School is starting, and that means paperwork is starting to come home each evening with the backpacks and lunchboxes. Homework, notices, forms… yikes! School papers can be categorized into four basic types: Action, Archive, Artwork and my favorite, Ambiguous. Here’s how to make the grade managing these before the stacks build up.
Tag: Cutting Clutter
Keep Your Kitchen Clutter Free with These Tips
The kitchen is one of the most complex areas to organize, because there are so many different functions going on in the space, so much equipment required, and so many people using and sharing the space so many times per day. When you tackle your kitchen, pay particular attention to the four “F-words” we teach for strategizing your space: Features, Flow, Function and Frequency.
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Project Declutter: Spring Cleaning Challenge!
What if a magazine sent a professional organizer to your home for a huge makeover? This April’s issue of Woman’s Day kicked off the first in a four-part series called “Project Declutter.” I worked with two families, one in Illinois and one in Michigan, and we tackled their closets, kitchens, home offices and other trouble spots. I’m so excited to share the results!
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His-and-Hers Organizing: Can You Fix My Spouse?
People often joke with me as a professional organizer wondering if I can “fix” spouses and get them organized, but the truth is that I can’t. While I can certainly clear an area temporarily, I would not want to do it without someone’s permission. I also know that if a person doesn’t want to make changes to daily habits, the work will quickly become undone. Someone has to want to change and be ready before any kind of improvement program will work. Here are a couple of “typical” husband and wife zones that are excellent projects to start.
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Seven Steps to Reduce Gadget Clutter and Enjoy Your Toys
Got a new gadget over the holidays? Maybe it’s a beautiful new iPod, phone, or camera… and maybe the boxes, instructions and accessories are all over your desk and counter tops! The second Monday in January is National Clean Off Your Desk Day, so let’s clear this gadget debris. No more empty boxes, drawers and bins full of old cords and cables, and no more files full of obsolete manuals. Here’s my seven-step checklist for making sure your gadget has the best possible life.
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Less Is More This Holiday Season
As we progress into the final few frenzied days of shopping and preparing for the holidays, let's keep in mind the lesson of the little tree. Less is more. Fewer toys, more time spent playing together with them. Less stuff, more experiences. Less spending money, more spending time.
Ready, Set, Shop! Get Organized for Holiday Giving
Thanksgiving marks the big official start of the holiday shopping season. As a professional organizer, that always makes me worry a little, because clients have often hired me in the aftermath of the holiday season to help clear out what accumulated. I want people to be intentional and deliberate about what they are buying and giving, making sure they are not filling their own homes and the homes of their loved ones with clutter. Before the Black Friday frenzy starts, here are some strategies to save you time and money and prevent future clutter.
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Organization Tips for Scaring Away Halloween Clutter
As a professional organizer, I have come to think of Halloween as the beginning of the “heavy decorating season.” These last three months of the year inspire so many families to haul out the witches’ cauldrons, the cornucopias, and of course, the holiday lights and trees. Then after the season ends, of course, these items need to be stored…somewhere! Be more conscious of creating holiday clutter with these Halloween tips in my video.
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Get Organized for the Seasonal Switcheroo
It’s that time of year again…the weather is changing, and we need to dress differently. Even in Texas where I live, we are wearing long sleeves some evenings already, which is a welcome adjustment from the blazing heat! Each year when you pull out those bulky sweaters and coats or put them away, you have an opportunity to make decisions about what to keep. Your closet is one of the first things you see every morning, and making it easier on yourself to choose clothing quickly and get on your way can make every day start out better.
Ways to Stay Organized Now That School's In Session
You've got the shopping done and the kids have started school, but NOW what do you do? Sometimes that first couple of weeks is the hardest part of all as everyone gets adjusted to new routines and situations. In part two of our back-to-school series, let’s go over your two best weapons—the “family binder” and “Sunday planning.”
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