Bedroom Archives | De-clutter Me!

Bookcase and Dresser Clutter – Gone!

Posted on October 4, 2021November 7, 2022 by Ellen Gurwitz

In our next session, Jennifer, Simon, and I returned to his bedroom to clear his bookcase and dresser clutter. As ever, using my professional organizer’s method of working top-to-bottom, we started on the top left. We used the left side of the bookcase to display a variety of items. We sifted through books on the right side, keeping some, and setting others aside for his little brother, or for recycling, or for the trash.

The bookcase before we cleared its clutter — Before

The bookcase, now a display area with easily reached books and other items — After

Next, we cleared the dresser. The bookcase and dresser clutter were gone. Now, Simon will be able to enjoy his room much more. Both he and his mother smiled as we finished. Success!

The dresser before we cleared its clutter — Before

About De-clutter Me!
De-clutter Me! offers non-judgmental, competitively-priced, and confidential assistance to help clear clutter in your home and/or business. We’ve been changing chaos to calm since 2013.

Bedroom, Crafts Room, Office, Success Stories

Office, Art Storage, and Guest Space Changes Begin!

Posted on October 4, 2021 by Ellen Gurwitz

A room in Willow’s house is intended to serve several functions. It’s her home office. It stores art projects and supplies. It also could be a place for guests to sleep. That would require moving heavy furniture, which we would do at a later time.

As we got acquainted, I suggested that we start in one area of the room and work our way around it. It’s my professional organizer’s tried-and-true method. It keeps us on task and on track.

We started by the door. A low table with paper storage, which had been a “freebie,” was partly used. We put some more paper in it, then Willow changed her mind. Out of the room completely! It might be used elsewhere in the house, or maybe it would end up by the side of the road, for someone else. We put its notebooks into a bin. We cleared the dresser, put some art supplies into a corner bookcase, set other items in the trash, and still others into recycling. We repeated the process with a stand in the corner, which Willow set aside to place in the interior green house. We also removed the white cubbies, which also might be used elsewhere in the house. We cleared the floor, too. I placed a tall stool in the corner.

Our next focus area was a low bookcase, which held a few plants, including a decades-old jade plant! On its lower shelves – bins and papers. We went through the papers, putting some into recycling, others into the handy bins. Willow would review others.

Cleared bookcase clutter - and the floor, too! — After

With our remaining time, we cleared the sleeper sofa. We removed the “TV tray” and a small table. We cleared the table next to the sofa. Breathing room! Willow still would be able to reach items needed for her work, which might be enhanced by the cleared space.

A much more peaceful-looking sofa area — After

Next time, we will continue on our way around the room, as its transformation takes shape.

Bedroom, Success Stories

Bedroom Clutter – Making the Room More Welcoming

Posted on October 1, 2021November 9, 2022 by Ellen Gurwitz

In a stately house dating from 1830, two young brother share a room. We would tackle the bedroom clutter. They were there to help part of the time, while their dad Yoshi and his partner Jessica were more present.

First, their two beds. When getting into bed at night, I asked if they care if their beds had been made in the morning or, if not, if it feels okay. They didn’t respond much. Saying that I much prefer to slip into a made bed, I added that it’s a strongly affirmative morning action. It also feels more respectful to the self.

The boys' beds before we made them — Before

Starting to move around the room, we focused on a trunk and the items on top of it. First, we moved the chair, empty boxes, and portable plastic file box. Then, we pulled many Legos pieces from around the room, and added them to the trunk, which was now about two-thirds full with them. Hopefully, any wanted pieces could be found and, maybe equally important, not stepped on. That hurts!

Floor and other clutter cleared, and Legos together in the trunk — After

Our next focus was a set of shelves on the wall. We changed it to better display some toy tractors, small stuffed animals, and books. Below the shelves, we put some more stuffed animals in a basket, and also placed a miniature hot air balloon atop a toy bus.

Cluttered shelves and small cabinet before we cleared them — Before

Moving around the room, we turned our attention to a low red chest. We closed its doors, and removed empty boxes.

Cluttered floor and open cupboard doors. — Before

The floor cleared, and cupboard doors closed — After

As we finished what was visible, Jessica and I looked at bins stored in the closet. One held a funny surprise. Her partner Yoshi, a high school teacher, paints houses during the summer. The bin’s contents – three painting shoes. Not two or four. Three! Where was its “mate?” We laughed, while feeling happy about the cleared bedroom clutter.

