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Happy Halloween–Spooky Clutter Control Focus Awaits You

Monday, October 31st, 2011 by admin

Today’s Monday Clutter Control focus is for me and you and your friends and your family. (Notice I said me first—I probably need it more than anyone).

This is the deal—do you have someplace that needs clutter control but you just put it off? The holidays are coming and I have made a goal to revisit all cupboards and places in my home but there is one place I have dreaded “going”. It is under my stairs in my utility room—that is the picture you see.

I know it is pretty awful. It has been a couple of years at least; you know how time flies since I have revisited this space.

Consequently today’s focus on clutter control is to revisit a place or a space in your home that needs clutter control. I already have a brilliant idea for the games that are here and I can’t wait to get started.

However it won’t be today that I visit my dreaded place because I am going to write my fingers to the bone and complete the last chapter (which is the first chapter) in my book. How many ways can you say HAPPY?

I will be posting photos of my progress in this space. Wish me luck. I wish you luck too and would Love to hear what place you have been dreading or just putting off doing some clutter control. Remember—it doesn’t have to be big, just recycling old magazines would be big.

Posted in Clutter Control, Monday Focus | 4 Comments »

Winning Clutter Control Product

Friday, October 28th, 2011 by admin

Clutter Control Product Review:

I wish I looked good in baseball caps but I don’t. How about you? I just don’t know what it is about them on me but on other people they look so cute.

I like the catalogs I get this time of year because I get some good gift ideas out of them. And it gets me in the mood to shop for Christmas. My neighbor said last week that her sister has all of her gifts bought and wrapped. I can’t even imagine that—I don’t want to even imagine it.

Back to hats—I saw this hat storage bag and I thought those of you who have a lot of baseball caps and want to control clutter would find this interesting and maybe something you need. It was in the Current catalog. This bag would keep them contained and dust free. It sells for $8.00. Plus you can see inside it. I like the handles as it would be portable.

I control clutter with the hats I have by containing them in a basket. My hats are for cold weather—for hiking, walking and skiing. How do you control hat clutter?

Posted in Closets, Clutter Control | 2 Comments »

It’s Never Too Late To De-Clutter Paper

Thursday, October 27th, 2011 by admin

One of my newsletter readers took the time to send me an email about her experience with going through her child’s papers he brought home from school. She said I could share it with my blog readers:

“I have to select just a few of my son’s elementary school papers/artwork/projects to keep in a plastic bin.  I am going to have him go thru (it) with me and help. He says he would throw it all out if it were up to him!  Tough for me to do; it is all so cute and he is such a prodigy (now almost 19yrs and in college)!!”

Thank you Mimi for sharing this with us.

Are you holding onto papers that have become clutter? Mimi’s sons papers/artwork/projects I am sure are wonderful but to keep them all is not practical—or necessary.

What do you need to de-clutter in your home? Is it old paper work, is it magazines, old mail, or is it a pile of papers on your desk? Once again I am de-cluttering this morning the papers that are in my in-box. They are contained waiting for me to get to them and today is the day.

By the way if you want a good article on what to do with children’s paper work read one of my article  that gives many useful tips and ideas.

Do you have paper you need to de-clutter? Where and what type is it?

Posted in Declutter Your Home, Office/Paper Work, Paper Clutter | 3 Comments »

Easiest Clutter Control Ever

Tuesday, October 25th, 2011 by admin
BEFORE

BEFORE

I love this show ‘N Tell today. With just a little effort this bookcase looks marvelous. All it needed was some TLC (tender loving care) clutter control. There wasn’t a lot of actual clutter to get rid of.

First I took out all of the books and put them in stacks according to what they were such as Christmas, Easter religious, books for adults to read to children etc. Then I put the books back—remembering premium and secondary space. How do you do that with books? I put Christmas on the bottom shelf as this is not the time of year those are sold. I put all the little hardback books for tiny children where they can reach them easily.

AFTER

I do suggest that Holiday books be kept with the holiday decorations in their own container other than with the other books.

See—just a bit of clutter control and this bookcase was transformed. Don’t ya just love it? It is quite inspiring if I do say so myself.

Posted in Bedrooms, Clutter Control | 2 Comments »

Do You Decorate With Clutter?

Monday, October 24th, 2011 by admin

Monday’s Getting Rid Of Clutter Focus:

(I wrote this early this morning–when it was still dark, but because of computer problems it is later today). It still applies rather than it is A.M. or P.M. when you read it.

