Tag: declutter

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Professional-Organizer

Declutter the Kids Room

Kids_Room_declutter_organize

declutter

  • to remove mess or clutter from (a place)
  • to organize and prioritize (one’s commitments, material possessions, etc.)
  • to let it go

I work with parents every week to tackle clutter in the kids room and around the house. Some parents have rules for a dedicated toy storage space, such as the kids room or playroom, but most homes I visit have a naturally evolving system of everything everywhere… toys, books, shoes, backpacks in the living room, on the kitchen table, under mom and dad’s bedsheets. I’ve seen it all…

A little before we get started:

Kids_Room_declutter_organize
This parent gave the birthday gift of an organized room to his teen son. What a great dad! Here I am in the “Before.”

Why does the kid stuff get out of control? Common answers:

  • Parents plan to have another child soon and want to save everything to reuse (makes total sense!)
  • Parents want the most for their kids
  • Grandma wants the most for the grandkids
  • Friends of the parents want the most for their friend’s kids

Everybody is so giving! 

There comes a point when enough is enough…

How much is too much with toys, books, clothing, artwork, and memorabilia? The answer lies within YOU, parent or guardian. Here’s a hint: the less there is, the less you have to clean up, sort through, put into storage, and the easier it will be to find things.

kids_room_declutter_organize
Here I am celebrating in the “After.”

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the kids simply picked up after themselves?

Unfortunately the littles can only do so much on their own.

Helen Neville, a pediatric advice nurse at Kaiser Permanente for 35 years, gave an Ages and Stages in Early Childhood Development workshop that brings things to light. She specializes in inborn temperament and authors Is this a Phase? Child Development, Parent Strategies Birth to 6 Years, and other books on temperament, sleep, and potty training.

Q&A with Helen Neville

Question: At what age is it best to help kids clean their room?

Answer:  Clean up with them ages 2-5. You have to help and make it fun and interesting.

Question: At what point is it easier to get kids to give up toys without being hurt by it?

Answer:  3-5 year olds forget what’s important to them, which can include toys. A 2-year old won’t care to lose toys, a 6-year old may start to miss them.

Grab the kids! It’s time to get their room in order. 

Step One 

  • When working with a child to declutter toys and books, tell them about places they can donate to kids in need, such as to homeless shelters and toy drives. Pick a place to donate together and follow through with it. ‘Tis always the season to give give give away!
  • Tackle clutter with the kids for as long as their attention can be held, they are having fun, and being productive with you.
  • Kids (as do adults) can get overwhelmed by choice. Allow them to make decisions on what to keep and what to donate for only a few things at a time. When their interest starts to wane…

Step Two

  • Set them free! Don’t get frustrated. It’s up to you, parent or guardian, to continue sorting, decluttering, and putting things away.
  • Put excess toys into labeled bins and store in the garage for 3 months. What the child remembers and asks for, bring out. What they forget, donate.

Tackle kids clutter on a regular basis. Downsize a little at a time together and instill great habits in everyone. Do not give up. Your kids clutter is your clutter. Set a regular schedule, find balance with the amount of stuff you are willing buy/accept/store/donate, and turn challenges into successes.

Prevent and Take Action on Toy Clutter

  • At your child’s next birthday party, make a themed gift donation box that everyone attending knows about in advance. Gifts received will go directly to charity, such as school supplies to a classroom in need.
  • What we hold off as a reward can be what kids are motivated toward. Find creative ways to get your child to let go of excess toys often, such as making it a house agreement during the weekly family meeting to only allow in a new toy or book if one or two goes out.
Bella_Organizing_Best_Professional_Organizers_San_Francisco_Oakland_Berkeley_silicon_valley_monterey

Isabella Guajardo, founder and owner of Bella Organizing, is a San Francisco Bay Area professional organizer offering home organizing and residential move management services throughout the Greater San Francisco Bay Area. Call (510) 229-7321 or email info@bellaorganizing.com for more information. Gift certificates are available.

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Professional-Organizer

Declutter Jewelry, Purses, and Accessories

scarves_declutter_decluttering_organize_bella
Roll scarves and place them in a hanging bin, basket, or drawer for easy access.

declutter

1. to remove mess or clutter from (a place) 2. to organize and prioritize (one’s commitments, material possessions, etc.) 3. to let it go  

Declutter Jewelry

  • that is broken and you have no intention to repair immediately
  • so outdated you haven’t worn it in years
  • the Ex gave you that makes you cry to see it
  • that hurts to wear in any way…those painful earrings!
Jewelry Organizing
Jewelry is a work of art. Care for, display, and wear it with pleasure.

