Need To Find Help Decluttering? Check Out These Tips.

Are you one of those people who would love to declutter your home but just cannot get yourself organized? If that’s the case you are not alone. If you don’t feel you can get yourself organized on your own and are looking to find help decluttering, it is available and easy to locate.

Take for example organizing a closet.
- There are plenty of companies available that will provide closet organizing solutions for you. Just check your phone book or on the internet and you will not have a problem finding someone to help you.
If you are in need of more help than a closet organizer can provide, you may have to turn to a professional organizer for help decluttering. Finding a professional organizer is a bit more difficult because you want to make sure you find one that meets your needs. How do you start looking for a professional organizer?
- You may want to start by looking in your local newspaper or the yellow pages.
- Another option is to check out the National Association of Professional Organizers on the internet. The NAPO website allows you to search by zip code or organizing specialty to find a list of professional organizer in your area.
Interviewing a professional organizer should follow the same steps you would use to interview any other professional.
- Talk to a number of professional organizers to make sure they are the right fit for your needs and personality.
- Don’t only talk to the professional organizer on the phone, set up a time to meet with the organizer.
- Ask for a free estimate.
- Ask how long they have been a professional organizer and if they are a member of NAPO. Being a member of NAPO does not guarantee the quality of their work; however, it does show they have a commitment to continuing education and an industry code of ethics.
- What are their areas of expertise.
- What results can you expect from the service they will provide for you.
- Ask for and check references.
Be prepared to answer questions the professional organizer will most likely ask you. Be honest with your answers so the organizer knows exactly the task in front of them. The organizer is there to help you and they can’t do that without you being truthful.
Professional organizers will charge between $50 and $200 an hour, but it is not unusual to find organizers who will charge by the project. If you can afford it and are determined to have an organized home the price of a professional organizer is well worth it.

Closet Storage Solutions Made Easy!

Has your closet become a black hole? Is it a room in your house that devours everything in sight? Has your closet become your personal storage sheds? Let me take you back to 1935 when a radio show named Fibber McGee and Molly began to air. Why would I mention Fibber McGee and Molly in an article having to do with finding closet storage solutions? The reason is because the highlight of the show came when Fibber would go to his closet. For those of you who are not familiar with the show, Fibber had a closet that sucked everything in. It became Fibbers personal storage shed and every time Fibber would open the door, you would hear all sorts of crashing and banging as everything stuffed inside would fall out. Can you identify with this? Has your closet become a Fibber’s closet? If it has you are not along. However, your closet does not have to remain a Fibber’s closet. With a few simple closet storage solutions and a little bit of time, you can declutter and organize your closet like a professional.

Many people put off decluttering their closet because it seems like such a daunting task. There are two questions you should ask yourself before you begin to look for closet storage solutions that will meet your needs.

First – Define what the purpose of your closet is. Most people think of their closet as a long term storage solution. Ask yourself. Is long term storage the best use of your closet space? If you view your closet as long term storage you may want to change your way of thinking and start thinking of your closet as storage for your everyday items. Long term storage should have its own dedicated area within your home.
Second – Before you take on the physical task of decluttering take some time to look at what you may need to organize your closet. Do you have enough shelves and are they laid out in a convenient way? Do you have a place to put shoes and other accessories? How are your clothes racks? Do you need to add more or can they be rearranged in a better configuration? Once you developed closet storage solutions that will answer these questions, you will know what you need to buy so you can begin to reconfigure your closet.

The best time to declutter your closet is late fall and late spring. Why late fall and late spring? Late fall and late spring are the times of the year when the weather has changed. Putting your seasonal clothes away to early or late may cause frustration if you have put your seasonal clothes in storage and then the weather turns and you have to pull them out of storage to get through the last few weeks.

I suggest you start early in the morning on the day you decide to declutter your closet. As you remove items from your closet you will be placing them throughout your bedroom and it is likely you will be covering your bed with items. What you want to avoid is starting too late in the day and having your bed covered with clothes or other items when it is time for bed, forcing you to move these items so you can crawl into bed.

