Archive for the ‘Clutter’ Category

How to de-clutter sentimental items

Monday, May 15th, 2023

sentimental items evoke beautiful memories

Sentimental items are difficult to de-clutter

If an item stirs up feelings, the item is sentimental. We have the item(s) because we want to keep the “thing” that triggers that memory in our lives. For some people, a sentimental item could be a book, a photo, or a nostalgic object. It’s difficult to de-clutter sentimental items. Should we keep them or de-clutter?

Is it sentimental?

First you have to decide if the clutter really is sentimental or if you’re keeping it for another reason such as guilt, obligation or “it cost too much to let it go.” This is the time to be bluntly honest with yourself.

Rules of thumb for sentimental clutter

If we want to de-clutter, one rule of thumb to follow is to gather up all of the items that stir up a memory. Select the memory of just one thing, such as one of a dear deceased loved one. Sort through all of those items that trigger his/her/their memory. Display everything related to that entity. Know that you have choices to keep or eliminate specific pieces. As this is an emotional experience, you may want to carve out “alone time” or enlist the support of another.

Continue the process for each entity. Making the decisions to leave it be, store it or eliminate it may stir sadness, anger, joy and many other feelings. It’s important to give yourself the freedom to experience.

Choices for sentimental items

If the item is a treasured possession, and you have the space, display it. As one would decorate for a holiday, display your treasured item seasonally or permanently. Have fun with your décor. Hire a stylist to help you find the best place to exhibit your treasure.

If there are too many treasured possessions to display, you can store them or re-purpose them. A labeled, beautiful memory box can keep your sentimental items safe and clean. Label the box for the memory it elicits. Some items can be re-purposed such as clothing items that are made into handmade quilts, or wedding dresses transformed into Angel Gowns by the Emma and Evan Foundation.

Every sentimental item has a story. Maybe it’s not the item that is sentimental but the story itself. These stories can be recorded and the item can be digitized with apps like iMemories or Artifcts. Create a forever gift by working with a professional to compose a memoir such as Memoirs Plus, and convert all the memorabilia into a story book.

Some items may be more meaningful to someone else. Connect with a relative or friend who may appreciate those past treasures. The keyword is past. If the item no longer fits in your life today, let it go. If you want to raise some cash, partner with an e-bay seller or post on another selling site like Craigslist. Buy Nothing or Freecycle sites give you options to give away to someone in your community. You can also donate to a charity such as Pick Up Please that sells your items and donates the money to the Vietnam Veterans (VVA), or Go Green Drop to raise funds for The Red Cross.

Do you need help with sentimental clutter?

If you’re a DIY’er you may refer to books written specifically about de-cluttering sentimental items e.g. The Sentimental Persons Guide to Decluttering and/or Don’t Toss My Memories in the Trash.

An empathetic yet practical partner can help you decide whether to keep or eliminate specific sentimental items from your space. That partner could be a friend or a Professional Organizer, Therapist or Coach.

For additional guidance on de-cluttering sentimental items, review the tips written in this article in Homes and Gardens which features Under Control Organizing:
https://www.homesandgardens.com/life-design/how-to-declutter-sentimental-items

Typical places where you may forget to de-clutter

Monday, February 13th, 2023

De-clutter your space

There are SO MANY PLACES where people typically forget to de-clutter.

De-Clutter the “STASH”

First, when you’re expecting company, where do you stash your stuff? Those are the most likely places where people forget to de-clutter. Clutter is simply stuff that’s placed in the wrong space, or forgotten items that accumulated over time. When it’s hid away, there’s usually no thought given to where it belongs. Where is it?

  • Under the bed/ platform bed drawers
  • “Junk” drawer(s)
  • Inside cabinets with doors that HIDE stuff
  • Bottom of closets

The Hidden Places

There’s also the stuff that’s under or behind the items you use most:

  • Back end of the drawers – the clothing and accessories that got stuffed back as new ones came in
  • Medicine cabinet – Makeup and sundries
  • Kitchen cabinets – storage containers and utensils

The Rarely Used Places

Of course, there’s the collections and papers that we only use once a year:

  • Top of closets with seasonal items
  • File drawers, Prior years’ tax papers

Don’t forget digital clutter!!!!