Declutter Purses

  • that don’t fit the bare minimum of a wallet, cell phone, and keys
  • that make you look like a teeny bopper when you’re a grown adult
  • that are not functional no matter how cute
  • clean out purses filled with clutter. Do this every time you change handbags.
purse_organizing_declutter_decluttering
Fill purses with tissue paper to keep their shape. Shelf dividers keep them upright, in view, and accessible

Declutter Belts

  • that haven’t fit in eons
  • because your body has changed and shifted, and no longer wears them well
  • you use for spanking the kids – it’s bad karma and probably illegal these days
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Roll belts and place in a drawer organizer to keep them in shape and looking good

Declutter Hats

  • with stains and sweat marks you cannot remove
  • with holes, rips, tears you will not repair immediately
  • too big or small for your head
  • no longer your color or style
  • no longer serving their purpose when on your head
cute_hat_organizing
Surprise, it’s me! In my favorite hat custom made by Elwin Crawford of O’Lover Hats in Oakland. I store it in a beautiful hat box that came with it.

Declutter Gloves

  • that are tattered, stretched, and no longer comfortably serving their purpose
  • too tight or large – give them to someone in need whom they will fit
gloves_declutter_decluttering_organize
Keep gloves together and within reach

Declutter Scarves

  • no longer your color or style
  • with rips and tears you cannot repair or hide
  • that no longer serve their purpose of keeping you warm or looking good
scarves_declutter_decluttering_organize_bella
Roll scarves and place in a hanging bin, basket, or drawer for easy access

More Ideas

jewelry_declutter_organizing_bella
Creative jewelry display made from an old picture frame, mesh cloth, ribbon
jewelry_dislay_organizer_declutter_decluttering_bella_organizing
Display jewelry on a hanging tree
Bella_Organizing_Best_Professional_Organizers_San_Francisco_Oakland_Berkeley_silicon_valley_monterey

Isabella Guajardo, founder and owner of Bella Organizing, is a San Francisco Bay Area professional organizer offering home organizing, interior redesign, and residential move management services throughout the Greater San Francisco Bay Area. Call (510) 229-7321 or email info@bellaorganizing.com for more information. Gift certificates are available.

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Professional-Organizer

Declutter Shoes

Clear the old out and make room to breathe.

As with clothing, when I acquire shoes, I have a rule to let go of as many pairs as I bring in to make room for the new. It’s tough! But reality is, many of us only wear a few favorite pairs and let the others sit to gather dust.

Let ’em go when…

  1. They are worn to the breaking point, the sole or heal is warped, torn, or coming off and you’re not willing to drop them off at a shoe repair shop this week to fix.
  2. They have not bedazzled your feet for a year or two. Like clothes, if shoes are not worn over the last winter, spring, summer, nor fall, they probably never will be. Do you own a pair of special occasion shoes? Have you worn them lately? Are they covered with dust so thick you can no longer tell the color? Are they still in style?
  3. They are no longer your color, size, style, or worth the pain. No longer your color? Are they a style from an era long past that you shouldn’t be revisiting? Has the size of your foot changed? Do they hurt your feet? There’s no such thing as a “break in period” with shoes, in my opinion. If they hurt on day one, they don’t belong on your body. Your feet are precious, and bad-fitting shoes can do serious damage.
  4. They are ugly or dirty beyond cleaning. We are known to buy things we don’t truly like because it’s on sale, or keep something that was a gift and feel bad at the thought of getting rid of it. “What if Aunt Wanda comes over and doesn’t see me wearing them?” Aunt Wanda probably gave you the shoes she bought on sale for herself and realized she didn’t like them when she got home. “They just need to be shined and they will look great!” If so, now is the time to take out the polish and get the job done, or drop them off at the shoe repair shop this week for a professional cleaning.

When it’s time to let go…

Step One – Declutter

  • Take a “Before” photo of your shoe space.
  • Prepare the floor or a large nearby surface to place shoes onto. Use an old sheet or blanket you’re willing to get dirty if using the bed.
  • Have on hand plenty of bags for donations or consignments.
  • Grab a pen and pad of paper for notes or use the notepad on your cell phone (“Take shoes for cleaning and repairing.”)
  • Prep a bottle of all-purpose cleaner, a rag, broom, or vacuum cleaner.
  • Grab a shoe brush and the shoe polishing kit. Don’t have one? A clean, soft rag will do.
  • Go through each pair of shoes, and put what you no longer want in the “Donation” or “Consignment” bags. Set aside each pair you keep.

