding the ones you’re looking for when you’re in a rush to leave the house? Do you have duplicates that you seldom wear taking up valuable real estate in your closet? By following a few simple steps, you can get your shoes organized and learn to keep them that way. It’s just one more step toward a stress-free morning routine - and who couldn’t use that?
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5 Things That Should Not Be in Your Closet
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You didn't know it when you woke up this morning, but today is your day of reckoning. Yep, that's right! It's time to open up your closet doors and face your wardrobe head-on.
There are many considerations when it comes to editing your clothing and accessories, and here are the top 5 "wardrobe violations" that should not be in your closet — EVER.
(1) Stains
This seems like a no-brainer, but you would be surprised how many sweat stains and ketchup stains I run across in my line of work. Staining is a constant threat to any article of clothing! And it can happen anywhere, so clothes should be checked all over. The biggest problem spots tend to be the edges of long-sleeve shirts or jackets, around the inside of collars, and underarm areas.
(2) Outdated Style
What happened in the 80s, fashion-wise, should stay there and not your closet. (Unless it’s for a “totally rad” costume, of course!)
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15 New Uses for Newspaper
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Newspaper is cheap and abundant and, as it turns out, quite absorbent of both moisture and odors.
Here is a list of some of my favorite uses for your old newspaper:
1. Packing for Storage or a Move- Wrap dishes and delicate knick-knacks with several pieces of newspaper. Wad up some extra pieces to fill and pad any extra space in the box. For extra strength, wet the newspaper before wrapping and let dry thoroughly before packing to create a protective cast!
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How I Reduced My Closet 50%
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I am a master at impulse shopping for clothes, and then wearing something only once before it sits in my closet for years. Parting with clothes has never been one of my strengths. I know it’s illogical to own something for that long without utilizing it, but I always stump myself with the question, “But… what if someday I do want to wear this?” Come on, I know I’m not the only one who does that!
I just moved into a darling new downtown apartment, with lots of old fashion charm, and very old-fashion closets. Small closets, that is. My previous 6-foot long closet was packed wall to wall, so I had to do some painful – but necessary – purging in order to fit into the new one.
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Ten Tips for Packing Light
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With most of the airlines charging baggage fees now, it's getting more and more expensive to travel. I'll be flying in a few months and wanted some tips on traveling with only one carry-on suitcase. I found an article by Diana Pemberton Sikes career-intelligence.com. She has some GREAT tips for packing light! Here's an excerpt from the article:
At the height of my clothing consumption days in my late teens, we were invited to the wedding of a family friend in Austin, Texas. It was a two day drive from our home in Colorado Springs, and my mother, in the interest of managing her limited trunk space, gave me an ultimatum: I could only take as many clothes as I needed for the trip. No more.
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A Story of Organization in Pictures
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I received an email with these pictures in it a few days ago and just had to share them with you. This "house" is the epitome of organization and efficiency. Not to mention it's just pretty darn creative! This place is a converted garbage truck, if you can believe that one!
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Seasonal Closet Switch
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The cold months are upon us! From coast to coast, even in sunny California, it’s time to make the seasonal closet switch!
Since we are switching from warm weather to cool weather, that means it’s really time to get organized. Why? Because, quite simply, summer clothes are smaller than winter clothes.
Here are some tips on getting through the transition smoothly:
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Space Treat: The Power of the Purge!
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This is one of the things I just love about organizing with my clients… so, last week a client and I are elbow deep in her papers, sifting through and making sense of them when she exclaims… "It feels so good to get rid of this stuff and make some new space! I haven't used this stuff in 10 years and I've been carting it around during 2 moves! It's just amazing how you hold onto stuff that you never end up using or even needing."
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Charity Profile: Books for Soldiers
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If you love to read, I bet you've got a pretty nice stockpile of books. I'll go even further and say that I bet you only read 2-5 of those books on a regular basis, and the rest are just "dust collectors."
Am I right or am I right?
I just came across a wonderful charity that can help you downsize your library, opening up a little more space for something else! It's called Books for Soldiers.
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Recycling Beauty Products
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Are you really going to use that lotion that you got at the office gift-swap party 2 Christmases ago? Ummm…no.
Chances are, you've got some beauty products that are — but really shouldn't be — taking up some valuable real estate in your bathroom.
This week, I encourage you to go through your bathroom storage, tossing anything you no longer need, want, or use.
But don't just put the bottles and boxes into the trash! Opt to be environmentally responsible.
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Organizing Your Life on a Shoestring Budget
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"I don't know about every one else in the world, but when it comes to all of those fancy storage containers and cutesy little baskets for organizing, I cringe at the thought of the extra expense and the dent it is going to put into my budget.
Who can afford all of that stuff at one time? Gosh, by the time I made my list, if I didn’t pay any bills and eat, I could only afford to buy two-thirds of what was on my list. Help me; give me a clue how to organize within my budget!"
This is what a reader wrote to me last week. I understand completely, it can get expensive if you are going to purchase all of the cute little organizers and storage containers. However, who said you had to?
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Space Efficient Patio Furniture
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Summer is here, which means lots of evenings outdoors: barbecuing, entertaining and relaxing. A nice chair to sit in and a place to rest your drink are key to enjoying this warm, treasured season!
However, for many of us, a new, full size patio furniture set may be out of the question. Maybe for financial reasons, or maybe for lack of space, but whatever the reason, be hopeful that you can find patio furniture that fits both your patio and your budget.
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Getting Kids Organized IS Possible!
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Kids will be kids, as the saying goes. Which means it may seem like organizing kids - whether tyke or teen - requires a super-sized miracle!
Here are 3 major factors for parents to consider when trying to help kids get organized:
(1) Set the example.
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Product of the Week: Triple-Duty Bench – Part 1 of Our Multi-Tasking Furniture Series
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Have a look at my new weapon in the battle against clutter at home: Multi-Tasking Furniture!
My definition of multipurpose furniture is anything that does double or even triple-duty work to simplify your life. Pieces like this Storage Ottoman are a great place to start if you’re looking to eliminate space-wasters and get organized.
Don’t underestimate its storage abilities, here’s a list of everything I was able to get off my tabletops and shelves:
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Household Routines Improve Your Happiness
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Getting organized — specifically getting into a household routine — is scientifically proven to improve your overall well-being.
According to the book The 100 Simple Secrets of Happy People, it's important to establish a schedule to take your tasks from "To Do's" to "To Done."
Dr. David Niven writes: "We often feel overwhelmed by the chores that have to be done on a regular basis.
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