Good closet storage solutions involves more than just organizing your storage space. As mentioned above closet storage solutions involves the task of decluttering. Start your decluttering by taking out each item one at a time:

Look at the item and ask yourself the following questions. When was the last time I wore this item? Is it in good condition? Does it still fit?
For those items that are not in good condition immediately get rid of them. Throw these items in a box or bag labeled trash. These items could be clothes, shoes or accessories.
Next take any piece of clothing that you have not worn in the past year and either donate it to a thrift store or sell it on ebay. If you have not worn something in the past year chances of you wearing it again are slim.
All of those clothes that no longer fit or are out of style can either be donated or sold. Don’t fool yourself by saying that you are keeping these items because they will some day come back into style; or that you are going to lose weight and will wear them again. This is not going to happen. If you go on a diet, reward yourself for losing weight by buying new clothes. If you sell your clothes at a garage sale or on ebay, keep the money you make to buy yourself new clothes once you reach your weight goals.

Once your closet is completely empty begin cleaning it. Vacuum the floor, take a rag and wash the shelves and the clothes rods. If your closet needs painting now is the time to paint. A new coat of paint can brighten up your closet and give it a completely new feel.

If your closet is small do not take any space for granted. The following are closet storage solutions that will help you take advantage of all your available space.

Use the back of the door for hooks, accessories racks or even a shoe rack. If you have a lot of shoes, store those shoes that you use regularly on racks in your closet and store the rest in bins with wheels under your bed.
Vacuum storage bags are great for storing seasonal clothes. Put your clothes in these bags and suck the air out of them to compress their size. One tip for putting your seasonal clothes into storage is to leave them on hangers, that way when the time comes to take them out of storage you will save yourself time because they are ready to be hung.

If you feel that you would like to invest in permanent organizational solution there are many companies that will design closet storage solutions for you. If you are a do-it-yourself-er, go to Home Depot, Lowe’s or any other hardware store and look at the closet storage solutions available for self installation.

Decluttering your closet is really easy to do. Just remember to take your time and use closet storage solutions that works best for you.

As a final note, you can keep your closets clean, dry, and smelling fresh by placing open, empty perfume bottles or unwrapped bars of soap in the corners. You can also make moth-repellent sachets from dried lavender, whole peppercorns, orange peel, or a fifty-fifty mixture of dried rosemary and mint. If you can’t find sachet bags, make your own sachets out of baby socks or pieces cut from a clean stocking.

How To Organize A Bedroom Into An Atmosphere Of Peace, Calm And Serenity.

Your bedroom is your sanctuary. It is a place for you to relax and escape from the everyday stress of your hectic life. To truly enjoy your bedroom and get the relaxation and rejuvenation you deserve, you need to learn how to organize a bedroom into an atmosphere of peace, calm and serenity.

Walk into a bedroom that is cluttered with clothes, magazines or other items that have accumulated over time and your bedroom is no longer a place of tranquility. Instead of a retreat from the stress of everyday life, your bedroom adds stress to your already chaotic life.

Learning how to organize a bedroom and turning it back into your cherished retreat may seem like a daunting task; however, with a little planning and applying a few simple techniques, one day is all it should take to organize your bedroom back into your treasured sanctuary.

Learning how to organize a bedroom begins by thoroughly studying the room. With pen and paper in hand, sit down on a chair or your bed and take a hard look at your room. What do you see? Do you see clutter? If so where does the clutter accumulate? Is it in the corner of the room? Is it on the top of your dresser? Is it in your closet? What do you have on the night stands next to your bed? What is under your bed? Do you put your clean laundry away or do you let it sit in the basket on the floor or maybe pile it on top of your dresser. Does the top of your nightstand hold bedside essentials or is it cluttered with items that you don’t use? These are the types of questions you need to ask yourself before beginning the decluttering process. Also, what is it that you like to do when you go to bed? Do you like to read? If so do you have the proper lighting and a place to store the books or magazines your reading? If you don’t have a convenient place to store your books and magazines you may want to add shelves next to your bed.

