Organize + Energize: 4 Spaces to Declutter in April

Tuesday, April 04, 2017

Kristin MacRae, GoLocalProv Organizing Expert

 

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If you follow this column, every month I ‘m giving you 4 spaces to declutter. It’s time to do some spring cleaning in the closet. Some people are totally overwhelmed by their closets. Don’t feel like you have to tackle your entire closet in one day. Break your closet down into small manageable projects.

Here are 4 spaces you can start decluttering this month:

Clothes. Don’t worry about anything else in your closet. Just focus on your clothes. Take every piece of clothing out of your closet. Make your piles of keep, toss, donate, sell, maybe and try on. Creating the 2 latter piles will allow you to stay on task and stay focused. When you’re through decluttering, you’ll look at your keep pile and decide that everything in your maybe pile will go out the door. Keep a try on pile to keep you on task so you don’t have to keep getting distracted by trying on clothes. 

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Shoes. It’s time to throw away the tattered, ripped, and worn out shoes that are collecting dust and haven’t seen the light of days in years.  Take every shoe out of the closet and be honest with yourself. What are you wearing and what aren’t you wearing?

Belts/Scarves. This should be a quick and easy project. If you aren’t containing these in an organizer, it may be time. There are so many great belt and scarf organizers out there. Choose the one that works best for you and works well in the space. 

Pocketbooks.  Are your pocketbooks scattered all over the house? Grab them room by room and declutter. If you’re the type that leaves items in all different pocketbooks, make sure you go through and declutter the insides too!  Make a habit going forward when you switch bags to clean them out in the moment. 

Make a plan not to bring another one of the above items into the home until you declutter what you have. You’ll feel lighter and refreshed once these projects are complete. If you feel great after these projects, keep going. Go through your bureaus, piles on the floor, and any other areas in the closet that might need attention. Mark your calendar, stay focused, limit your distractions and these projects will be a breeze to get through!

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Kristin Carcieri-MacRae, is an organizing & efficiency expert and owner of Organizing in RI. Kristin teaches her clients that living an organized lifestyle will save them time and money, decrease their stress levels and help them become more efficient and productive. Her articles have been published in local and national magazines. She has also given over 70 presentations throughout the state. Watch Kristin LIVE every Thursday at 3pm here on GoLocal LIVE with Molly O’Brien.

 

Related Slideshow: Organizing Products For Your Closet

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Flip flop organizer

How many flip flops do you own? Are they thrown all over the closet floor? How long does it take you to find a match to one of them? Bed Bath and Beyond has a $9.99 flip flop organizer that holds 6 pairs of flip flops and hangs nicely in your closet. This is a must-have if you have more than 5 pairs of flip flops. I’ve purchased these for my clients and they work great!

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Scarf organizer

You love your scarves, but it takes you forever to locate one and you have to throw 5 around to find the one you are searching for. Use a scarf organizer and you will be able to see all your scarves and find them at a moment’s notice. Bed Bath and Beyond has a few different types of scarf organizers, including this one for $9.99.

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Belt organizer

How are you storing your belts? Are they in a tangled mess? Purchase a belt organizer for a cheap solution—they can be as inexpensive as $6.99 from the Container Store.

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Tie organizer

Keep your ties organized and hanging on a tie rack, or keep then rolled in a drawer organizer. Whichever way you choose to organize them, treat them with care. To take care of both your belts and your ties in one fell swoop, check out this organizer from the Container Store.

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Drawer organizer

This is a must for your underwear, socks, bras, nylons, etc. Drawer organizers will help to maximize space in your closet. You won’t believe the amount of space you will have once you contain these items in drawer organizers!

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Jewelry organizer

Are you always trying to detangle your necklaces? Think about how you grab your jewelry and then purchase an organizing system according to how you function. Before you purchase your container, take inventory of what you own and purchase accordingly.

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Shoe rack

Did you know people who didn’t own shoe racks were 7 times more likely to show up late for an event? Are your shoes in piles on the floor? Get them off the floor and contain them in a shoe rack. There are many options out there, like this one from Bed Bath and Beyond. Choose the shoe rack that is going to fit what you need to hold and fit in the space you are working with.

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Hangers

Are you hanging your clothes on the wire hangers from the dry cleaner? Those hangers will ruin your clothes. Get rid of them and store your clothes on the hanger of your choice, but be consistent and stick with one type of hanger.

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Handbags

How are you storing your handbags? Are they stored all over your closet? Are they in bins or crumpled up on the floor? It’s time to organize your bags. There are many options depending on the space you are working with. You can stand them up on a shelf, you can hang them, or if they are small, you can store them in a canvas bin. The choice is yours. Think about how you function and develop a system from there.

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Baseball cap organizer

How many baseball caps do you own? How are they organized in your closet now, and how long does it take you to find one? The Container Store (pictured here), Bed Bath and Beyond, and other stores sell this baseball cap organizer. I have a few clients that have purchased them and they love them!

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Function over flash

There are many variations on these products. Choose the product that is right for you. There are some organizing products I would never use, but other people might choose to use them. Choose the one that is going to be the most efficient and productive product for you and your family. Don’t choose a product because it’s pretty, choose it based on functionality. Search online for different products before you rush out and purchase a product.  You may find that one store is more expensive than another. Don’t forget if you are going to Bed Bath and Beyond to use their 20% off coupons. If you don’t want to purchase these items, get creative and re-purpose items around the home, or make your own!

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Kristin MacRae

Kristin Carcieri-MacRae, the founder and owner of Organizing in RI, has always enjoyed finding creative ways to streamline the environment around her. She has appeared on air on Patricia Raskin's Positive Business Radio and her articles have been published in the Rhode Island Small Business Journal and New England Home Life. Kristin's CD, Organizing Basics, is a 1-hour guide for the person who wants to get organized but doesn't know where to start. She is also available for organizing workshops. Tune into her weekly radio show, Organize, Energize! on Mondays at 8:30am on www.talkstreamradio.com.

 

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