The Expert Guide to Organizing Your Closet
Runway / News
by Sharon Feiereisen
August 02, 2011
http://www.thefashionspot.com/runway-news/news/168261-the-expert-guide-to-organizing-your-closet
I live in a duplex apartment with incredibly high ceilings, I have three closets, two of which are floor-to-ceiling and one of which takes up an entire wall. You’d think with all of that closet space I’d have ample room for my sartorial indulgences, but unfortunately, at least in my case, room breeds clutter. After returning from Super Saturday in the Hamptons with four new dresses, three new pairs of shoes, two new tops, two pairs of pants, and a to-die-for Zimmermann bathing suit, I decided it was time to clean out my closets. My boyfriend, whose “closet” has been relegated to two plastic bins underneath the bed, was thrilled. Before tackling my wardrobe, I spoke to two experts in the field to get their tips on how to best go about organizing closet spaces.
Myclean.com, a New York-based website which offers users the ability to schedule customized cleaning appointments, home repairs, and personal organization sessions just brought professional organizer Lisa Jacobs on board and she outlined her must-dos for us:
Remove all items from closet space. [note: this can be scary! If you’re like me and haven’t done this in years be prepared for dust tumbleweeds.]
Purchase slim velvet hangers; choose a color that coordinates with the room's color scheme.
Sort through all items to eliminate the unnecessary, so the necessary can speak. [note: this was the hardest for me — there’s nothing worse than getting rid of something with the price tags still hanging on, but if you’re never going to wear it, there really is little point in keeping it.]
Shelves above rod ought to be outfitted with containers to stack from shelf to ceiling and can be in a variety of sizes.
Left side of shelf ought be stacked with containers, right side with risers to maximize shelf space by creating double shelf. Use the area for handbags and larger items.
Purchase shoe rack for floor space. No clothes should be placed on the floor.
Discard all shoe boxes and handbag bags. [note: this one I have to politely disagree with; accessories should be protected and while dust bags and shoe boxes may not be space efficient, in my opinion, they’re essential for long wear.]
Purchase plastic cart on wheels with drawers, remove any clothing on the floor and place this cart in its place to serve as dresser. Use for smaller items, random toiletries and papers.
Purchase hanging bag with canvas shelves for t-shirts and sweaters.
If there are closet doors, maximize space on inside doors, hanging bag for random shoes, accessories, pocketed canvas bag.
Barbara Reich, of Resourceful Consultants, was also kind enough to share some of her tips for eliminating clutter. Reich has appeared on the Today Show, has been featured in the New York Times and New York Post, among other publications, and has been in the de-cluttering business for over a decade. She suggests:
Take it out and shake it out.
Take out all heavy winter coats and sweaters.
Take out any clothes/shoes that you didn’t wear last year and can’t see yourself wearing this year.
Take out any clothes/shoes that don’t fit, are in poor condition, will never fit, and are no longer in style. Be ruthless…
Maintain and move.
Assess whether any clothing maintenance is required on winter coats and sweaters…do buttons need tightening, do the coats need to be washed or professionally cleaned, are the sweaters pilled?
Consider moving heavy clothing to another closet (rack in basement, another closet under bed storage).
Make piles to donate, discard, take to cleaners, wash.
Group like things together.
Put all of your spring/summer sweaters together. Fold or hang by color.
Do the same for pants, short sleeve tops, long sleeve tops.
Hang as much as possible, it’s the easiest way to see what you have.
Put what you wear most in “Prime Real Estate.”
That means the things you wear most should be in the place that’s most accessible and easiest to reach.
Make a list.
Never buy without a plan.
Did you discard something that needs to be replaced (i.e. white button down that was looking gray, white cardigan)?
Is there something you really need?
Getting organized is a big commitment, but staying organized takes 10 minutes or less a day.
Take the time to fold clothes properly before putting them away in your drawers or closet. [note: this is a major problem for me because I tend to be lax with folding and ironing, but this is truly crucial – there’s nothing worse than rushing only to realize the outfit you wanted to wear is too wrinkled to be seen in.]
When you take something off a hanger, put the hanger at the front of your closet. That way you know where all of the empty hangers are, and you’re more like to hang clothes when you can easily find a hanger.
Maintain your clothes. Note when a button needs to be sewn or when a garment needs to be cleaned.
When you buy new clothes, edit what you have to see if there’s anything that can be eliminated.
If you’ve put something on twice and decided not to wear it twice, it’s time to say goodbye.
The floor is not a place to store things. Try to avoid having anything on the floor of your closet.
Now the big question – who’s going to help me take all of my discarded clothes to the Salvation Army?
MY THOUGHTS
Believe me-truing out these tips in closet organizing is more than just a challenge. Closet organizing is a test. It's a test of what you value the most. I've always been a stickler for closet organizing. I believe I have acquired the skills for making space available. But my real problem was not the lack of ability to organize closets. My problem has always been filling them up. It's so easy to buy and shop and load up your house with things. Giving them up is not as easy as that. There is one thing I tell myself when taking on the task of closet organizing- someone else can have better use of whatever it is I have not used for a long time.
