by Marilyn Bohn
It was a typical work morning. I was sitting at my desk reading through a report and people were coming into the office greeting each other. I could hear Neil through the partition complaining that he was late to work because he had to help his wife find her keys. The thing is this was literally an everyday occurrence. He would come in, put his brief case down and start grumbling about his wife losing her keys.
After several weeks of listening to his grumbling I bought him a retractable key cord that she could attach to her purse. I became his new best friend. He would come into work happy and his wife was happy because she always knew where her keys were (and we happy because we didn't have to hear him complain every day).
She said she just couldn't remember where she put them even though she tried to leave them in her purse or put them in a drawer. She even had an extra key made and still couldn't find them. Sometimes clearing clutter is as easy as using a simple gadget.
I am now a professional organizer and I work with people who have some wonderful beliefs as to why they can't get organized. I call these reasons myths as I believe everyone is capable of clearing clutter to make their life easier, operate smoother and reduce stress. A myth is a traditional story which embodies a belief regarding some fact or phenomenon of experience. Neil's wife held on to the myth that she had tried everything and nothing worked to help her find her keys.
I know, it must have been my imagination, but it makes me realize how desperately alone the Earth is. Hanging in space like a speck of food floating in the ocean. Sooner or later to be swallowed up by some creature floating by.... Time will tell, Dr. Mason. We can only wait and wonder. Wonder how, wonder when.
—Tom Graeff. Young astronomer, Teenagers from Outer Space, after just seeing the invading spaceship through his telescope, and dismissing it (1959)
One of my favorite myths is: my home is too small so I can't get it organized, I don't have space to put anything.
Isn't there an unwritten law that says we use the amount of space we have? When we have a lot we use a lot, when we have less we use less. Small spaces give us a great opportunity for clearing clutter.
Start in one room or area and take a good look at what is there. Sort through everything and decide if you use it, like it and need to keep it. Gather three bags or boxes and label one for trash, one for donate, and one for recycle. Set a goal for that space and as you sort keep coming back to that goal. This will make it much easier to part with things you have been holding on to.
Increase your space by adding removable shelves in cupboards. They are inexpensive, sturdy and are great space savers. They come in metal or metal wrapped in white plastic and can be found at variety stores.
Containers are wonderful tools for clearing clutter. I was organizing with Jane who had an entire drawer full of pens and pencils. I gave her a check book box and suggested she keep only the amount that would fit into the box. She was thrilled to eliminate 75% of the clutter in the drawer which gave her space for other things.
Here in the U. S., culture is not that delicious panacea which we Europeans consume in a sacramental mental space and which has its own special columns in the newspapers—and in people’s minds. Culture is space, speed, cinema, technology. This culture is authentic, if anything can be said to be authentic.
—Jean Baudrillard (b. 1929)
Containers not only contain our "stuff" but they set parameters for the amount of "stuff" we can keep. This is especially important when our space is small. For instance, magazines or newspapers can grow and spread until they are taking over our homes. Using separate containers for these is the easiest way for clearing clutter. When the container is full it is time to recycle. I recommend going through magazines every three months and getting rid of the old ones to make room for the new ones.
Use vertical space to your advantage. Hang a spice rack on the pantry (or cupboard) door to save space inside the cupboard. Hang a shoe rack--the kind with pockets--on the bathroom door to put cosmetics, hair products or extra personal items. In the mud room a hanging shoe rack can be used for cell phones, keys, water bottles and other items you need to grab as you leave the house.
Not being able to organize a small home is a myth. Take a look at your space, set a goal for clearing clutter and you will be happy with how much space you can "find" when you use containers and keep only what you love, you use and you have a place for it. Get It Together Organizing is a dynamic organizing company providing both online and in home services. Professional Organizer Marilyn Bohn specializes in organizing for women and seniors who want the organized home of their dreams. She is the author of the popular book Go Organize! Her product line includes cutting-edge online video workshops for your organizing needs. Sign up for great and free organizing tips http://www.marilynbohn.com