How to De-Clutter

Wherever those places are, here are the best ways to go about de-cluttering them:

Avoid the spontaneous stash by visualizing a place for everything. Think ahead and designate a category for your belongings. Labeling your spaces is a good reminder of where stuff belongs. Spend some time at the end of each day putting stuff away. Clutter is just homeless items. Once you get into the routine, you will have no more homeless items.

I find the best method for busy people to tackle clutter is to schedule an uninterrupted appointment with yourself. Decide on a small area to start (like a drawer), and set a timer for 30 minutes. Sort out the stuff into defined categories. See how far you get (in your designated time frame), then put it all away for another 30 minutes. The key to success is leaving enough time to clear the deck.

How to Maintain Organization

Here’s some guidance for maintaining limited spaces and keeping them tidy. When one new item comes in, 1-2 go out. When buying new clothes, accessories or cosmetics, think ahead about where they will be stored. If you’re unable to let go of items, there’s always the option of (temporary) storage rooms. There’s always a price to pay for accumulating.

Finally, if you have difficulty de-cluttering on your own, enlist the help of an accountability buddy. This is someone you trust with whom you share your goals. They should help keep you on track without judgement.

Make the process of de-cluttering a game. Make it fun and motivating.

For more ideas, read this terrific article to the end https://www.realhomes.com/advice/places-you-forget-to-declutter-and-organize  which features Under Control Organizing as well as another Professional Organizer.

Small Accomplishments, Great Strides

Monday, August 5th, 2019

Individual steps are small accomplishments toward the ultimate goal.“Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together” – Vincent Van Gogh

A master artist knows that a great piece is accomplished in small steps.

We’re all artists of our spaces. We choose our surroundings. We schedule the time to manage our stuff.  Sometimes, “Life” takes over and we abandon our own home base. We become the victim of our space, and our relationships are tested.

Small Accomplishments Create Motivation

Before we met, Robert (fictitious name), a master in his own profession, wrote this poem:

Ode to Clutter

Clutter, clutter, clutter
Clutter, clutter, clutter
You’d think that I lived
in a box or a shoe
or maybe the gutter.

In fact, it makes me so angry
I almost start to mutter.
Or if I were a cookie,
I’d be looking for a cutter.

For it’s papers and boxes
But no Goldilockses.
Not even bread and butter.
And for every word you utter,
There’s more clutter, clutter, clutter.

Because of professional and personal issues, Robert’s work space became Out of Control. He could not dig out from under his “mess”, until he scheduled a consultation with Under Control Organizing.  We created a plan and time line to break down the accumulations.  The piles, boxes and binders full of papers were on shelves, on the floor and in cabinets. The first step was to carve out a workspace so we could sort and identify what needed to be shredded, recycled or archived. With a custom solution, Robert felt pride in his office, and confidence in finding his important information. He felt Under Control as he made small accomplishments toward his goal.

Do you have a project that you’ve postponed because you did not know where and how to begin?  Are you stuck on what to do next? 

I can help you plan, organize and accomplish great things.

Why You Can’t Get Organized: When Organization is a Phobia

Monday, July 2nd, 2018

Clutter / Organizing

Is it “can’t” or “won’t” when it comes to summarizing the reasons people fail to organize their stuff? And does it apply to you?
“Can’t” implies inability.
“Won’t” is the lack of initiative or desire.

The five main reasons fall into BOTH camps: Can’t AND Won’t.

CAN’T – Don’t know how
Mindy (fictitious name) tells me “I just don’t have the gene to organize.” Could it be genetics that stop Mindy from organizing her important household stuff? Could it be a neurological issue? Mindy is a very creative (right-brained) individual.

For decades, Mindy has tried to read books in many failed attempts to follow guidance on organizing papers and assorted stuff. Does it sound familiar? She feels like a failure because she can’t maintain a system of organization. Plus, She rarely remembers where she puts her stuff.

Yes, many disorganized people complain about their memory. While cognitive decline is a real thing, finding yourself overwhelmed can affect thinking, especially, in my experience, with creative people. Reader, you may be chuckling as you recognize the trait in yourself, but you know it’s not funny. It can be painful. People spend hours each year searching for important information that they put “in a good place.” They spend more money than necessary to replace items that were put away but can’t locate.

Organizing overwhelms, and many smart people truly believe they’re hopeless. They develop bad habits, leaving things around their home and office because they think that the “stuff” will be visible to find at a later date. But nothing can be found when you need it. The lucky ones find help, or find a partner to assist, and to compliment this “missing gene.” Some, however, don’t let others in, and end up unhappy.