Showing posts with label clutter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label clutter. Show all posts
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Thursday, August 11, 2011
SIGNS THAT YOU ARE A HOARDER?
From the Article 'Too Much Stuff? It Could Be Compulsive Hoarding'
Learn Whether Your Messy Habits Are Those of A Compulsive Hoarder
By Stephanie Schorow, Special to Lifescript
Published August 9, 2011
From www.lifescript.com
10 Signs You Could Be a Hoarder
Could you, or someone you love, have a hoarding problem? Watch out for these red flags. (These were adopted in part from the workbook “Compulsive Hoarding and Acquiring” by Steketee and Frost.)
1. Acquiring objects brings a rush. Many hoarders report feeling powerful joy from finding a bargain or rescuing what they perceive as a useful item from the trash.
2. You have trouble finding things. Hoarders often can’t locate items or even enjoy them. Sometimes they don’t take purchases out of the bag.
3. Throwing things out upsets you. Hoarders let items pile up to avoid the emotional distress of discarding them.
4. Fix-it projects pile up faster than you can repair them. Hoarders intend to mend broken items but never get to them.
5. You avoid having visitors. Many compulsive hoarders find excuses for keeping guests out of their homes.
6. You put off repairs because your house is a mess. Hoarders are often too embarrassed to open their door to a plumber, carpenter or landlord.
7. You’re saving items because they might be useful or valuable someday. Hoarders place value on items that are worthless or of little value.
8. You’ve maxed out credit cards. Hoarders can’t resist sales and bargains – even for non-essential or frivolous items – and will spend themselves into bankruptcy.
9. You’re afraid to throw out old newspapers or magazines because you might miss something important. Hoarders often convince themselves that they need to save every publication that comes into their home. Or they save articles they think will interest others but never get around to sharing them. (This often leads to dangerous piles of combustible material.)
10. You can’t use rooms in your house because of clutter. If you can’t cook in your kitchen because of all the items stored in it or sleep in your bed because it’s covered with clothes, you’re entering hoarding territory.
Stephanie Schorow is a Boston-based freelance writer.
For more information, visit our Mental Health Center.
MY THOUGHTS
I'm so happy I am way past this stage. It's a sick way of living. Can you imagine buying things you cannot enjoy because you can't find them?
Learn Whether Your Messy Habits Are Those of A Compulsive Hoarder
By Stephanie Schorow, Special to Lifescript
Published August 9, 2011
From www.lifescript.com
10 Signs You Could Be a Hoarder
Could you, or someone you love, have a hoarding problem? Watch out for these red flags. (These were adopted in part from the workbook “Compulsive Hoarding and Acquiring” by Steketee and Frost.)
1. Acquiring objects brings a rush. Many hoarders report feeling powerful joy from finding a bargain or rescuing what they perceive as a useful item from the trash.
2. You have trouble finding things. Hoarders often can’t locate items or even enjoy them. Sometimes they don’t take purchases out of the bag.
3. Throwing things out upsets you. Hoarders let items pile up to avoid the emotional distress of discarding them.
4. Fix-it projects pile up faster than you can repair them. Hoarders intend to mend broken items but never get to them.
5. You avoid having visitors. Many compulsive hoarders find excuses for keeping guests out of their homes.
6. You put off repairs because your house is a mess. Hoarders are often too embarrassed to open their door to a plumber, carpenter or landlord.
7. You’re saving items because they might be useful or valuable someday. Hoarders place value on items that are worthless or of little value.
8. You’ve maxed out credit cards. Hoarders can’t resist sales and bargains – even for non-essential or frivolous items – and will spend themselves into bankruptcy.
9. You’re afraid to throw out old newspapers or magazines because you might miss something important. Hoarders often convince themselves that they need to save every publication that comes into their home. Or they save articles they think will interest others but never get around to sharing them. (This often leads to dangerous piles of combustible material.)
10. You can’t use rooms in your house because of clutter. If you can’t cook in your kitchen because of all the items stored in it or sleep in your bed because it’s covered with clothes, you’re entering hoarding territory.
Stephanie Schorow is a Boston-based freelance writer.
For more information, visit our Mental Health Center.
MY THOUGHTS
I'm so happy I am way past this stage. It's a sick way of living. Can you imagine buying things you cannot enjoy because you can't find them?
Sunday, May 15, 2011
DO BEDBUGS CARRY SUPERBUGS?
Do bedbugs carry superbugs?
Published May 12, 2011
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Researchers in Canada have found bedbugs carrying antibiotic-resistant superbugs, a surprise finding because scientists had thought the pests were not capable of spreading infections.
The study was done by a team in a poor corner of Vancouver, where both bedbug infestations and strains of antibiotic resistant bacteria are increasing.
Dr. Marc Romney, a medical microbiologist at St. Paul's Hospital/Providence Health Care in Vancouver, decided to see if the two were related.
Romney and colleagues removed five of the pests from the clothes and skin of infested patients and tested them.
