Taming the Kitchen Counter Clutter

As featured in The Suburban

declutter

One of the biggest complaints my clients have is counter clutter.  The kitchen is the heart of the home and we tend to spend a lot of time there.  Unfortunately that doesn’t just apply to people. Paper and random household items gather there as well.

One of the easiest ways to tame that kitchen clutter is to designate areas to leave things until you have a moment to deal with them.  I get it, we all have busy lives and don’t always have the two minutes it takes to file that paid bill or put away that toy your child left on the table.  We need to work within our busy lives and use a system that makes sense for our lifestyle.

Take a look around the kitchen and take a mental tally of the most common items that seem to congregate there.  Toys? Paperwork? Office supplies? Homework?

Now try to make a contained space or “zone” for each type of item. One of my favorite tricks is to have a small container or trinket tray on my counter.  It’s where you will keep a few pens, some paperclips, lip balm; any small items that you need access to in the kitchen but don’t want splayed all over the counter.

For larger items (like toys or clothes that have found a temporary home in your kitchen) try designating a basket that can be easily transported to other areas of your home.  A great solution can be a stair-basket. Throw the items into the basket at the bottom of the stairs and next time you have a few minutes bring the basket upstairs with you to put the items in their proper place.  

For paper try using a clear folder on the inside of a kitchen cabinet.  It’s a great place for the papers you need to have access to in the kitchen and a temporary home for the ones that need to be filed later.  You can also add a few labeled folders inside to differentiate the papers.

Happy Organizing!​

Maximize Your Closet Space

As featured in The Suburban

organized closet

Most of us don’t roll out of bed in the morning and stroll into our well-lit, meticulously organized, could-double-as-a-small-house, walk-in closet. Because of that I have developed some tricks and go-to products I use to maximize space.

Due to the ever changing seasons in our wonderful city chances are you have a much different wardrobe for the spring and summer months than you do for the fall and winter.  If you are lucky and have an extra closet that you can use to rotate your wardrobe by all means use it.  Try to declutter your clothes a few times a year and donate the ill-fitting and rarely worn items.  A great trick to see what you actually wear is to turn all the hangers around on the rod.  As you wear the item put it pack properly. At the end the year you can really get a sense of your go-to items.

If you only have one closet to work with I suggest trying to install a closet organizer. This can provided you with more hanging space and shelves than you already have.  They are reasonably priced and easy to install.  If the DIY thing is not for you try a “closet doubler”.  It’s basically a rod that hangs from your existing rod and.  .  .voila, double the hanging space!  Also try to rethink what you are hanging up. Items like tank tops, belts, scarves and jeans can often be hung together.  My favorite trick is combining a scarf hanger with shower curtain rings. So many items hung in the same amount of space!

One of the easiest swap outs is trading in your mismatched hangers for slimline ones.  They are significantly slimmer, and therefor take up less space than the average hanger and tend to be non-slip as well. No more shirts falling onto the floor!

The most important thing to remember is that the best way to have an organized closet is to routinely reevaluate your clothing needs and try not accumulate too much.

Happy Organizing!

5 Steps to Organize your Space

As featured in The Suburban

Getting organized doesn’t need to be complicated.  While there is no magic wand to turn your junk drawer into a beautifully organized, Pinterest-worthy space; there are a few steps you can take to make organizing easier.

As a Professional Organizer I’ve worked with many types of clients. As a result I’ve been able to zero in on the five steps I use to help me break down and organize virtually any space that comes my way.

  1. Like with Like: It’s always helpful to group your items together to get the full picture of what you’re facing.  You may have a hard time getting rid of a pair of jeans but you probably don’t need 20 of them.
  2. Declutter: Donate/recycle/throw out all the excess/broken/never-used. Ask yourself: Do I really need this?
  3. Put it back: Find the right means of storage.  This could be anything from the right type of hanger to a clear bin or a vacuum bag.  Try to keep frequently used items more accessible.
  4. Label it: Try a label-maker, chalkboard tag, post-it; whatever you like! Just make sure you use something that will stick. You may know where everything goes but the other people in your house probably won’t. The only way to maintain an organizational system is to make it easy for everyone.
  5. Live with it: Make sure the system you developed works for you and your lifestyle.  If it is not working then don’t be afraid to change it!

One of the most common complaints I get from clients is that the clutter overwhelms them and they don’t know where to start.  If that’s the case, try picking out one small aspect of the space you want to tackle.  If it’s a room you are dealing with start with one drawer or box. There is nothing wrong with dealing with the easy stuff first.  It may well jump start the process and give you confidence moving forward!

Happy organizing!