CAN’T – Can’t get started/ Can’t manage interruptions/ Gets Distracted
Starting a new project can be daunting.

Some people need to be in the right frame of mind to start a project, while others can “Just Do It.” If you are easily distracted, especially if the project is that dreaded ORGANIZING. Distraction can be a disorder and a house filled with stuff, with dozens of unfinished projects, may point in that direction. If you think you’re overwhelmed because of Attention Deficit Disorder, get an evaluation. The right treatment can make the job of organization a thousand times easier.

With or without ADD, many people don’t know how to begin to sort through all their stuff. When sorting through the past, the trips down memory lane can divert you off on tangents. It is a normal hazard when going through old things. It’s not hard to reminisce the day away.

Robert (fictitious name) wanted to transition his business. He had an office filled with papers: client material, marketing material, and personal papers. He also had a habit of making multiple copies of each paper to be sure he always had a copy. This compensatory mechanism made his office look like a sea of random papers and files.

The task of “organizing” the papers of the old business was impossible. He lacked the motivation to get started because he didn’t know how. And, so the business transition could not begin. The old business made Robert unhappier each day, and he was stuck. Each folder he touched stirred up old (good and bad) memories. He couldn’t get out of his own way to organize. Empowering himself to learn how to get started, and stay focused, helped change his life. Also, learning how to conquer his personal challenge of starting new things gave him a new confidence.

WON’T – Don’t feel like it
Yes, our feelings get in the way – with relationships and our relationship to stuff. Rhonda (fictitious name) refused to keep a calendar/date book because she wanted her life to be flexible, be a butterfly, do as she pleased. Often, any plans made in advance were forgotten unless a good friend called her to remind her. Now, that’s a good friend, but then again, maybe that “friend” actually enabled her fairy tales.

More often, her plans were cancelled at the last minute because something better to do came along. Bills went unpaid. Piles of mail, and assorted papers and household items, collected on tables, under tables, and inside cabinets. Rhonda did as she pleased, until her husband wanted to refinance the house. Their credit rating was so low because of so many unpaid or late paid bills, their refinancing was rejected. Rhonda only wanted to do things that were fun. She constantly compared her life to others’. She festered over the thought that someone else’s life could be better than hers. I could tell you how her life turned out, but this time, I’ll let you fantasize.

CAN’T – Have to clear up first
We think too much. Some think they have to clear the decks before they can plan or organize. They have so much stuff in the way, they think they have to clear away the “stuff” before organizing.

Angela (fictitious name) had boxes and files full of personal memories and professional accomplishments, all mixed together. She wanted to embark on a new job search, and needed to put together a resume. Angela wanted to use some examples of the materials located in these files as resume points. She was FROZEN. Angela felt that she had to go through EVERYTHING before she could even START organizing her resume. She needed guidance, and fortunately found that guidance so that she could begin her journey to find her dream job. Clearing and organizing go hand in hand. As you start to clear, you get a clearer idea of what is left to organize. Then, the organizing process will flow easier as you’re gradually familiar with your “stuff”.

CAN’T – Need the right “tools”
Every craftsman knows that “Good tools aren’t cheap; Cheap tools aren’t any good.” There are so many good organizing “tools” at varying price points. Have you been to The Container Store, Bed Bath and Beyond or Home Goods lately? You’ll find a dizzying array of organizing “tools” in those and other stores, as well as online sources.

Those who can’t organize, because they need to find the “right” tools first, are land locked in their stuff. Others may purchase a wide variety of inappropriate tools, adding to the accumulation of clutter.

Organizing is an ongoing activity. Oh, did you think that once you’re organized, you’re organized? The organizing process evolves just like we do. Our needs change, as do our systems. There’s never a right time to organize. We make the time.

If you learn to organize each day, just a little, a great deal can happen. Start with your bed, and move on to your work or your house. Tackle a little at a time, and learn not to be afraid of clearing, organizing and discarding. Soon it will become natural.

Finally, whether you CAN’T or WON’T organize your stuff, enlisting help will empower you to accomplish these and other Herculean tasks. Yet, once things begin to clear out, you’ll begin to feel freer, only to have the energy to do more. Organizational phobias do exist with multiple can’ts and won’ts. As with most phobias, the best way around them is through them.

(Reprinted from Mark Banschick’s blog in Psychology Today)