They found bedbugs carrying two types of drug-resistant bacteria, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant enterococci.
"I was a little surprised. Historically, bedbugs have not been associated with infections," Romney said in a telephone interview.
He said scientists have tested bedbugs to see if they carry blood-borne diseases, such as hepatitis or HIV. But so far, they have not been reported to carry infection.
Infestations of the bloodsucking bugs, which can cause severe itching, have made a comeback in cities such as Paris and New York in recent years.
Romney said the strain of MRSA they found requires skin to be somewhat compromised, and he thinks the bedbugs are providing that as people scratch their bites.
"Maybe the bedbug's bite is breaking down the patient's skin," he said.
He said that some of these pests may be carrying MRSA and going from individual to individual.
"The data are preliminary, but it suggests maybe there is an association," Romney said.
"Even though they can't carry hepatitis B and HIV, maybe they can carry resistant bacteria."
"Maybe it is yet another factor that could be responsible for this large increase in resistant bacteria in inner cities in North America," he said.
MY THOUGHTS
I hate bug bites. They're worse than mosquito bites. They take longer to heal. Even the scars from bug bites seem to take forever to fade. So, don't stop at organizing your closet. Air the bed. Change it if you must.
Published May 12, 2011
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Researchers in Canada have found bedbugs carrying antibiotic-resistant superbugs, a surprise finding because scientists had thought the pests were not capable of spreading infections.
The study was done by a team in a poor corner of Vancouver, where both bedbug infestations and strains of antibiotic resistant bacteria are increasing.
Dr. Marc Romney, a medical microbiologist at St. Paul's Hospital/Providence Health Care in Vancouver, decided to see if the two were related.
Romney and colleagues removed five of the pests from the clothes and skin of infested patients and tested them.
They found bedbugs carrying two types of drug-resistant bacteria, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant enterococci.
"I was a little surprised. Historically, bedbugs have not been associated with infections," Romney said in a telephone interview.
He said scientists have tested bedbugs to see if they carry blood-borne diseases, such as hepatitis or HIV. But so far, they have not been reported to carry infection.
Infestations of the bloodsucking bugs, which can cause severe itching, have made a comeback in cities such as Paris and New York in recent years.
Romney said the strain of MRSA they found requires skin to be somewhat compromised, and he thinks the bedbugs are providing that as people scratch their bites.
"Maybe the bedbug's bite is breaking down the patient's skin," he said.
He said that some of these pests may be carrying MRSA and going from individual to individual.
"The data are preliminary, but it suggests maybe there is an association," Romney said.
"Even though they can't carry hepatitis B and HIV, maybe they can carry resistant bacteria."
"Maybe it is yet another factor that could be responsible for this large increase in resistant bacteria in inner cities in North America," he said.
MY THOUGHTS
I hate bug bites. They're worse than mosquito bites. They take longer to heal. Even the scars from bug bites seem to take forever to fade. So, don't stop at organizing your closet. Air the bed. Change it if you must.
Monday, January 24, 2011
The Great Kitchen Clean-Up! (Week 5)
The Great Kitchen Clean-Up! (Week 5)
Excerpted from Just Clean Enough ON Jan 3, 2011 at 12:34PM
The Kitchen Calls
Week 5: Monday
Liner Note
20 minutes
Drawers and cabinets looking a little drab? Give them a pick me- up by inserting some drawer and shelf liners. These are easy-to-clean plastic liners with adhesive backing that come in lots of pretty patterns. Before you scoff, consider how these liners can change your life. Not only do they serve to protect your drawers and cabinetry (a big concern, to be sure), they also kick the aesthetic appeal up a notch. You can even get liners in scented varieties, adding another sensory dimension to the experience of looking for a measuring cup. And goodness< knows, the hunt for a measuring cup should be a stimulating one.
Week 5: Tuesday
It’s a Bird. It’s a Plane. It’s a Grapefruit!
15 minutes
By now, you should be storing most of your fruit in the fridge (see “Relocate Fruit to the Fridge”), but there may be some stragglers (bananas, ripening apricots, plums, and so on) that you don’t know what to do with. Pick up a handy-dandy hanging basket set, which gets fruits and veggies up off the counter and into the air. Most hanging baskets have two or three tiers; you can devote one to fruits, one to vegetables, and one to the special items that don’t play well with others. For example, bananas emit ethylene, a gas that causes other fruit to ripen at an increased rate. And garlic can transfer its strong smell to other fruits and vegetables it’s hanging out with. Keep these separate from the group, and everyone will be happier.
Week 5: Wednesday
You Stink, Microwave
5 minutes
Got a smelly microwave with splatters and smears of food as decoration? Time to do something about it. Fill a microwaveable bowl three-quarters of the way with water and add ¼ cup lemon juice to the bowl. Put the bowl with the water-lemon juice mixture into the microwave and run it on high for one minute. When it beeps, remove the bowl and wipe out the microwave using a damp rag or sponge and the condensation that has formed from the lemon water. And there you have it: a nice, clean microwave that smells lemony fresh!
