Tag: declutter

Organize Your Desk and Office

Posted on by Jordank

Many readers of the Organizing Blog are now gathering up all of their W-2s, receipts and bank statements in order to file their income taxes. And many are likely finding that their offices and desks leave a lot to be desired when it comes to #organization.

If you’re like most people (busy), chances are that you’ll have to shuffle multiple stacks of papers or go on a last-minute hunt for an essential document when any deadline approaches. And even if you’ve gone all-digital, those pesky stacks of papers somehow still form on top of your desk.

Simply being able to locate what you need when you need it can pay for itself quickly in terms of time and perhaps tax savings, too. That’s why it’s time you organized your desk and office or home office for maximum productivity.

The first step in any #organization push is a good #decluttering. Purge the office of any inactive items, Lifehack says: “Declutter, empty, shred, get rid of everything that you don’t need or want. Look around. What haven’t you used in a while?”

Once the clutter is gone or at least diminished, establish work zones and stock them with the appropriate equipment. Label drawers and file all inactive folders out of sight. Create a temporary folder for work(s) in progress.

In the digital era, good filing extends to devices, too. Is your desktop cluttered with files you didn’t put away? Do you have hundreds of old or unresolved emails? Use 15 minutes of downtime every day to sort those into their proper places on your hard drive.

Stuff keeps coming in, of course, and if you don’t address it immediately, you can easily lose track of whatever it is. To handle this, Inc. recommends the classic two-tray system — an “In” or “New” box for new tasks, and an “Out” or “Old” box for anything requiring further action.

Inc. also says to get a bigger trashcan. “Because a large trashcan is more visible, you tend to think of it more often. When unnecessary paper comes into your workspace, you’re more likely to place it in the [larger] trashcan than to stack it in a disheveled paper tower of “No clue what to do with it.”

At tax time or any time, you can benefit by streamlining your workspace. Get your office organized now, and you’ll be better prepared for every project, presentation or accountant — and life in general.

It’s Finally Spring (Cleaning) Time

Posted on by Jordank

Spring begins — officially, at least — tomorrow, March 20. And the news couldn’t be more welcome for people in many parts of the country after enduring what turned out to be an unexpectedly severe and snowy winter.

As the temperatures warm and the days lengthen, however, you might discover that a few things on your late-winter to-do list have gone undone. After another cold, snowy day, you may have decided the couch was too comfy to leave and binged Netflix instead of starting a new project.

Now’s the time to shake off those winter doldrums and snap into action. There is no time like right now — the very start of spring — to begin a spring-cleaning plan. Wait, and you might miss a perfect summer day.

The weather is just getting good enough for you to begin a thorough, whole-house deep-cleaning. Start with the windows; recipes for a cleaning solution vary (dish soap or vinegar and water are two good options), but authorities including Clean Mama agree that using a squeegee and lots of rags is the best plan of attack.

Once the windows are clean, the spring sunlight will reveal just what else might need a deep-cleaning. Pick a mild day and fling open those windows, then go room by room and dust from the top down, clearing cobwebs, moving to flat surfaces such as shelves and tables, and finally, vacuuming.

Once you’ve dusted and vacuumed, wash all of the linens that have been busy catching winter dirt, including throw rugs, bed linens and blankets. Vacuum and/or shampoo any upholstered furniture that has gotten dingy and dirty during the darkest nights.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the sheer amount of stuff that has piled up in the last six months, set aside some time to #declutter as you clean, the Sylvane blog says. “Clutter has psychological influences. It signals to your brain that work isn’t done.”

Put that decluttered extra stuff in boxes and bags and contact ClothingDonations.org for a donation pickup. It only takes a few minutes to arrange, and takes most of the hassles out of decluttering. Plus, the donation is tax-deductible.

Finally, wash and wipe all of the hard surfaces inside your home: backsplashes, counters, cabinets and appliances in the kitchen and bathrooms, wood and tile floors, and utility shelves. Feeling ambitious? Powerwash the garage floor and deck.

Starting is the hard part, but the beginning of spring provides a fantastic reminder that a deep-clean may be in order. Once you begin, you’ll be able to shake off the winter doldrums and enjoy a fresh, decluttered space all season long.