Step Two – Clean

  • Dust, sweep, mop, or vacuum the area where you will put the shoes back. So many dust bunnies! Dust is made up of dead skin cells, pet dander, dirt you’ve trekked in on your shoes, pollen, and other things from outside. This is a reason why so many people have “no shoes” rules in their homes.
  • Dust each pair of shoes thoroughly with a shoe brush or clean rag. Do this outside or out an open window. You can also gently vacuum dust from inside each shoe with an attachment hose.
  • If you have time, polish the shoes that need it most before putting them back. Or set those aside to be professionally cleaned, polished, or to repair.

Step Three – Organize

  • If going back onto a shelf, rack, or the floor, display shoes front forward as you find them in a department store.
  • If you need to maximize space, place one shoe forward and the other in the opposite direction, heel showing. This magically creates space both on shelves and in hanging shoe nooks. Try it!
  • Still not enough room? Place sandals and flats upright in a basket to store on a shelf or the floor.
  • Use an under-bed shoe organizer that zips closed and is easy to quickly slide out to grab what you need.
  • Roll up old magazines and place inside tall boots to help keep their shape.
  • Take an “After” photo of your fresh and organized shoe space.

Considering selling or consigning unwanted shoes? Read about my favorite places to do that!

Bella_Organizing_Best_Professional_Organizers_San_Francisco_Oakland_Berkeley_silicon_valley_monterey

Isabella Guajardo, founder and owner of Bella Organizing, is a San Francisco Bay Area professional organizer offering home organizing and residential move management services throughout the Greater San Francisco Bay Area. Call (510) 229-7321 or email info@bellaorganizing.com for more information. Gift certificates are available.

Categories
Professional-Organizer

Declutter the Wardrobe Closet

Say farewell to what you don’t need and magically create space that makes cleaning, organizing, and finding things easier.

When I acquire clothing, I have a rule to let go of as many as I bring in to make room for the new and stay uncluttered. I reinforce this rule by only owning a certain number of hangers (I hang 90% of my clothes.)

Let it go when:

  1. It’s been worn to the point that it is fading, pilling, stretching, or tearing. Why stroll around in public with a t-shirt that’s old and raggedy? The two old t-shirts I own are for gardening and dying the hair. If there’s something waiting to be mended and it’s been waiting a long time, it’s time to get it done or let it go.
  2. It has not been worn for an entire year. If a piece of clothing has not bedazzled the body over the last winter, spring, summer, nor fall, it likely never will. This includes those “skinny” clothes; the things we keep telling ourselves year after year that we will fit back into someday.
  3. It is no longer your color, size, or style. Why wear something and get annoyed every time you put it on? Not your color? Not tailored for your body? Just a little too tight or baggy? If it doesn’t make you feel fabulous or fit just right, are you ready to take it to the tailor and pay to get it fixed?

“Well…I kinda like it…but….”

Let’s get started…

Step One – Declutter the wardrobe closet & dresser drawers

  • Prepare a nearby surface on which to place clothes. A clean, made bed will do.
  • Have on hand plenty of trash or paper bags for donations or items to consign.
  • Prep a bottle of all-purpose cleaner or mild soap, a clean sponge or rag, broom, and mop or vacuum cleaner.
  • Grab a pen and pad of paper for notes or use the notepad on your cell phone.
  • Go through the hanging clothes and immediately remove the absolute “must go’s” first. Put what you no longer want in bags marked for “Donations” or “Consignment/Sell” bags. Leave hanging what you want to keep. Set aside the “maybe’s.”
  • Try on the “maybe’s” if you have time. If you cannot decide now, re-assess them again in a few months.
  • Do the same for clothing on shelves and those that have toppled to the ground. Go through dresser drawers and anywhere else you keep and store clothing, socks, and undergarments. Purge the old, worn, and unwanted. If you need help seeing the truth about the condition of something, call in a friend, housemate, or family member for assistance.

Step Two – Clean

  • Clean inside the closet and dresser drawers and sweep, mop, or vacuum while you’re here. So many dust bunnies! Dust is made up of dead skin cells, pet hair, pollen, and dirt you’ve trekked in on your shoes from the outdoors, amongst other things.

Step Three – Hang, Fold, and Organize

  • Hang as many clothes that comfortably fit into the closet. This includes tank tops, workout tops, and lingerie if there’s room and enough hangers. Hanging keeps things neat, wrinkly free, in sight, and easy to access. Arrange clothes like with like and in order: tanks (toward the front), sleeveless, short-sleeve, long-sleeve, sweaters, jackets (toward the back,) etc.
  • Neatly fold or roll clothes that go back into drawers, bins, or baskets. Here are tutorials for tips on How To Fold T-shirts, long socks and leggings, yoga pants.
  • Take an “After” photo of your fresh and clean closet and dresser drawers.