Week 5: Thursday
Buy a Breadbox
10 minutes
If you’re like most families, you don’t really know what to do with all the bread you buy. Maybe it’s tossed on the top of your fridge or piled up on your counter. Solve this problem by heading to your local Ikea (or Target, or anywhere you can buy kitchen items) and pick up a breadbox. Gather all your loaves, rolls, and muffins together and put them in their new, crumbfree home. As a bonus, you now have a visual for all those times when someone asks you if an item is “bigger than a breadbox.”
Week 5: Friday
Control Coffeemaker Chaos
10 minutes
Coffee is delicious, and the caffeine sure does come in handy, but is all this really necessary? You have a French press on the counter, a drip coffeemaker on the table, and a moka pot on the stovetop. There’s also a bag of coffee beans, a grinder, a package of filters, a strainer . . . the list goes on forever. To simplify, choose your favorite style of coffee and get rid of the rest. Give the extraneous machinery and coffee to a good cause, such as your coworker who oversleeps and arrives late to work every day. Both your kitchen—and your coworker—will thank you.
Week 5: Saturday
Got Stovetop Splatters?
30 minutes
There are two ways to clean a stovetop: the hard way and the easy way. The hard way involves rubber gloves and scrubber sponges and elbow grease. Sounds fun, right? Not so much. To that end, we’re going to keep it simple and just talk about the easy way to get rid of that caked-on stovetop gunk. Simply spray the surface with an all-purpose kitchen cleaner, such as Formula 409, and let it sit for about twenty minutes. Then take a damp sponge and wipe up the splatters, which should have softened for easy cleanup. Also make sure you clean the area around the burners. If it’s a gas stove, remove the burner plates and soak them in hot, soapy water while you let the allpurpose cleaner do its work on the stovetop. When you come back, just rinse the burner plates, wipe off the stovetop, and you’re ready to go do something a lot more fun.
Week 5: Sunday
Create a Cooking Station
10 minutes
If you cook at home a lot, you probably have a few spices, oils, or other staples that you use in most of your recipes. A great way to prevent unnecessary trips to the cabinet and to make cooking easier is to set up a little station right next to your stove. A great tool to use is a desktop organizer, which has lots of slots and sections for a variety of different-sized items. For example, you might keep a set of salt and pepper shakers in the notepad holder, a small bottle of olive oil where the Wite-Out would go, and a couple of mixing utensils in the pen cup. Many of these desktop organizers are on turntables for easy access to all the products therein.
MY THOUGHTS
i'm lucky i don't have a stove. but the microwave needs some cleaning. i wonder where i could get those scented cabinet liners. i really like that idea.
Excerpted from Just Clean Enough ON Jan 3, 2011 at 12:34PM
The Kitchen Calls
Week 5: Monday
Liner Note
20 minutes
Drawers and cabinets looking a little drab? Give them a pick me- up by inserting some drawer and shelf liners. These are easy-to-clean plastic liners with adhesive backing that come in lots of pretty patterns. Before you scoff, consider how these liners can change your life. Not only do they serve to protect your drawers and cabinetry (a big concern, to be sure), they also kick the aesthetic appeal up a notch. You can even get liners in scented varieties, adding another sensory dimension to the experience of looking for a measuring cup. And goodness< knows, the hunt for a measuring cup should be a stimulating one.
Week 5: Tuesday
It’s a Bird. It’s a Plane. It’s a Grapefruit!
15 minutes
By now, you should be storing most of your fruit in the fridge (see “Relocate Fruit to the Fridge”), but there may be some stragglers (bananas, ripening apricots, plums, and so on) that you don’t know what to do with. Pick up a handy-dandy hanging basket set, which gets fruits and veggies up off the counter and into the air. Most hanging baskets have two or three tiers; you can devote one to fruits, one to vegetables, and one to the special items that don’t play well with others. For example, bananas emit ethylene, a gas that causes other fruit to ripen at an increased rate. And garlic can transfer its strong smell to other fruits and vegetables it’s hanging out with. Keep these separate from the group, and everyone will be happier.
Week 5: Wednesday
You Stink, Microwave
5 minutes
Got a smelly microwave with splatters and smears of food as decoration? Time to do something about it. Fill a microwaveable bowl three-quarters of the way with water and add ¼ cup lemon juice to the bowl. Put the bowl with the water-lemon juice mixture into the microwave and run it on high for one minute. When it beeps, remove the bowl and wipe out the microwave using a damp rag or sponge and the condensation that has formed from the lemon water. And there you have it: a nice, clean microwave that smells lemony fresh!
Week 5: Thursday
Buy a Breadbox
10 minutes
If you’re like most families, you don’t really know what to do with all the bread you buy. Maybe it’s tossed on the top of your fridge or piled up on your counter. Solve this problem by heading to your local Ikea (or Target, or anywhere you can buy kitchen items) and pick up a breadbox. Gather all your loaves, rolls, and muffins together and put them in their new, crumbfree home. As a bonus, you now have a visual for all those times when someone asks you if an item is “bigger than a breadbox.”