Declutter the Garden to Get It Ready for Spring

Posted on by Jordank

Spring is almost here (at least on the calendar), and most areas of the country will soon warm beyond the overnight frost. That means that it’s time to start preparing your garden for a fruitful growing season. Like any area of your home, the garden will only flourish with a little forethought to tidying up. The first thing to do is to remove debris and clutter such as decaying leaves, weeds and invasive plants, Huffpost says. It’s “also a good time to sharpen your garden tools, if needed, because you’re going to require them for plant maintenance and soil care.”

What Would Marie Kondo Do?

Posted on by Jordank

Since the beginning of the year, Netflix’ hit show Tidying Up With Marie Kondo has inspired people all over the county to weed through — and get rid of — a lot of excess stuff. And we at the Organizing Blog couldn’t applaud more!

New converts to the KonMari Method — Kondo’s Shinto-inspired organizing system that recommends getting rid of anything that doesn’t add value to one’s life — are filling thrift and secondhand stores with their castoffs.

Just 35 years old, Kondo has been an organizing maven since she was 19. In 2011, she published The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, her seminal tome on the topic, in which she famously advises people to keep only the things that “inspire joy.”

That may mean different things to different people, she admits — and it could be a considerable amount if, say, you collect sneakers or maintain a library of books. At your own personal “click-point,” however, you will feel at ease with the things you have.

“The tidying process is not about decluttering your house or making it look neat on the spur of the moment for visitors,” she says. “You are about to tidy up in a way that will spark joy in your life and change it forever.”

Kondo offers six steps to follow in creating a more serene, decluttered life, asking the new acolyte to envision his or her ideal lifestyle and describe it in words or pictures. Once that streamlined, tidy new lifestyle is clear, the decluttering can begin.

The KonMari Method’s strategy differs from most by asking you to “Tidy by category, not location.” That means whatever kind of item it is — clothing, books, shoes, sporting goods — you must put everything in a big pile and sort it in a single session.

Kondo tells you to pick up each item in that pile and ask yourself if it sparks joy. If it does, it can eventually be filed in a neatly-stacked drawer, shelf or closet. If not, it goes into the “donate” or “trash” pile. The strategy can be jarring, but cathartic.

“If done correctly, it’s incredibly liberating,” says Today Show blogger Meena Hart Duerson. “The joy I felt when I picked up my favorite jeans became a barometer. Suddenly, I wanted everything in my closet to make me feel like that.”

Give the KonMari Method a try. While it’s kind of the nuclear option in decluttering, its many converts swear by the difference they see in their spaces, lifestyles and moods. Just remember to contact ClothingDonations.org to pick up that extra stuff!

Six More Weeks of Winter for Decluttering

Posted on by Jordank

The sky was overcast as Punxsutawney Phil emerged from his Western Pennsylvania burrow early Saturday morning. He “told” his Inner Circle handlers that he hadn’t seen seen his shadow, and to expect an early spring.

But the world’s most famous marmot is notoriously inaccurate. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says the woodchuck has zero predictive skill, and Phil’s track record has been equal to a coin toss — about 50/50 — for the last 10 years.

Whatever the groundhog says, no one north of the 35th parallel should be surprised to see wintry weather through mid-March at least. But having projects to do inside your own “burrow” while you hibernate will help make the next six weeks fly by.

This year — instead of just hoping for an early spring — make an early spring cleaning a reality. Start now by #decluttering, says The Simply Organized Home, because “There is no point in cleaning things that you don’t need, use or love.”

Put away or donate any winter-themed knickknacks and decorative items. With those out of the way and the junk you don’t want boxed and bagged for a #donation pickup from ClothingDonations.org, you can get to work on a deep-clean.

Start with the entryways, a checklist from Premeditated Leftovers says. Sweep, mop, and wipe down all surfaces. Empty the front closet to clean and store heavy sweaters and winter coats as the weather warms, or #donate them if they didn’t see any use over the winter.

Clean seldom-considered areas including as sliding door tracks, dryer vents, behind appliances, and the tops of baseboards and picture frames. Pressure-wash the patio and scrub your outdoor furniture and grill so you’re ready to enjoy warmer weather.

If you’re feeling ambitious (or empowered by your initial success), repeat the decluttering/deep-cleaning process in every room of the home, one by one. By the time temperatures reach the 60s and 70s again, your home will be streamlined and sanitized.

When you finally emerge from hibernation to see your shadow, you will no longer be encumbered by useless stuff and your home will feel fresh. And you’ll be ready to make the most of the spring and summer seasons.