Once you have finished studying your bedroom and have written down on your paper things you will need to organize your room go out and buy them if necessary. It may be a basket to place in the corner of the room where dirty clothes accumulate so you can put your dirty clothes in the basket instead of allowing them to pile up on the floor. You may have determined that you need to purchase some bins with wheels on them that you can use for storage and slide under your bed. If your bed sits low to the ground you may want to buy bed lifts in order to raise your bed to a height which allows you to utilize the area under your bed for storage.

Once you have purchased those things you will need to begin organizing your room. The first thing you will want to do is to remove items that you don’t need. How many books or magazines can you read at one time? If you store all of your old books and magazines that you have already read, move them to a different area of your house or better yet get rid of them. Take them to a thrift store or donate them to a library. Old books and magazines that you will never read again take up a lot of room and create clutter that you can live without. If you have items that don’t belong in your bedroom remove them and put them where they belong. Are your drawers and your closet full of old clothes that you never wear anymore? If so get rid of them. Donate them to a thrift store or the Salvation Army or try to sell them on ebay if you want to make some extra cash. Airtight vacuum bags are great for storing seasonal items. A great place to store these are under your bed in the storage bin you purchased. If you have a lot of shoes storing them in bins under your bed works great. When you put your clothes away in your drawers separate your underwear, socks, etc rather than placing them all in one drawer.

These are just a few simple tips on how to organize a bedroom. Now that your bedroom is organized and clutter free, don’t forget to add some background music and therapeutic candles. According to experts background music and therapeutic candles stimulates the brain in different ways. They can cheer you up, sooth your nerves and invigorate your body.

If Your Want To Improve Your Productivity – Declutter Your Office

Your office is a place for you to think, be productive and get your creative juices flowing. In order for you to do your best work you need a clutter free area in which to work. An organized, decluttered office saves you time by not having to look through clutter to find the information you need. An organized office is a way to make a good first impression. It is common knowledge that people judge you by the way you present yourself. Declutter your office and people will take you seriously.

Before you begin to declutter your office make a layout of the room and a list of everything that you have and need in your office. Your goal for this project will be to keep everything that you need to make your office work efficiently and get rid of everything that you don’t need. The following are things you should consider:

As you go through your office make three piles.
- Pile one is for things you need.
- Pile two is for things you want to discard.
- Pile three is for things you want to keep but not in your office.
You should discard those things you want out of your office as quickly as possible. Once you do this you create more room for those things you want to keep within your office.
Organize your filing cabinets so that you can easily find what you are looking for.
- Use colored folders and labels for your files.
- Discard papers that you don’t need.
- Have a special file for papers that need to be stored long term. Having a special long term storage system allows you to keep the records you need without cluttering up your everyday files.
Ask yourself: What will my traffic flow be like within my office? Is there a clear path between my office furniture and my desk? How easy is it to get from my desk to my filing cabinets? Is there a clear path from the entrance of the room to my desk?
How well is your office space configured? Is your desk the appropriate size for the room? If not is it tool large or too small? If your desk is tool large it may make your office feel cramped. If your desk is small here is a tip that can give you more work space?
- Tip – Place a table or filing cabinet next to your desk to give you added space. However; don’t just place any table or filing cabinet. Find one that is the same height and the same color as your desk.
Proper furniture is a must for holding all of your office essentials like a computer, printer, fax machine, phone, etc. If you are able to give these items a separate space you will be able to gain additional work space for yourself.
- Example – If you have a printer or multifunction workstation (printer, copier, scanner, fax) find a way to keep it off your desk. A workstation stand may need to be purchased. If you have placed a table or file cabinet next to your desk this may be a good place for this equipment. This stand may also provide you with storage space for accessories such as printer paper.
Where do you store your files, books and magazines? If you do not have enough shelf space you may want to invest in some more. Magazines have a tendency to pile up. Once you read a magazine if there is an article you want to keep clip it out, put it in a binder and throw the rest of the magazine away.
Your desk is where you will be spending most of your time when you are in your office so it is important you locate your desk where it is easily accessible to all your office equipment.
- If you are constantly going in and out of your file cabinet you will want to make sure you have easy access from your desk. One solution to constantly getting up and down from your chair is to place the filing cabinet directly behind your desk. If this is not possible look at placing your filing cabinet along side your desk. In either case, create a clear path from your desk to your filing cabinet so you can roll your chair back and forth alleviating the need to constantly get up and down.
- Do the same with your other equipment. Create direct paths from your desk to the equipment so you can roll your chair without having to constantly get out of your chair.