Week 5: Friday
Control Coffeemaker Chaos
10 minutes
Coffee is delicious, and the caffeine sure does come in handy, but is all this really necessary? You have a French press on the counter, a drip coffeemaker on the table, and a moka pot on the stovetop. There’s also a bag of coffee beans, a grinder, a package of filters, a strainer . . . the list goes on forever. To simplify, choose your favorite style of coffee and get rid of the rest. Give the extraneous machinery and coffee to a good cause, such as your coworker who oversleeps and arrives late to work every day. Both your kitchen—and your coworker—will thank you.
Week 5: Saturday
Got Stovetop Splatters?
30 minutes
There are two ways to clean a stovetop: the hard way and the easy way. The hard way involves rubber gloves and scrubber sponges and elbow grease. Sounds fun, right? Not so much. To that end, we’re going to keep it simple and just talk about the easy way to get rid of that caked-on stovetop gunk. Simply spray the surface with an all-purpose kitchen cleaner, such as Formula 409, and let it sit for about twenty minutes. Then take a damp sponge and wipe up the splatters, which should have softened for easy cleanup. Also make sure you clean the area around the burners. If it’s a gas stove, remove the burner plates and soak them in hot, soapy water while you let the allpurpose cleaner do its work on the stovetop. When you come back, just rinse the burner plates, wipe off the stovetop, and you’re ready to go do something a lot more fun.
Week 5: Sunday
Create a Cooking Station
10 minutes
If you cook at home a lot, you probably have a few spices, oils, or other staples that you use in most of your recipes. A great way to prevent unnecessary trips to the cabinet and to make cooking easier is to set up a little station right next to your stove. A great tool to use is a desktop organizer, which has lots of slots and sections for a variety of different-sized items. For example, you might keep a set of salt and pepper shakers in the notepad holder, a small bottle of olive oil where the Wite-Out would go, and a couple of mixing utensils in the pen cup. Many of these desktop organizers are on turntables for easy access to all the products therein.
MY THOUGHTS
i'm lucky i don't have a stove. but the microwave needs some cleaning. i wonder where i could get those scented cabinet liners. i really like that idea.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
'Kick the clutter habit' with 'Unstuff Your Life'
'Kick the clutter habit' with 'Unstuff Your Life'
BY SANDEE SUITT • SUITT@DNJ.COM • August 27, 2010
If anyone is looking for me today, just check in the kitchen. I'll be there with my head in a cupboard, pulling out all the lid-less plastic containers and doing the sniff test on old jars of spices.
Any container missing a lid or herb that is old enough to have lost its scent will be out of there.
I recently read Andrew J. Mellen's "Unstuff Your Life!" and am determined to follow his advice, at least for organizing the heart of my home, the kitchen.
But then Mellen warns, "The kitchen is not the hub of the house if you're thinking 'war room' or 'command central' or 'Houston, we have a problem.'
"Rather, the kitchen is a workroom. ... It should also be foremost a room that functions well and serves its purpose without any unnecessary complications."
The kitchen, Mellen contends, is to be used solely for the preparation and consumption of meals.
While it's nice for the kids to do their homework at the table while the parents prepare dinner, "the homework doesn't live in the kitchen," Mellen says. "Neither does the checkbook."
Grab a pencil
"Unstuff Your Life!" is very much a workbook. Mellen intends for the reader to carry it with her into the area to be organized and follow his guidelines, circling priorities and marking off checklists.
In the kitchen, we start with writing down everything on the counter.
OK, I've done this, and was shocked at the amount of stuff residing there: "toaster, coffee maker, dead basil plant in pot 12-year-old son made in kindergarten, keys, checkbook, cell phone, bills, purse, school notes, spelling-word flash cards, salt, pepper, olive oil, real lemons, fake lemons, bananas, empty flower vase, wooden spoons, basket of breads. ..." The list goes on and on.
I could never fulfill my Betty Crocker dreams of rolling out the perfect pie crust on this crowded workspace. In fact, it's not even a workspace, I realized. It's a storage place for things that don't have a home.
Mellen's advice is to cull out what is broken or unused. The reader looks back at the list and then circles the items that are essential to have on the countertops. Seldom-used items, like perhaps the toaster, find a home off-counter. The rest of the stuff finds a home, either in the trash, in a donation or garage-sale box, or elsewhere in the kitchen or house.
In Mellen's plan, each item is assigned a logical home, and it stays there, except when in use. And the home is near where the item is used. He explains how to set up work stations in which like items are stored together and nearby, but not in the junk drawer.
The junk drawer? Mellen allows no room for no junk.
"Let's not have a junk drawer that contains all sorts of random things, some of which are clearly trash," Mellen writes. In other words, don't use the drawer as a trash can. Don't stuff receipts or papers into the drawer when they clearly belong in the garbage or an appropriate file. Just put them in the garbage or in the file.
Mellen writes of organizing the home into a world where missing keys and cell phones are not part of the daily stress, where mail does not pile up into an unsightly stack on the table and closets are not filled with unmatched shoes and out-of-style or ragged clothes.
