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Control Clutter

Help Diane, Why Can’t I Stay Organized?

By Control Clutter, How to Organize Your Life Blog

I often have clients reach out to me with this question. They say that they know how to organize. Sorting, recycling, tossing, and even putting things away is not a problem for them. Organizing skills are not a problem for them and so they ask, “why can’t I stay organized?” The answer is simple. Organized is not a destination, it is a state of being. People think that they can organize a space once and that it is done. The fact is that it is never done for more than a day. That is unless you don’t use the space,…

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Clutter and Anxiety: 5 Hacks To Keep Your Worries In Check As You Declutter Your Home

By Control Clutter, How to Organize Your Life Blog

Does the mere thought of removing the clutter from your house fill you with anxiety? This is not an unusual phenomenon. Clutter and anxiety sometimes walk hand-in-hand. The clutter in our homes can make us anxious and then when we go to remove the clutter, we worry if we are doing the ‘right’ thing. It is one heck of a big catch-22. If this is something that haunts you, I have 5 hacks to share with you. Before I share my hacks with you, I want you to know that one of the most important things to remember is the…

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harmony

Bring Harmony into Your Home – Get Organized

By Control Clutter

I’ve been reading a lot of books recently on the topics of time management and productivity. In one of these books, (The Organized Mind by Daniel J. Levitin) I read that “it is important to harmonize your organizational style and systems with your personality.” This got me thinking about music and the way different voices in a song harmonize. When I was a teenager, I was a member of an acapella singing group. I sang second soprano. It was my job in this group to blend my voice with that of the first soprano so that neither of our voices…

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a woman wondering how to start decluttering if you're overwhelmed

How To Start Decluttering When You’re Overwhelmed

By Control Clutter

There are two questions potential clients often ask me during our initial free phone consultation. The first question is really more of a statement, and it goes something like this: I’m so overwhelmed by all my clutter I don’t know how to get started. The question is: how to start decluttering when you’re overwhelmed? The second question is: where do I start decluttering? Both are great questions. The second question is the easiest to answer, you start decluttering in the area that bothers you the most. That differs for each and every person. Let’s address the first question, which is…

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card game to play if you are in the mood to organize

Are You Finally in the Mood to Organize? Here’s an Easy Way to Get it Done!

By Control Clutter, How to Organize Your Life Blog

You know how it is when you are in the mood to do something, you want to go ahead and do it. Well, the same is true for organizing a space. When you’re in the mood to get something organized it’s best to take advantage of that positive energy and dive right in. Since I am a professional organizer, I am often asked what the best place is to begin organizing. My clients want to start organizing, they are motivated, but don’t know where to start or how hard it will be to get it done. Does this ever happen…

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organizing myth: a cluttered and organized space

3 Organizing Myths Debunked

By Control Clutter, How to Organize Your Life Blog

There are lots of organizing myths out there but there are three organizing myths that I always seem to be debunking with my clients so I thought I would review them with you here. All three revolve around a common theme: clutter. Myth number one: your home must be clutter free to be organized. This is absolutely not true. Do you know your home can be cluttered and organized? What did you think when you read that question? Did you think I had misspoken? Maybe you are questioning my sanity. Whatever you are thinking, it’s true. A home can be…

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Great First Impression

Create a Great First Impression with a Clutter-Free Entry

By Control Clutter

Valentine’s Day is February 14th. Are you planning to celebrate with a special someone? Get your home ready by de-cluttering and make a great impression as soon as their foot crosses the threshold of your entrance. Think about the entrance to your home. What does the front door say to someone coming over to your house? Do you want it to make someone feel as if they should turn around? Is there space for them to step inside? Does it make someone feel welcome? You may not know what other people see when they first approach your front door and…

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document filing

Strategies to Organize Documents on File

By Control Clutter

It used to be that paper piles were all that we had to conquer. Now, I’m not minimizing this at all but now paper (as in documents) lurks in piles on the floor as well as invisibly in our computers. It’s important to recognize that filing the invisible documents in your computer is just as important as filing the papers sitting in piles around your desk. The best strategy to use to conquer the tangible papers and the invisible documents is to create a single, simple filing system for yourself. First, let’s acknowledge that there are very few people who…

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working from home with children

Beneficial Distractions: What They Are & Why You Need Them

By Control Clutter

Distractions are everywhere. I believe there are two different kinds of distractions; those that are beneficial and those that are not. Beneficial distractions provide a needed break from whatever it is you’re doing. If you are the chief caregiver in your family, taking a break provides a necessary and beneficial distraction from your job as caregiver. You can take a walk, sit and read a magazine, or maybe just do nothing and enjoy the peace and quiet. This helps you recharge. You will take better care of those you love when you also take care of yourself. Informal Breaks If…

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expressions of procrastination on a chalkboard

Just For Now and Other Procrastination Tips

By Control Clutter, How to Organize Your Life Blog

There are all sorts of little expressions people use to give themselves permission to procrastinate. Most people don’t recognize that this is what they are doing when they use these words. I call these little expressions procrastination tips because if you are aware of them, they can alert you to the fact that you are delaying a task or a decision and procrastinating. Let’s review some of these procrastination tips, as I’m calling them. Just For Now Have you ever said to yourself I’ll put this here, just for now? Your intention is to come back in a little while,…

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