If you are like most people your desk becomes a magnet for clutter. Since it is easy for your desk to become cluttered and unorganized, here are some of the things that can be done to keep your desk clean?

Desktop papers create the greatest amount of clutter. Paper organization is the key to creating an uncluttered desktop.
- You can get rid of stacks of paper by placing them in file folders on your desk. Label all of these folders so you know exactly where everything goes.
- Step holders keep your files organized and easily accessible. Stacking trays are another option that you can use to save space and keep your papers organized.
- Open your mail as soon as you get it. Place your mail into four categories: “To Do”, “To Pay”, “To File”, “To Trash”. Don’t let your “To Do” and “To File” categories pile up. Use this three step process with every piece of paper you touch: “Act on it”, “File it”, “Throw it away”. If you do this you will keep your paper clutter to a minimum.
Desk drawers are another area where clutter gathers. Use trays, dividers and drawer organizers to help keep your desk drawers orderly. You can purchase these at any office supply store or chain retailer if you need to.

Once your office is well organized, it really is simple to keep it that way. At the end of the day spend five to ten minutes putting things away. This is a simple way to guard against things getting out-of-control once again.

Creating A Clutter Free Home

Rome was not built in a day and it is safe to say that your home did not become cluttered in a day. It is also safe to say that you will not create an organized and clutter free home overnight or even in a day. However, if you are willing to set aside time each day to organizing your home and your life, it won’t be long before you are living clutter free.

The easiest way to begin creating an organized and clutter free home is by getting three (3) boxes:

Label Box #1 – “ Give-a-way”
Label Box #2 – “Throw-a-way” (Line with garbage bag for an easier way to throw out your trash.
Label Box #3 – “Put-a-way”

Now that you have your boxes labeled it is time to begin organizing your home. Pick a room, any room, in which to begin. It really does not matter where you begin, what matters is that you begin. Your goal will be to create a clutter free home and to do it in a systematic fashion.

First – pick a starting point within the room to begin your cleaning. My suggestion is to start at the entrance.
Second – from your starting point begin to systematically work your way around the room in a clockwise direction. Do not skip any areas. Every item within the room should be looked at. It may belong where it is, if so leave it. If not, place it in one of your three boxes.

If you’re like most people, deciding what is worth saving and what should be thrown away is difficult. Over the years you saved items for a reason; now is the time to determine if the reason you originally saved an item is still valid. The following are three questions you can ask yourself to help decide what to do with an item.

Do you love the item?
Does the item have sentimental value?
Does the item make you feel sad or guilty?

It is not unusual to want to keep an item because it was given to you by a friend or someone close to you and you feel guilt getting rid of it. Those are normal feeling but they may not be a valid reason to keep an item you don’t need or use.

Another way to look at an item is how often you use the item. Have you used the item in the past year? If not there is a good chance you will never use that item again and it can go in Box #2.

What is the condition of the item? Is it broken or is it in good condition. If it is broken and you have not fixed it by now get rid of it. This item is creating clutter and you have already shown you can live without it. If it is in good condition and you have not used it in the past year consider giving it away.

It won’t be long before your give-a-way box fills up and you will have to decide what to do with these items. Here are two options for you to consider.

You can donate your items by taking them to the Goodwill or your local thrift store. There are many people in need and donating your items can create a lot of self satisfaction.
Another option would be to list your items for sale on ebay or Craigs list and make yourself extra cash.

