decluttering

Why a Disorganized Garage Costs Time and Money

May 6, 2024 by Amy Slenker-Smith 25 Comments

I love a neat and organized garage. But in the US, 82% of homes have two-car garages or larger, but only 15% park the car inside. We use our garage as intended, to house and protect cars. Vehicles are typically worth more than anything stored in messy garages. Let's consider for a moment that our last car purchase, a used SUV, was valued at approximately $25K. This alone motivates me to keep our garage clutter-free but there are other benefits too. 3 Reasons to Clean and Organize Your Garage Curb Appeal - Spring is home buying and selling season. Extra cars and trash cans visible from the street ruin curb appeal and decrease property values. Do you have a neighbor selling their house? Help their sale and your property value by moving trash cans inside. And a late-night trip to the trash can in your pajamas is easier too! Protection from the Elements - In the mid-Atlantic, winters can be cold, rainy, and snowy. Cars parked inside are …

7 Tips for How to Declutter Sentimental Items

April 22, 2024 by Amy Slenker-Smith 7 Comments

The most common question I answer is "How do I declutter sentimental items?" As I learned the hard way, memory-laced stuff is the most difficult to let go of. And many people don't realize they are having trouble letting go because the item is sentimental. Through conversations with my clients I can quickly spot an item that is being held onto for sentimental reasons. What not to do I had a few childhood items that were sold without my permission. Understandably, the seller expected I would not want them. While this is true, we all need time and space to process sentimental items. Time to reminisce about the memories and take photographs. And the opportunity to decide where the items should go. Perhaps passing them on to someone or somewhere specific. So, I won't be selling my husband's Hess Truck collection anytime soon. I'm also accused of not being very sentimental which is completely untrue. I am just very intentional about the sentimental items I keep. The items that …

How Many Vases Do You Really Need?

January 7, 2024 by Amy Slenker-Smith 6 Comments

How Many Vases Do You Really Need? Well, that depends. I love spring and summer when all the flowers are in bloom. It's a beautiful time of year and a welcome break from winter. While it's nice to display flowers in vases, I really prefer to enjoy them outside. (And so do my allergies!) During the winter I find myself drawn to candles, but just a few, more than flowers. Set a Boundary Over the years, I've worked in many garages, basements, and kitchens and routinely find enough extra vases to supply a large wedding reception. Vases are an item that people accumulate without much thought. Flowers arrive. Flowers die. Vases are washed and put in a cabinet. It doesn't seem to matter if its a vase you like or have room to store. The default response is to keep all the vases we've ever received and find space to store them throughout the house. And this is why I suggest setting a boundary for every category throughout your home, like dishes and books. When it came time to declutter my …

How to Organize Your Pantry

April 15, 2023 by Amy Slenker-Smith Leave a Comment

I often hear that the pantry is the most disorganized spaces in your home. Am I right? Well, you can tackle it one shelf at a time! Since we simplified, I can empty and reset my pantry in 2 hours or less, including cleaning the shelves and updating labels. My pantry is a cabinet, not a walk-in space. I think that is a blessing. It might take you longer and you may need to tackle one shelf at a time. My Step-by-Step Approach for how to organize the pantry can be used over and over again until you've taken care of all the pantry food and contents. Give it a try this week! Remove everything from the cabinet or shelf Clean canisters, shelves, and containers Declutter expired items and poor quality ingredients Group items by category Vinegar/Oil Flour/Sugar Canned goods Snacks Pasta and Rice Repurpose extra food storage containers for organization Remove items from multi-pack plastic or trim boxes for easy access Granola bars …

How to Organize Family Board Games

January 21, 2022 by Amy Slenker-Smith Leave a Comment

Board Games and Playing Cards We routinely hold a family game night. Our favorite board games come in the smallest boxes or no box at all. We travel with three decks of cards (Monopoly Deal, standard playing cards, and a Pinochle deck.) While the Fish Bowl Game requires only a pen and paper. And after many years, these games remain our favorites. To keep it organized, I designated a small cabinet for our collection. Games cycle in and out. The key to organizing board games is setting boundaries and being realistic about which games are played. How to Organize Board Games Collect all the games and cards Designate a cabinet or shelf to store them Check each box for missing pieces and instructions Fix or reinforce boxes with tape. Secure with rubber bands Donate games your family has outgrown Throw away damaged or incomplete games Confirm playing cards are complete decks Keep 1-2 high-quality decks of cards Limit your collection to what you use …

Not Enough Hangers Or Too Many Clothes

June 28, 2021 by Amy Slenker-Smith 14 Comments

You have enough hangers. However, I'm guessing they do not match and this alone can make a closet look disorganized. But by now you know I am not an organizer who encourages you to buy stuff. I will always suggest that you declutter first to figure out what you really need. It's always less than you think. But when it’s time to replace broken hangers, I like these. In the meantime, try these decluttering and organizing tips for your closet. How to Reduce Hangers and Clothing Remove Empty Hangers - Return metal ones to the dry cleaner. Recycle plastic store hangers. Sort Clothes by Season - If possible, move current season clothing to the front. Or utilize a spare closet to store offseason clothing while you downsize. Sort Clothes by Color - Create a visually appealing space by grouping colors. Shoes - Use the 1-In/1-Out Rule. Or 1-In/5-Out Rule. :) Turn Hangers - To face the back of the closet. When you re-hang clean clothes, turn them in the …

« Previous Page

decluttering

Footer