Bedroom, Success Stories

Bedroom Vanity Clutter Cleared!

Posted on February 23, 2020February 23, 2020 by Ellen Gurwitz

Sarah was a bit nervous before our first session together. When I arrived on a cold, though clear day, we looked around at the projects we could take on to make the house more welcoming and comfortable for her family and guests.

Where to start? Sarah chose her vanity. Before we did anything else, I took down the charger cord dangling from a shelf above the vanity, and the triangular bag suspended from a shelf peg. Visual noise gone! We tossed old makeup, and set aside other cosmetics for a friend who might enjoy them. Sarah said that she actually would like to remove the vanity and replace it with a slim black table from another room. It would be easier to get near the closet in her wheelchair. Her smiling son Josh was a tremendous help, moving furniture with great energy. What a guy!

The vanity and bedroom floor around it before we cleared their clutter — Before

The vanity removed and replaced by a slim table; clutter gone! — After

Where will we focus next? The closet? Another room? That’s to be determined. Her nervousness gone, Sarah was smiling. Success!

About De-clutter Me!
De-clutter Me! offers non-judgmental, competitively-priced and confidential assistance to help clear clutter in your home and/or business. We’ve been changing chaos to calm since 2013.

Bedroom, Success Stories

Making a Second Bedroom Livable

Posted on September 5, 2019 by Ellen Gurwitz

Once we finished in Margaux’s first bedroom, and after a break, she, her mother Etienne and I walked across the hall to transform the second one into a welcoming guest room. It had become a dumping ground for all kinds of stuff. There were three clear bins holding a variety of items. We set some aside for the trash, others for donation, and we put still others in the closet, for later continued, careful consideration – without turning it into another dumping ground. We set aside games and puzzles, heaped on the dresser, to be stored with others elsewhere in the house. The tall, skinny bookcase? In a collective flash of inspiration, we put it behind the door, where it fit perfectly!

We cleared the middle of the floor, revealing an old chest that had been hidden by accumulated stuff. We tucked rolls of holiday gift wrap into the corner of the closet, where it will be easily seen when needed.

Next, the bookcase. On its top – a trophy from a tractor pull. Really! We added others.

Next, we rearranged books.

Margaux and Etienne were delighted! Where might Etienne and I work next? We soon would turn our attention to a few other places in the house.

Bedroom, Success Stories

Making a Bedroom Truly Livable

Posted on September 4, 2019September 4, 2019 by Ellen Gurwitz

Margaux is a college student. When she returns home, it can be challenging to keep her two bedrooms neat. Two? Yes! Our goal – to clear one for her, and for the other to be a guest room. It would take two sessions. In the first room, I suggested working our way around it.

First, with her mother Etienne, we started on the floor in front of a dresser, then moved to the dresser itself. We put some things away, set others aside to discard, for bathroom storage, or for the other bedroom.

Next, the bed. I encouraged her to make it, every morning. While running the risk of sounding like my mother, and placing my own “twist” on the topic, I suggested that making the bed can be a strongly affirmative way to start the day, and also is a sign of self-respect. Mom never said any of that. It may have been more like “Because I said so,” though lovingly, but I couldn’t justify pulling that “rank.” Besides, doesn’t it feel nicer to get into a made bed, rather than one that’s been left all day?

Moving around the room, we next turned our attention to a set of shelves. It held art supplies, souvenirs from other countries, magazines. We cleared it, moving some things to the other bedroom, with others for the bathroom, and other items to be discarded or recycled.

The desk was next. We cleared it, too, just as we did the dresser and the shelves.

On to the closet, with an empty shelf! It felt like a blank canvas. We hung a small art piece on the wall. Why not? The space was practically begging to be used partly for decoration! We put some other art “stuff” on the shelf. Decorating the closet may have been a first in the six years of operating this business. What fun!

Margaux seemed a bit stunned when we finished. Since her mother Etienne and I had already worked together before, she wasn’t surprised, but was equally pleased. Next – the other bedroom, to make it a welcoming guest room.

Bedroom, Success Stories

Honoring an Old House’s Bedroom Corner

Posted on July 31, 2019 by Ellen Gurwitz

Jae and Armand live in a wonderful house that dates from the early 1800s. To suggest that it has “good bones” would be a pathetic understatement. Walking in definitely feels like entering an earlier century, a true pleasure for a professional organizer who enjoys American history.