The key? It's really simple. Organize your home and then keep it that way by making a habit of the act of putting things where they belong. You can either put things away immediately when you're finished with them or save a few seconds initially by just throwing your keys and receipts and school papers on a table. But like buying things on credit with interest accrued on your loans, as your clutter grows, interest grows in the form of your time, Mellen explains. Spend a few seconds putting things away in a timely fashion, or let the pile of clutter go and spend many more minutes looking for lost items.
Mellen's advice is methodical but he offers it with a tongue-in-cheek humor that encourages without criticizing. He's the best friend who can tell you honestly, "This place is a mess," without hurting your feelings because he then says, "Let me help you clean it up." He also asks pointed questions to help determine what needs to go and redirects the reader away from rationalizations.
If "elephant bell-bottom hip-hugger jeans" ever come back in style, "you'll buy them at the Gap like everyone else," he writes. As for that pair in your closet: "Let them go."
Sandee Suitt is Lifestyles editor at The Daily News Journal. Contact her at suitt@dnj.com or 615-278-5160.
MY THOUGHTS
the real culprit is the junk drawer. that space we reserve for things that should be thrown or given away. it's hard to let go. in the beginning. especially when you think of the possibility of needing these things again. before you know it, your desk, your room, your house is so cluttered there's no space for anything else.
BY SANDEE SUITT • SUITT@DNJ.COM • August 27, 2010
If anyone is looking for me today, just check in the kitchen. I'll be there with my head in a cupboard, pulling out all the lid-less plastic containers and doing the sniff test on old jars of spices.
Any container missing a lid or herb that is old enough to have lost its scent will be out of there.
I recently read Andrew J. Mellen's "Unstuff Your Life!" and am determined to follow his advice, at least for organizing the heart of my home, the kitchen.
But then Mellen warns, "The kitchen is not the hub of the house if you're thinking 'war room' or 'command central' or 'Houston, we have a problem.'
"Rather, the kitchen is a workroom. ... It should also be foremost a room that functions well and serves its purpose without any unnecessary complications."
The kitchen, Mellen contends, is to be used solely for the preparation and consumption of meals.
While it's nice for the kids to do their homework at the table while the parents prepare dinner, "the homework doesn't live in the kitchen," Mellen says. "Neither does the checkbook."
Grab a pencil
"Unstuff Your Life!" is very much a workbook. Mellen intends for the reader to carry it with her into the area to be organized and follow his guidelines, circling priorities and marking off checklists.
In the kitchen, we start with writing down everything on the counter.
OK, I've done this, and was shocked at the amount of stuff residing there: "toaster, coffee maker, dead basil plant in pot 12-year-old son made in kindergarten, keys, checkbook, cell phone, bills, purse, school notes, spelling-word flash cards, salt, pepper, olive oil, real lemons, fake lemons, bananas, empty flower vase, wooden spoons, basket of breads. ..." The list goes on and on.
I could never fulfill my Betty Crocker dreams of rolling out the perfect pie crust on this crowded workspace. In fact, it's not even a workspace, I realized. It's a storage place for things that don't have a home.
Mellen's advice is to cull out what is broken or unused. The reader looks back at the list and then circles the items that are essential to have on the countertops. Seldom-used items, like perhaps the toaster, find a home off-counter. The rest of the stuff finds a home, either in the trash, in a donation or garage-sale box, or elsewhere in the kitchen or house.
In Mellen's plan, each item is assigned a logical home, and it stays there, except when in use. And the home is near where the item is used. He explains how to set up work stations in which like items are stored together and nearby, but not in the junk drawer.
The junk drawer? Mellen allows no room for no junk.
"Let's not have a junk drawer that contains all sorts of random things, some of which are clearly trash," Mellen writes. In other words, don't use the drawer as a trash can. Don't stuff receipts or papers into the drawer when they clearly belong in the garbage or an appropriate file. Just put them in the garbage or in the file.
Mellen writes of organizing the home into a world where missing keys and cell phones are not part of the daily stress, where mail does not pile up into an unsightly stack on the table and closets are not filled with unmatched shoes and out-of-style or ragged clothes.
The key? It's really simple. Organize your home and then keep it that way by making a habit of the act of putting things where they belong. You can either put things away immediately when you're finished with them or save a few seconds initially by just throwing your keys and receipts and school papers on a table. But like buying things on credit with interest accrued on your loans, as your clutter grows, interest grows in the form of your time, Mellen explains. Spend a few seconds putting things away in a timely fashion, or let the pile of clutter go and spend many more minutes looking for lost items.
Mellen's advice is methodical but he offers it with a tongue-in-cheek humor that encourages without criticizing. He's the best friend who can tell you honestly, "This place is a mess," without hurting your feelings because he then says, "Let me help you clean it up." He also asks pointed questions to help determine what needs to go and redirects the reader away from rationalizations.
If "elephant bell-bottom hip-hugger jeans" ever come back in style, "you'll buy them at the Gap like everyone else," he writes. As for that pair in your closet: "Let them go."