Considering selling or consigning unwanted clothing and accessories? Read about my favorite places to do that!

Ready to go a step further with closet organization? Read my blog on how to maximize closet space with hangers. 

Rolled jeans in a basket...my favorite!
Rolled jeans in a basket.
Bella_Organizing_Best_Professional_Organizers_San_Francisco_Oakland_Berkeley_silicon_valley_monterey

Isabella Guajardo, founder and owner of Bella Organizing, is a San Francisco Bay Area professional organizer offering home organizing and residential move management services throughout the Greater San Francisco Bay Area. Call (510) 229-7321 or email info@bellaorganizing.com for more information. Gift certificates are available.

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Professional-Organizer

Declutter the Junk Drawer

Declutter First, Organize Next. 

Discard what you don’t need and it magically creates space that makes cleaning and organizing easier. Let go of the old and unnecessary, expired, used up, what upsets you, what’s no longer your style, and that which takes up space you need for something more meaningful. It’s time to say goodbye and move on…  

Step One – Declutter the Junk Drawer

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  • Clear off a nearby surface on which to place things coming out of the drawer.
  • Gather one or more paper grocery bags for discards. Label one “Hazardous/E-Waste.” Have another bag handy to carry things that need to live elsewhere in the house. Keep the trash and recycle bins nearby. Read about what is considered Hazardous Waste and how to properly dispose of it.
  • Prep a bottle of all-purpose cleaner or mild soap, and a clean sponge or rag.
  • Grab a pen and pad of paper for notes, or use the notepad on your cell phone.
  • Open the junk drawer and take a few “Before” photos.

IMPORTANT REMINDER: Old and expired batteries and any kind of cords or wires, working or not, is hazardous waste and should not be thrown in the trash, recycle bin, or poured down drains. Take the following steps and avoid putting mother earth in danger.

earth_911_logo

Prepare to Drop Off Household Hazardous and e-Waste

One of the safest ways to dispose of old batteries, lightbulbs, cords, wires, and other types of electronic “e-waste” is during drop-off days that local businesses, schools and community organizations host throughout the year. You can also go to Earth911.com or do in Internet search for a “household hazardous waste center” to find drop-off locations near you. Whether you rent or own, most waste management companies have special directions for you to follow to properly dispose of hazardous waste locally to you and often free of charge, check your local waste management company’s website for details.

Now that you know how to properly handle hazardous and e-waste…

  • Take everything out of the drawer. Toss what you no longer want into the trash, recycle bin, in a donate/giveaway pile, or into the “hazardous waste” bag. Don’t know if the batteries are good? Watch this Youtube video for a quick way to check.
  • Is there anything in the drawer that belongs elsewhere in the house or garage? If so, take it where it needs to be.

Step Two – Clean 

  • Clean inside the drawer with a wet and warm, soapy cloth. Allow the surface to dry completely before putting things away. You may want to put down drawer liner to protect the surface from future damage. Spongy liner works great for keeping things from rolling around. 

Step Three – Put Things Back and Organize Your New “Utility” Drawer

creatively reuse small gift boxes for office and utility supplies.
Creatively reuse small boxes for office and utility supplies. Use old jewelry gift boxes, iphone boxes, or colorful business card boxes like these.
  • Now that you are cleaning out the drawer, is there anything left to go back in it? What should an organized “Utility” drawer consist of?
  • Useful items for a “Utility” drawer may include a screwdriver, scissors, pliers, utility knife, marker, pen, notepad, a few rubber bands, small roll of tape, small ball of twine, small flashlight, fresh batteries, safety pins, tweezers, tape measure, lighter or matches, small emergency sewing kit, a few band-aids, a couple small binder or chip clips.
  • If you continue to keep chargers, cords, or wires in the drawer, roll up and keep them in check with a rubber band or velcro cord strip.
  • Return what belongs back to the drawer.
Bella_Organizing_Best_Professional_Organizers_San_Francisco_Oakland_Berkeley_silicon_valley_monterey

Isabella Guajardo, founder and owner of Bella Organizing, is a San Francisco Bay Area professional organizer offering home organizing, interior redesign, and residential move management services throughout the Greater San Francisco Bay Area. Call (510) 229-7321 or email info@bellaorganizing.com for more information. Gift certificates are available.