A corner of their bedroom “called out” for attention. Jae had been traveling, and working out since returning home. Busy-ness led her to drop clothes in a corner. We began by separating laundry and strategizing where some other things might go. She planned a “fashion show” for herself and a friend who would soon visit. They would go through her closet, deciding what to keep and what to discard or give away.

As I admired the elegant Oriental china piece on the low window sill, Jae told me that they use it to collect spare change!

We cleared the corner area. Jae brought up from the basement a low set of shelves, where we would place items from her dresser. To contain them, she also magically produced a high-gloss tray in excellent condition, rescued from the town dump. Superb recycling!

Next, the dresser itself. Its top held some food supplements and pills, a salt lamp and an elegant Oriental box. We discarded items past their usefulness dates, and placed others on the low bookcase that Jae had brought up from the basement.

Would it have been possible for her smile to be any wider? Doubtful! What would we do next? That was to be determined but, for the moment, Jae was thrilled and predicted that Armand would be, too.

Bedroom, Closet, Success Stories

Next Stop – Sue’s Closet!

Posted on July 23, 2019August 2, 2019 by Ellen Gurwitz

As Sue prepares to leave her current home (or not!), we next tackled the bedroom closet. It was packed full. Its top shelves held clear bins with varied clothes, including winter and summer tops. The bins were labelled, though their contents didn’t always match the labels. Some bins were cracked or otherwise broken, which we would toss. Using my professional organizer’s tried-and-true method, we worked top-to-bottom.

Standing on her step stool, I started pulling out the top shelves’ bins. Using her trusty label maker, Sue typed new label names, then printed them. I folded and folded, and rolled and rolled, placing “like-with-like.” We strategized about the bottom of the closet, where we would place bins that were salvageable, plus some new ones, which she bought some time ago. (Handy!) Winter clothes would go on the sides, with the middle reserved for items to wear now. We also set aside things she would wear on an upcoming seaside vacation.

We put some things on the lower of the top shelves, leaving the top one completely empty. No visual noise! Better for showing the house to potential buyers!

Next, we worked on the bottom of the closet. As with the top shelves’ contents, we set aside some to donate or discard. Beyond better organizing it, I wanted to leave the floor clear. If the house were to be shown, it would look better. Plus, it might encourage Sue to keep it that way.

As with the top shelves’ contents, we set aside some to donate or discard.

Now, Sue could easily find things to wear. If she decides to stay in the house, it will be a snap to move summer clothes to the sides, and winter’s to the middle. If she does decide to move, the already-labelled bins will be easy to pack. Bonus points – since they’re mostly the same size and shape, that will make it even easier.

When we were done, the only item on the floor was the step stool. Another Success Story! Next? The downstairs bookshelves? Okay!

Bedroom, Success Stories

Before Moving – Or Not! Clearing a Bedroom Vanity

Posted on July 23, 2019July 23, 2019 by Ellen Gurwitz

Sue may move – or not. She no longer needs the size house she owns in (mostly) land-locked Vermont. A smaller space and the beach are pulling her. Maybe. She loves Vermont, so it’s a tough decision. Even if she stays, she has the opportunity to clear her home of some excess.

One focus area has been the vanity in her bedroom. Using my professional organizer’s reliable method of working from one side to the other, we cleared its surface. We removed a piece that held mail and other papers, setting it aside for a scheduled yard sale. Good! That way, it no longer would attract clutter!

Next, we opened a drawer, full of cosmetics. We tossed lots of them, as they looked old and past their usefulness. We used two little plastic containers, found in the kitchen, which fit well enough, and tucked other items between and around them.

Relieved when we were done with her bedroom vanity, Sue smiled. What might be our next focus there? It could be the closet. We’ll see!

Bedroom, Success Stories

Let’s Get the House Ready to Show!

Posted on June 4, 2019 by Ellen Gurwitz

Kim’s family hopes to move within the next few months. To make their home presentable to show, there’s some clutter to clear. Kim and I started in the master bedroom.

Using my usual method as a professional organizer, we started in one corner. We’re working our way around the room. We placed items for other rooms in a box, to keep us focused where we were, and to use our time well. We put lots of Lego pieces in a bag, and separated other small toys for a non-profit group’s tag sale.

Kim removed a broken air conditioner. We consolidated laundry to be folded. We collected various costume pieces in another box. We dusted the furniture piece holding the television, and placed books in it, using a treasured family clock as a bookend.

Kim’s homework for before our next session – to fold the laundry, including the especially challenging task of matching all of those socks!

The next time we’re together, we will continue working our way around the master bedroom.