Sandee Suitt is Lifestyles editor at The Daily News Journal. Contact her at suitt@dnj.com or 615-278-5160.
MY THOUGHTS
the real culprit is the junk drawer. that space we reserve for things that should be thrown or given away. it's hard to let go. in the beginning. especially when you think of the possibility of needing these things again. before you know it, your desk, your room, your house is so cluttered there's no space for anything else.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Organizing Tips for the Overwhelmed
Organizing Tips for the Overwhelmed
Where to start when you don't know where to start
by Jamie Novak, Professional Organizer (see more from this expert)
Why did your last attempt at getting organized fail? For many it's a matter of being overwhelmed.
Maybe you weren't sure where to start. Perhaps the thought of letting go of precious memories or objects was too unsettling. You might have gotten stumped by where to put something, so you put it back down and slunk away, dejected. But don't get discouraged. You are not alone. Together, we can solve your biggest clutter challenge with these simple organizing tips.
•Make a plan. Organizing without a plan is like driving cross-country without a map or working a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle without looking at the picture. Sit down and make a list of every area you'd like to de-clutter. It will probably be a long list, but this is no time to self-edit. Even if you're not sure how to do it or whether you can afford to, put it on the list.
•Pick your target. Your best chance for success is dealing with the area that will have the biggest impact. Do you always lose your keys or trip over shoes in the entryway? Start there. Do you pay bills late because you can't find them or you forget they're due? Start there.
•Make a date to conquer clutter. Put it on the calendar, in ink, and don't let anything else get in the way. An insider tip is to pick a block of time — all you need is 18 minutes — before a regularly scheduled event. Do you meet with a book club every Tuesday? Then schedule your clutter clearing for 18 minutes before you need to leave. Does your favorite TV show come on at 10pm on Thursdays? Plan to de-clutter 18 minutes before it starts, and you'll have an incentive to get busy and get finished.
•Get support. Share your goals with someone who will cheer you on, check on your progress and celebrate your success. Telling your spouse usually isn't recommended, because a spouse may be too close to the situation and is usually better off being surprised once you're finished. Consider using a message board to get quick feedback.
•Give yourself a deadline. Invite someone to spend the night in the spare bedroom you've been meaning to clean out. Hire someone to paint the playroom you've wanted to organize.
•Gather supplies. Take a page out of the professional organizer's book and keep everything handy so you don't waste time looking for things.
•Get busy. Set your timer for 18 minutes, and go to work. Put like things together, then put away what you use and love and give away or throw away what you don't.
•Reward yourself. Don't underestimate the importance of acknowledging a job well done. You will stay motivated if you have something fun to look forward to when you're finished. It could be a nap, a good book or lunch with a friend. Just don't go shopping and bring home more stuff to put away.
•Repeat. Organization is really just a habit. If you keep up with the daily stuff, it won't get the chance to overwhelm you again.
It all starts with a plan — once you know what to focus on, you can be clear about your first step, then the next step and the step after that. Keep in mind that done is better than perfect, so if that familiar overwhelming feeling starts to creep back in, just keep going and ask yourself, "What's next?"
Clutter-Busting Tool Kit
Put everything in a big tote bag, plastic container or laundry basket. Don't buy a new container — chances are you already own something to do the job, so shop at home first. Here's what you'll need:
•Three sizes of plastic food-storage bags. You can fit just about anything in them, and they're easy to see through.
•Trash bags. Don't forget to clearly label bags used for donations.
•Tape measure. This will help you avoid buying shelves or containers that won't fit your space.
•Kitchen timer. This will help you succeed, 18 minutes at a time.
•Label maker. I like the DYMO LetraTag 11944, which costs about $20 and is supereasy to use.
•Extra label tape and batteries. You don't want to run out of either in the middle of an organizing spurt!
•Notebook and pen. Keep these in one place to record ideas, measurements and a list of things you need to replace in your clutter-busting kit.
•Shredder. Save time by shredding as you go instead of making a pile to deal with later.
•Permanent marker. This is easier to read than pen or pencil, and it won't fade over time.
•Stack of boxes and laundry baskets. These will help you sort stuff into easily movable piles.
•Sticky notes. These are great for everything from labeling temporary files to identifying which pile goes where.
•Clear tape. You'll need this to attach signs to the sorting area so you know what to "keep," "donate" or "toss."
•Camera for before and after photos. There's nothing like the picture of progress—not to mention the mess of the past—to motivate you to keep up your organizing ways.
•Nail file and bandages. Even the most experienced organizers get hurt on the job.
•Cleaning wipes and dust rags. You can just imagine what you might find behind the file cabinet or desk.
•Rubber gloves. See above.
•List of local charities. This will make it easy to schedule pickup or drop-off of items you want to donate.
•Music. The right tunes can help you maintain energy and increase the fun factor.
•Water and snacks. Music isn't the only energy booster. Having snacks handy will also prevent you from getting sidetracked on the way to the kitchen.