As you go through this process you will begin to realize how many items are out of place. Once Box #3 (put-a-way box) is full stop de-cluttering and put those items where they belong. Do not set the box aside by putting it in a closet or down in the basement and say to yourself you will take care of it later. If this is what you do one of two things will happen. First, you will create more work for yourself by having to deal with these items later on. Second, you will never put these items away. You will have begun programming yourself for a system of procrastination that will keep you from fully de-cluttering your home and your life.

As I mentioned above don’t skip any areas. It is important to de-clutter shelves, drawers, and even furniture. Organize everything. Go through your desk drawers. Do you have a proper place to put pens, paper clips, paper, bills, etc.? As you go through your paper get rid of anything that is over a year old unless it is important financial papers. When you find important papers that need to be saved for years, create files for this information and store them in an alternate location so you can find and access this information easily if you need to.

De-cluttering your home may seems like a daunting task but it really isn’t. Take your time and systematically work your way through every room. Be diligent and spend time everyday de-cluttering and don’t forget to clean as you go. Once you have completely gone through a room go back through the room and make sure all of your special items are where you want them to be. It is these special items that make your home a home.

Declutter Your Life

To declutter your life means to declutter your home, your mind and the space around you. In the words of Allen P Rathey “Cleaning out your clutter can be cathartic, and it’s the first step in organizing your home. Seeing the top of your counters, desks, and the floor of your closets clean will give you a great sense of accomplishment.”

If you’re like most people, your home has become cluttered. We all live busy lives and it is easy to set things aside or hide them out of sight because we do not have the time or the energy to deal with them at that exact moment. Before long our home becomes a cluttered mess and it begins to affect our lives. To quote Charisse Ward “Clutter causes stress, and clutter is one of the main barriers of productivity”. Not many people want to live with clutter; however, we accept the clutter because the task to declutter your life feels daunting.

In reality, the task of decluttering is not as daunting as you may think provided you follow a few simple steps. There are a number of places where clutter accumulates; however, the most cluttered room in people’s homes is their closets. Although the main purpose of a closet is to hang your clothes, it becomes the catch-all storage area for almost everything.

Decluttering your closet begins with finding storage and organizational solutions that work. Look toward the top of your closet. Does it have a shelf? If it does great; if not, put one there.
Buy stackable bins. Stackable bins come in all shapes and sizes and you should be able to locate some that fit nicely into your closet. Label each of the bins such as gloves, hats, pictures, or even magazines.
From my experience magazines always seemed to be a problem. It is not unusual to glance through a magazine and see something you find interesting and then save the magazine with the intention of getting back to it later on. What usually happens is the magazine sits there and you never get back to it and those old magazines just keep piling up. A better idea to saving the magazine is to cut or rip the article out that interests you and place it in a binder. You can either three hole punch the article or you could buy some clear plastic sleeves in which to put the article before placing it in your binder. Either way you can save and organize the information you wanted to keep while freeing yourself of the clutter of all your old magazines.

Another area where clutter gathers is under the bed. One never knows what they will find when they look under the bed. You may find shoes, boxes, extra bedding just to mention a few of the item that accumulate there. Organizing the area under your bed is a simple solution to helping solve your storage problems. If you still need extra space there are simple solutions to your under the bed storage problems.

If your bed sits low to the ground consider buying bed lifts to maximize the space you have under the bed.
Space bags work great to hold bulky items. Space bags allow you to suck the air out of the bag reducing its size for easier storage.
Bins with wheels are another option for under the bed storage. Rolling bins makes it easy to slide the item out from under your bed for easy access.

Reducing clutter is simply about taking a look at each item you have and asking yourself a few basic questions to determine what you want to keep. Ask yourself:

Do you have another item that is better than this one?
Is it broken?
Are you keeping this item because you would feel guilty getting rid of it?
Is it out of style?
Have you used the item within the past year?

These are just a few of the techniques you will learn within the pages of ClutterFreeSecrets. Answering these questions will not always be easy; however, if you are truthful with yourself and stay focused it won’t be long before you have a well organized clutter free home. Remember: “Your house is your home only when you have jurisdiction over the space” – Joan Kron