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Big Picture, Small Steps: Decluttering the Elephant One Pile at a Time
“Decluttering is too overwhelming.” “I see the problem, but I literally don’t know where to start.” “I don’t want you to see my closet; you’re going to think I’m a hoarder.” In all the years I’ve been decluttering and organizing homes and businesses, I don’t think there’s anything more discouraging than to hear someone admit they have a clutter issue and then choose not to do anything about it. I see them over the side of the ship, flailing, yelling excuses as to why they need to keep that box of whatever. And I’m watching them start to sink, ignoring the life ring I hit them in the head with.…
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From Oops to Awesome: Your Organizing Comeback Tour Starts This Weekend
I opened the cupboards above our oven and was gently accosted by glass jars. Tall ones, fat ones, smooth ones, decorative ones, clear ones, brown ones, and sadly, ignored-since-2017 ones. They all seemed like such a good idea when I made the original decision to keep them. I quickly closed the doors and felt defeat settle in my soul. It’s okay if you think that sounds a tad dramatic. Shame and guilt appear quickly some days. Visions of the wide-mouth beauties holding snacks at a charcuterie party sucked me in. Thoughts of the spice jars furthering my succulent propagation habit held me hostage. I had the perfect amount of jars…
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4 New Tips & Tricks I Learned from My First Out-of-State Decluttering & Organizing Job in Seattle This Week
If a client reached out and asked for decluttering and organizing help from two states away, you’d assume it would be virtual, right? Nope. Cue the airplane… she wanted my hands-on help, so I booked my first out-of-state job! With only a few weeks to spare, we discussed details and decided on a three-day window. I had a graduation up there anyway, so we split a flight and I bounced from a fun vacation to a fun job. Win squared! I had never decluttered and organized so intensely for three days in a row before, especially clocking 11 hours a day. It worked out great, but was eye-opening for sure. …
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Fantastic Fall Fling: How to Get Rid of Excess Items Before the Holidays!
If you’re anything like our family, Thanksgiving and Christmas mean lots of food and people. Before that happens this year, wouldn’t a little more space be nice? It’s okay if you have a compact home—the key is getting rid of items you don’t need or like in order to make space for the things you love! For example… Last year I opened my fall decor bin and found a couple things I didn’t like. The mistake I made? Putting them back in the bin. If I didn’t love them last year enough to bring them out, what makes me think I’m going to love them this year? Now I’m doing…
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8 Simple Things We Can All Declutter and Donate Before Spring Cleaning Our Homes This Year
Lest you think I’ve mastered decluttering in my own home, let me assure you… it’s an ongoing battle. I mostly write these things to hold myself accountable, but I’m stoked you’re coming along with me today. This of course is not a complete list of what could be decluttered before spring cleaning. It’s just a nudge to help you start. And clearly, to help me start again too since I found more things I could easily part with! So here are my eight things to declutter instead of cleaning around them. Spring cleaning can happen next month. First, let’s work on getting rid of these…. 1. Outdated Electronics From VHS…
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Spring Decluttering with an Organizing Pro: 20 Items You Can Quickly Donate or Toss This Weekend
It’s no secret—I looove me some organized spaces. That doesn’t mean every square inch of my house is organized, but I’m working on it. Disaster areas usually elevate stress and organized spaces usually usher in peace. But sometimes getting started is so overwhelming some people don’t even know where to begin. Been there? After decluttering and organizing different spaces for years, a friend and I decided to turn our love for order into a business. What we’ve learned after being in our clients’ closets, kids’ rooms, pantries, garages, offices, laundry rooms, and linen closets could fill a book. But here are the top declutterable things we consistently see. You’re sitting…
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Creating an Organized New Year: The 3 Best Places in Your Home & How to Start
If you’re assuming this post is all about turning your whole house upside down and starting over, you can exhale now. This isn’t for the expert organizer, the detailed filer who never has a paper out of place, or the housekeeper who scrubs with a magnifying glass and Q-tips. And all the normal people said amen. But… it is definitely not too early to think about spring cleaning. I’m guessing I’m not the only one who’s wondered, Wow… it would be so much easier to clean around less stuff. Let’s back this train up though. First of all… Feliz Año Nuevo! I realize new beginnings aren’t everyone’s cup of chai, but…
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Quickly Saving Drowning Memories, One Wet Photo at a Time
Last November my teenagers bought me AirPods for my birthday. Spending so much of their own money to get me pieces of fancy technology made me feel loved. But I’m not a fancy girl. I have an old phone, our TV feels ridiculously large, I don’t own a watch (much less a smart one), and if it were up to me, Alexa would be kicked to the curb. But I have a husband who loves that stuff and two teens who work and volunteer in tech. So of course they all want me to jump on the bandwagon, and AirPods were one way to get me there. On a sunny…
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Goin’ to the Marketplace to OfferUp Stuff: Tips for Selling Good Junk Online
“How much for this?” “Ten dollars. It’s real silver.” “Will you take two?” Garage sale offers like this always made me want to blurt, “Two what? Two goats? Two crates of eggs? Two dozen avocados? No. I said ten. Not ten shillings, not ten pesos, ten dollars.” “How about five?” And ‘round and ‘round we’d go, politely arguing in English or Spanish until said shopper talked me down against my will because I was afraid I wouldn’t get another offer but then I got mad that I caved because I could’ve gotten more on eBay or at a pawn shop but I don’t have time for that because I have…
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Donate This, Not That: Tips to Donate with Dignity
I know… I’ve had good intentions that went awry too. I’ve donated things I probably should’ve thrown in the trash. I felt guilty about the blatant waste though, so I passed it on for someone else to hopefully benefit from. Trouble is, if an item falls into that category, it’s probably going to end up costing the recipient more time than it’s worth. I never truly understood this principle till I moved to a 3rd-world country. Pretty sure the ministries in Mexico get more donations from the U.S. than any other nation, but after living there for 12 years, I’m not confident the helpful handouts outweighed the inconvenient/annoying ones. For…
