 What happens when you love to shop but hate to organize? Have you ever faced that dreadful feeling when you don’t have the time or energy to deal with what you buy?
All those “great deals” become clutter when we bring the pieces into our homes and don’t have a place to put them away. What usually happens is the new items stay hidden in a bag, and we continue to let it pile up! When you have too much stuff with no place to put it, it leads to clutter and chaos. This does not allow you to enjoy the stress-free, organized home you deserve.
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 I don’t know about you, but I am pretty much over winter! Along with many others, we lost power for four days in one of the recent storms. Luckily, we have our emergency supply box all set up and ready just in case. However, it wasn’t fun!
Tackling Your Spring Cleaning With the arrival of warmer temperatures and that fresh smell that makes you want to open all the windows, spring motivates us to dust off the cobwebs, get rid of the clutter, and re-energize for the exciting seasons ahead.  “I know a girl. She puts the color inside of my world.”Sometimes the sweetest moments are the most unexpected. And any parent out there knows that when you’re raising children, these moments come swiftly, and they should be treasured because you never know when they’ll slip through your fingertips.
My daughter and I were together one afternoon, and I thought this would be the perfect time to help her straighten her room and organize her toys. Naturally, we started with her American Girls collection, and if you know anything about these dolls, you know that they come with outfits upon outfits and loads of accessories! Needless to say, we had our work cut out for us.  When you’re at a restaurant, in the car, or are on your way to the beach, do your kids drive you crazy when they’re fighting in the backseat or complaining about boredom every ten minutes?
I’ve got the perfect solution for you. I found several variations of “busy bags” on Pinterest, and I decided to create my own! My bags have adapted over the years to accommodate my kids and their changing tastes.  As a professional organizer, I have the opportunity to enhance my clients’ homes and the honor to get a glimpse into their lives. Every household is so unique. The lessons I learn from each space stay with me always. That said, I have one client who has strength that stunned me, and if I have to be completely honest, I believe she’s one of those unsung heroes walking among us. After learning about her incredible story, I knew I had to take her lessons and share them. At just 35 years old, this woman was diagnosed with breast cancer, and only two months after receiving a masectomy, her husband died suddenly. With three children under the age of five, keeping the house organized was the furthest thing from her mind. Over a year later, she realized that things were a bit out of control. The basement was packed with clutter, all of the closets were overflowing with clothes, and most importantly, her kids didn’t have anywhere to play together. To help her household, her family, and her psyche, she knew she needed to get organized. When we met, I was so blown away by her story, and I couldn’t wait to start working together to fine-tune her processes for a happier home and life. The first order of business was tackling the basement storage room. Always start with the basement, garage, or additional storage space first. This way, once you begin organizing the rest of your home, you’ll have a place to put any overflow of clutter. Her basement was covered with construction dust and debris, unpacked boxes, forgotten gifts, and holiday decorations—you know, the usual culprits that clutter our garages and storage spaces, the spots in our home where we always say, “I’ll get around to it at some point!”  It was at least 100 degrees outside, and there we were, hauling trash out of the basement into a dumpster in the backyard. With each bag of trash, you could feel a weight lift in the room. After making our rounds back and forth, we finished up by placing all of the family’s donations on the curb. Then it was time for the fun stuff. After moving in some shelves and bins, she now had a well-organized space with room to spare; the perfect place for the rest of the clutter in the home.  Next, we headed to her two little girls' room. The biggest challenge for us in this space was the girls’ deep closet. It was full of clutter. Some of the clutter belonged to the girls, and some of it was her father's. She inherited the home from her father, so some of his items were still stored there.  We unpacked the closet and took her father’s valuables down to the basement for storage and safekeeping. After, we had the opportunity to neatly organize the closet so the girls could have easy access to their favorite toys and books.  The last thing we tackled together was the family’s crawl space. This part of the home sort of became their drop zone. During the year following her husband's passing, this was the dumping ground for anything and everything that she didn't want to deal with. And as you could expect, after a year, this area accumulated quite a lot of stuff.
From carrying out bags of trash to making tough decisions on what to keep and what to toss, we were able to organize this room with the same enthusiasm as the basement. The results are incredible. This family now has an organized little storage room for all those items that are too delicate to be placed in the basement. I am beyond proud of this mother and her family. In such a short amount of time, we helped transform some essential spaces in her home so that her family can enjoy life without the clutter. This is one of my favorite organizing projects, and I’m so grateful that I have the chance to meet incredible people through the work that I do. If you’re ready to organize your home & life, but have no idea where to begin, I’d be happy to help. Click here to book a free consultation call so we can start transforming your space and enhancing your life—one pile of clutter at a time.  It's time for spring cleaning & spring organizing! Working with a professional organizer can help you get your house ready for the relaxing summer you deserve.
Many people assume that if they have to hire a professional organizer, it must mean they live in a "disaster zone." This is simply not true. My clients range from busy working professionals to overwhelmed stay-at-home-moms. I organize for businesses, organizations, and of course, individuals who just need a little help!  It's time for spring cleaning & spring organizing! Working with a professional organizer can help you get your house ready for the relaxing summer you deserve.
Many people assume that if they have to hire a professional organizer, it must mean they live in a "disaster zone." This is simply not true. My clients range from busy working professionals to overwhelmed stay-at-home-moms. I organize for businesses, organizations, and of course, individuals who just need a little help!  When your family notices that you’ve started to pull the cleaning supplies out from under the cabinet, do they suddenly...disappear? Whether it’s our little ones, our teenagers, or even our partners, clean up time can be an unfavorable occasion for any household.
Before you scoff and exclaim, “Fine, I’ll do it alone!” Remember, you shouldn’t have to, and with the proper systems in place, you can create streamlined methods that the entire family can get behind! After working with countless clients and all of their unique circumstances, I’ve noticed one trend that can help turn the chaos into clean, livable spaces. It’s simple, go green! Creating a home environment that’s good for our planet can actually make household chores a whole lot easier.  It’s about that time of year again! Soon, the temperatures will be rising, flowers will start to blossom, and your home will need the fresh start it deserves.
Spring cleaning is an excellent opportunity to get your house on-track for the oh-so-busy summer months. With Memorial Day & the Fourth of July festivities right around the corner, you’re going to want your home to be ready for all the fun! But before you crack down on the cleaning, this year, consider taking the ‘green’ approach. It’s no secret that those abrasive cleaning products that we stash under the kitchen sink can interfere with the air quality in our home and even our microbiome! Although we might be accustomed to smelling the bleach in our kitchen from a mile away, there’s a new way of doing things. And get this—it’s a whole lot safer & cheaper! As you wake up the dust bunnies and bring down the cobwebs for spring cleaning, try taking a ‘green’ approach for a healthier home.  Your home should be your sanctuary, a safe space where you can relax and get away from it all. But if you live in a space with no order, it can be difficult to actually unwind, even when you’re within the walls of your own home.
You should be able to enjoy the items in your home without feeling tense when you spot clutter. It’s about time to make space for the things you love! Quickly glance at the surface areas in your home. Are there items that you like but don’t love? Do you have a beautiful picture of your family with no place to put it? Are all your surface areas covered with things? Congratulations, you just conquered phase one of decluttering! |
AuthorAnnie Kilbride is the CEO of Life Simplified, LLC a professional organizing business. Visit www.lifesimplifiedpo.com for more information. Categories
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215-908-2869 • anniekilbride@lifesimplifiedpo.com
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