Tackling the Clutter

Recently when visiting my parents, I helped my mom do a major reorganization of her downstairs. It was quite the job! Mainly because my mom really doesn't like to get rid of things. The fact is, it's hard for most people to de-clutter their closets and shelves. We tend to get emotionally attached to our belongings and throwing away items we don't use just makes us feel uncomfortable.

But, keeping our belongings organized is so important to decorating and maintaining our homes. To make things easy for my mom, I set up a few ground rules that made the de-clutter process less stressful.

1. Be Prepared- Make three designated piles labeled, "keep", "toss", and "donate."

2. Bring a Friend- Having someone with you to help you through the process will only make it easier.

3. Follow the One Year Rule- If you haven't worn or used it in a year, get rid of it.

4. Only keep what fits or what you use regularly. Also, get rid of any duplicate items.

5. Plan for what you keep- After narrowing down your belongings to what you'd like to keep, buy accessories for your closet and shelves to store your things appropriately.

Believe it or not, my mom got rid of two car loads of stuff! I was so proud of her. She also has a better sense of what she has and where it is. Before you decide to tackle your clutter, do yourself a favor and follow these few simple steps.

Cleaning the Closet

Every year I attempt to de-clutter my too small of a bedroom closet. Usually, this only involves doing a quick run through of clothes and picking out the few items that don't appeal to me any longer. This year, however, I decided it was time for a major closet overhaul. My closet was a mess, filled with mismatched hangers and items shoved in every available corner. My sock drawer was even overflowing.

I started the de-cluttering process by establishing a few simple ground rules. First, if I hadn't worn an item in over a year I had to get rid of it, no matter how much I loved it. Second, if an item was stained or faded it had to go, unless there was a possible chance of salvaging it. Third, if I happened to have three or more of one item (ie: a black cardigan) I had to pair down and keep only the ones that I liked or wore the most. Like any de-cluttering process, it was hard to get rid of things. However, by sticking to my ground rules I was able to get rid of a ton of stuff!

Sock drawer before and after.

I think it's hilarious that after accumulating all these bags to go to Goodwill, my closet STILL looks crowded. It is much neater, though, and I have a better sense of what I have. For the past few days, I have put together outfits with pieces that I haven't worn in months. It feels good to have a clutter-free closet and to be wearing a better variety of clothing.

While I was at it, I also decided to clean the hall closet and the chest in our bedroom. In total, I accumulated 3 trash bags and two shopping bags worth of stuff. Not bad for a days work!

De-cluttering my closets gave me a sense of satisfaction. However, it also brought to light a sad reality of mine: I have way too much stuff. So, in an attempt to simply my life and save money while in the process, I have decided to go on a shopping "diet." For the next 5 months I'm only allowing myself to buy a limited number of clothing items. I'm hoping this process won't be as torturous as a real diet, and that it won't cause an impulsive, shopping binge come August 10th.

I'm allowing myself to buy: one suit, one pair of summer sandals, and one summer blouse. Wish me luck!

Functional Art

Last week, the New York Times ran a great article about Zach Motl's 178 square foot apartment in Brooklyn. For anyone who has lived in a large city, you know that space is both limited and extremely pricey. And because of this, it's not uncommon for someone to live in a shared space for much of their life. If you do have the option to own or rent your own space in a metropolitan area, chances are it's small (just to give you an idea of how pricey even a small space can be, a 500 square foot studio in Washington, DC averages in the 300K range).

Using limited space to the fullest potential takes good planning, creativity, and constant organization. You can tell that Motl's tiny apartment layout has been meticulously planned with a place for each of his belongings. I love how Motl uses books as a nightstand and on the open shelving above his bed. In the kitchen, the pot rack and cup hooks are all he has for kitchen storage. These carefully placed items together create a cohesive space and provide an asthetically pleaseing backdrop for his apartment. To me, the space actually looks larger than 178 square feet because of his ingenious use of the room.

The first step to make a small space both workable and attractive is to assess your needs and get a solid grasp on what you own. You may think you already know how much stuff you've got, but I guarentee that you have twice as many belongings than what you think. Then, come up with some creative ways to store your belongs.

Here are a few ideas:

- Use a bookshelf for clothing storage. The shelves are thinner and have more stacking space than dressers since they are taller. Cover the shelves with a curtain to hide your belongings. You can also use baskets on the shelves to store socks, jewelry, etc.

- Use every possible inch of space under your bed. There are plenty of options for this kind of space utilization from risers to bins.

- Like Motl, use books in unobvious ways- as a nightstand, coffee table, or tv stand.

- Hang your necklaces or ties on hooks as wall art. Check out what Lauren at Pure Style Home did in her bedroom.

- Use magnetic spice containers to store either spices, or small desk accesories like push pins and paper clips. Bed Bath and Beyond sells a set for under $20.

- Create a framed office organization board like Brooklynlimestone's. I love this idea!

Organization is also key when living in a small space like Motl's. Otherwise, there's just too much stuff in too little space. The last thing you want is to feel like the walls are closing in on you.