I was reading an article on decorating when out of the blue it started talking about getting rid of clutter. The author stated unequivocally that if you had more than 3 decorative pillows on your bed that that was too many.

Really? I personally think this is an individual taste. I know I have gone on home tours and have been amazed at the large pillows that spill over king sized beds down to almost the center of the bed and I have been glad it isn’t me that has to put them on the bed every morning.

I happen to have six pillows on my bed and each one is meaningful to me as well as decorative. So what I am saying is take a look at how many pillows you have and see if they light you up, make you happy and do you like them on your bed.

Or have they become clutter that you have grown used to and maybe it is time to get rid of clutter by donating a few?

Posted in Bedrooms, Getting Rid of Clutter | 2 Comments »

Recipe Holder Lets You Cook With Ease

Friday, October 21st, 2011 by admin

Product Review:

You can clear clutter on the counter when you’re cooking by using a recipe holder.

It was my birthday last Sunday and my neighbor brought me this recipe holder. (Thank you Carolyn) It is a nice organizing product. Take a look at it. The magnet holds the recipe in its place. I can put it in the window seal or on the other counter so it doesn’t get splattered with cookie dough.

It doesn’t take up a lot of space and you can probably find them at fairs, bazaars or garage sales. I think she made this one. Sometimes the simple things become our favorite organizing product.

Posted in Organizing Products, Product Review | 2 Comments »

Do You Have A Relationship With Clutter?

Thursday, October 20th, 2011 by admin

Picture this: I was organizing and clearing clutter with a woman and as I held up different items she would say yes to keep or no to get rid of it. I held up a small toy and she said (very quietly) no so I immediately threw it in the trash sack.

She laughed and said “You’re getting rid of it before I can develop a relationship with it aren’t you”? I thought this was profound. Don’t we do this with a lot of things?

We decide we don’t want it and then we sabotage our decision by feeling it and thinking about where we bought it and how we used it and who might like it and on and on and on.

When you have decided to clear clutter don’t develop a relationship with the clutter as that makes it 10 times harder to let go of it. What is your relationship like with your clutter?

Posted in Clear Clutter | 1 Comment »

Which Season Is The Best Time To Declutter Your Home?

Wednesday, October 19th, 2011 by admin

“Organizing is Ongoing, not a seasonal effort”

–Marilyn Bohn

I was reading something about something and whatever they said (I don’t remember) I changed it to this thought. As a professional organizer people (especially when I am being interviewed for an article) will say to me…”Isn’t January the best time to declutter your home because it is the new year? Or isn’t Spring the best time to clear clutter? Or isn’t the Fall the best time to get rid of clutter”?

The answer is NOPE—every day is the best day to declutter your home or get rid of clutter—however you want to say it. To stay organized it is the little things we do every day and decide not to keep or find a place to keep that item that keeps us organized.

Any thoughts?

Posted in Clear Clutter, Declutter Your Home, Get Rid Of Clutter | 4 Comments »

Clever Way To Declutter Your Home

Tuesday, October 18th, 2011 by admin

Declutter Your Home Show ‘N Share Tuesday:

Look at this clever way to declutter your home. I was organizing with a woman and we were doing a walk through her home and when I saw this great organizing idea. I immediately asked her if I could share this clever idea with my readers.

To contain her hair clips she has organized them on belts she no longer uses and hangs them from a ring placed on a hook.  This is much better than the clips taking up a few drawers and being all jumbled together.

Thank you Casandra for sharing with us this smart way to declutter your home!

Posted in Bathroom, Bedrooms, Children, Declutter Your Home, Drawers | 4 Comments »

Solid Approach to Clutter Control

Monday, October 17th, 2011 by admin

I use a Britta filtered water picture in my home. It had become grungy looking even though I wash it often. I decided the next time I saw one on sale I would purchase it. Yahoosie—I found one and brought it home, washed it and filled it up with water.

Do you know what the next thing I did? First I thought about recycling the old one, then I thought about donating it and then I thought (are you sitting down?) “But it still works so maybe I could keep it and use it for something else”..

What was I thinking? I had a plan to use one that looks nice, not to create clutter. Our Monday Focus is all about clutter control. Look around your home and see if there is something you “replaced” but never replaced—knowwhatimean?

Clutter control is easier when we have a plan and we work the plan. I am not saying it is just easy, but it is easier and it becomes easier the more we do it.

Let us know if you found a “was supposed to be a replacement that was never replaced”.

Posted in Clutter Control | 7 Comments »

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