MY THOUGHTS
my problem is not starting. my problem is maintaing or keeping things organized. i'll spend days organizing my closet. the next day, everything's a mess. i thought the culprit is that i haven't got the time - always rushing. the truth is i don;t manage my time - that's why i rush. that's why the clutter keeps coming back. of course, there's the shopping issue - but that's another story.
Where to start when you don't know where to start
by Jamie Novak, Professional Organizer (see more from this expert)
Why did your last attempt at getting organized fail? For many it's a matter of being overwhelmed.
Maybe you weren't sure where to start. Perhaps the thought of letting go of precious memories or objects was too unsettling. You might have gotten stumped by where to put something, so you put it back down and slunk away, dejected. But don't get discouraged. You are not alone. Together, we can solve your biggest clutter challenge with these simple organizing tips.
•Make a plan. Organizing without a plan is like driving cross-country without a map or working a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle without looking at the picture. Sit down and make a list of every area you'd like to de-clutter. It will probably be a long list, but this is no time to self-edit. Even if you're not sure how to do it or whether you can afford to, put it on the list.
•Pick your target. Your best chance for success is dealing with the area that will have the biggest impact. Do you always lose your keys or trip over shoes in the entryway? Start there. Do you pay bills late because you can't find them or you forget they're due? Start there.
•Make a date to conquer clutter. Put it on the calendar, in ink, and don't let anything else get in the way. An insider tip is to pick a block of time — all you need is 18 minutes — before a regularly scheduled event. Do you meet with a book club every Tuesday? Then schedule your clutter clearing for 18 minutes before you need to leave. Does your favorite TV show come on at 10pm on Thursdays? Plan to de-clutter 18 minutes before it starts, and you'll have an incentive to get busy and get finished.
•Get support. Share your goals with someone who will cheer you on, check on your progress and celebrate your success. Telling your spouse usually isn't recommended, because a spouse may be too close to the situation and is usually better off being surprised once you're finished. Consider using a message board to get quick feedback.
•Give yourself a deadline. Invite someone to spend the night in the spare bedroom you've been meaning to clean out. Hire someone to paint the playroom you've wanted to organize.
•Gather supplies. Take a page out of the professional organizer's book and keep everything handy so you don't waste time looking for things.
•Get busy. Set your timer for 18 minutes, and go to work. Put like things together, then put away what you use and love and give away or throw away what you don't.
•Reward yourself. Don't underestimate the importance of acknowledging a job well done. You will stay motivated if you have something fun to look forward to when you're finished. It could be a nap, a good book or lunch with a friend. Just don't go shopping and bring home more stuff to put away.
•Repeat. Organization is really just a habit. If you keep up with the daily stuff, it won't get the chance to overwhelm you again.
It all starts with a plan — once you know what to focus on, you can be clear about your first step, then the next step and the step after that. Keep in mind that done is better than perfect, so if that familiar overwhelming feeling starts to creep back in, just keep going and ask yourself, "What's next?"
Clutter-Busting Tool Kit
Put everything in a big tote bag, plastic container or laundry basket. Don't buy a new container — chances are you already own something to do the job, so shop at home first. Here's what you'll need:
•Three sizes of plastic food-storage bags. You can fit just about anything in them, and they're easy to see through.
•Trash bags. Don't forget to clearly label bags used for donations.
•Tape measure. This will help you avoid buying shelves or containers that won't fit your space.
•Kitchen timer. This will help you succeed, 18 minutes at a time.
•Label maker. I like the DYMO LetraTag 11944, which costs about $20 and is supereasy to use.
•Extra label tape and batteries. You don't want to run out of either in the middle of an organizing spurt!
•Notebook and pen. Keep these in one place to record ideas, measurements and a list of things you need to replace in your clutter-busting kit.
•Shredder. Save time by shredding as you go instead of making a pile to deal with later.
•Permanent marker. This is easier to read than pen or pencil, and it won't fade over time.
•Stack of boxes and laundry baskets. These will help you sort stuff into easily movable piles.
•Sticky notes. These are great for everything from labeling temporary files to identifying which pile goes where.
•Clear tape. You'll need this to attach signs to the sorting area so you know what to "keep," "donate" or "toss."
•Camera for before and after photos. There's nothing like the picture of progress—not to mention the mess of the past—to motivate you to keep up your organizing ways.
•Nail file and bandages. Even the most experienced organizers get hurt on the job.
•Cleaning wipes and dust rags. You can just imagine what you might find behind the file cabinet or desk.
•Rubber gloves. See above.
•List of local charities. This will make it easy to schedule pickup or drop-off of items you want to donate.
•Music. The right tunes can help you maintain energy and increase the fun factor.
•Water and snacks. Music isn't the only energy booster. Having snacks handy will also prevent you from getting sidetracked on the way to the kitchen.
MY THOUGHTS
my problem is not starting. my problem is maintaing or keeping things organized. i'll spend days organizing my closet. the next day, everything's a mess. i thought the culprit is that i haven't got the time - always rushing. the truth is i don;t manage my time - that's why i rush. that's why the clutter keeps coming back. of course, there's the shopping issue - but that's another story.
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