| 1. Out with the old, in with the new! | | | | call up these individuals and tell them you are doing a |
| To minimize what goes into your house in the first | | | | ‘spring cleaning’ and simply cannot hold |
| place, remember this simple rule: If you bring in a new | | | | onto their belongings anymore. Tell them to come |
| item then one has got to go! For example when I | | | | over and get it within a few days, and if they |
| buy new clothes I look at what I have before I go | | | | don’t you can let them know that |
| shopping. This way I don’t wind up with 4 | | | | you’ll donate them to Salvation Army on their |
| white v-neck t-shirts. When I come home from my | | | | behalf. This is not being rude, after all they left |
| shopping trip with a pair of jeans, 2 blazers and a | | | | THEIR stuff at YOUR house! This is simply reclaiming |
| sweater, I look at what will now go out the door | | | | your home, life and letting you get free from clutter. |
| also. That may be the old items I’m replacing | | | | 5. Have a measurable De-cluttering Goal! |
| or simply just other clothing items otherwise my | | | | It is important to have goals in anything you wish to |
| closet would become a disaster quickly. The same is | | | | achieve in life. Organizing and getting rid of clutter in |
| true for furniture (unless you’re filling a new | | | | your home is no different. I know that the piles can |
| home or simply don’t have ANY furniture), as | | | | seem daunting but when you have a goal you will not |
| well as other household items like candlestick holders, | | | | only feel in control, but you will have direction and a |
| napkins etc… | | | | sense of accomplishment when you are finished. For |
| 2. Keep it out of the house! | | | | example if you are looking to clean up your |
| One thing I coach my clients on is keeping a | | | | basement or even a closet, have a goal that you |
| clutter-free home, by refusing to bring some items | | | | want 25% of the items to be gone. Those items |
| inside the house to begin with. Junk mail, flyers, trash | | | | need to leave the house for trash or donation unless |
| from the car, and unwanted items are just a few | | | | it is a piece of furniture, or valuable item. If they |
| items to avoid. In order to avoid this, I sift through | | | | don’t then all you have done is allocated |
| my mail and flyers near the garage where the | | | | clutter to other areas of your home. Maybe your |
| recycling and trash are. Then I can immediately get | | | | goal is to get rid of 40 pieces of clothing/shoes. |
| rid of what we don’t need. I do the same | | | | Whether in increments or as an entirety have a goal |
| with the garbage in our car. If we get fast food, or | | | | as to what you want the end result to look like. |
| take home bulletins from church, the minute we get | | | | 6. Start Small! |
| out of the car next, be it at a gas station or at | | | | Most of my clients have called me to help them |
| home, the garbage goes! You can simply say no to | | | | because the feeling of being overwhelmed by clutter |
| friends, family or neighbors that want to burden you | | | | was too much for them, more so because they had |
| with junk. If you really don’t want the item | | | | no idea where or how to start. This need not be |
| they give you but they insist you have it, toss it as | | | | complicated nor make you overly exhausted. If a full |
| soon as you get inside or find someone else to give | | | | room is too much for one day, spend one hour per |
| it to that will like it. This may sound cruel but so is | | | | day or a particular part of a room such as all of the |
| the pushiness of some people in our life to have us | | | | dresser drawers as day 1, and what is under the bed |
| take what we truly don’t want. Email works | | | | as part 2 etc. Starting small allows you to feel a |
| the same. As soon as I open my email the first thing | | | | sense of relief, but often times you’ll find that |
| that I do is highlight all the junk and hit delete. Once | | | | once you get on a roll you won’t want to |
| trash is out of the way I can focus on the important | | | | stop until the room is done. You’ll surprise |
| messages. Also, it frees me up from heaps of junk | | | | yourself! Put on some of your favorite music and get |
| messages that use up my storage space. Think | | | | started! |
| about what items you could eliminate like this. | | | | 7. Karla’s step-by-step secrets to organize |
| 3. Don’t keep items that you really | | | | any room. |
| don’t like!! | | | | I will let you in on my secrets of organizing because |
| This probably sounds bvious but you would be | | | | anybody can do this, you need not be a Rocket |
| surprised at the amount of clients I have worked | | | | Scientist! Firstly, pick one room at a time like the |
| with that actually keep items they think are ugly or | | | | spare/guest bedroom. Make 4 piles in that room. One |
| just don’t fit any room in their home! | | | | pile is for trash, another pile is for items you |
| Don’t hold onto old furniture or keepsakes | | | | don’t want but wish to donate, and the third |
| that have been handed down to you just because a | | | | for items that truly belong elsewhere in the house |
| loved one gave them to you. Simply give the items | | | | like oven mitts or CD’s, and the forth is for |
| to someone that you know who will actually like and | | | | items you wish to sell online or at a garage sale. If |
| want them. If that is not an option then donate | | | | you were planning a garage sale anyway you can |
| them or sell them on ebay and make some money | | | | add the items for donation to this. Then get some |
| while you are at it! It is good to be proactive in this | | | | garbage bags and take the trash to the curb. This will |
| area also. I myself almost got stuck with a heap of | | | | not only make you feel less overwhelmed but give |
| antique furniture as my grandmother was getting | | | | you more space to work and walk. From here you |
| ready to move to a retirement home. I had to just | | | | can decide if you want to display certain items, or if |
| say "I would love to, but I simply can’t. This | | | | they are to be filed or stored away neatly. All of |
| eliminated a lot of lifting, transporting and storing of | | | | these items can be labeled with a marker and |
| unwanted goods just to appease her. | | | | masking tape or label maker (This is a great |
| 4. Don’t store other people’s items in | | | | investment). Then take all of the items that did not |
| your home! | | | | belong to their appropriate space and distribute them |
| While we’re on the subject of | | | | accordingly. This need not be complicated, just pace |
| “storing” items, it is never a good idea | | | | yourself and take your time during each step. |
| to store items for friends, relatives or neighbors. | | | | Have fun! I know that the time you put into your |
| They often have the best intention to come back | | | | home will give you such an amazing sense of |
| and pick them up but they sometimes don’t. | | | | accomplishment. It will brighten your spirit and give |
| This leaves you stuck with someone else’s | | | | you the desire to not only tackle other areas in your |
| unwanted stuff. If you are currently in this situation, | | | | home, but keep them that way! |