Living Room Archives | De-clutter Me!

A Living Room Ready to be Lived In Again

Posted on August 11, 2021 by Ellen Gurwitz

Jess and John lead a busy life. Both working professionals, they also enjoy a wide variety of activities. Time can be tight, including for keeping things straight. We decided to tackle the living room.

The long view…there were several areas “calling out for help.”

The long view of the living room before we cleared its clutter — Before

First, a set of decorative shelves, which looked okay at the top. The middle and bottom areas, though, had become a crafts materials storage area, with spill-over onto the floor. As ever, we started at the top and worked our way down. We left some free space, set aside the crafts for storage elsewhere, and cleaned up the floor.

Decorative shelves before we cleared their clutter — Before

Decorative shelves' clutter cleared, now with open space ready for additional items — After

Crafts and other papers spilled onto the floor — Before

Our next focus was the TV area. We moved their dog Blaze’s bed, placed some of Jess’s rocks collection treasures under the wide screen.

The TV area before we cleared it — Before

The TV area, its clutter cleared — After

With COVID-19, Jess has worked at home much of the time. The couch became her primary workspace. We separated papers to either go back to her “real” office or upstairs office, returned salt and pepper to the kitchen, folded throws and other small blankets,

The cluttered couch, now a work space — Before

The couch, now ready for relaxing! — After

As we finished, John said that he didn’t think we would get it all done. I admitted to having privately thought the same way. We finished it, though! There were smiles all around.

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.

Kitchen, Living Room, Success Stories

Working Our Way Around the Room

Posted on June 30, 2020July 16, 2020 by Ellen Gurwitz

She found De-clutter Me! by googling professional organizer and her zip code. We talked. She said that she and her husband are “victims of their stuff.” Their home offices, living room, and kitchen need help. Would I work with them, both individually and together? Sure!

After arriving, and checking our temperatures, she and I toured around the house, discussing the work to be done. What was bugging her most? Where to start? She quickly suggested the living room. We started around the wood stove. The area had become a dumping ground. Her husband has many cookbooks. A sideways box held some that he would purge. The chair held clothes and other items to put away. Other stuff was discarded or placed into recycling. We also cleaned behind it, next to the couch. I encouraged her to get rid of the little TV tray-type table that was a clutter magnet.

The area around the wood stove before we cleared its clutter — Before

Now we can see the wood stove and the nice plant on it! — After

Next, we focused on the area at the other side of the couch, where her husband sits. We put some items into recycling, moved a power strip cord to make it less visible. It was creating “visual noise,” a great term I learned from another client a few summers ago. We consolidated reading materials, discarded excess pens, and otherwise neatened-up the area.

What next? She suggested the bench with storage. Should we look through the stored items? No, she could do that at another time. On the bench part, though – a few pieces of clothing, two decorative pillows, a phone book, a power strip. The clothing was set aside for the laundry, the phone book added to recycling, the power strip set aside for use elsewhere in the house. We placed the pillows back on the bench, where she now could put on her shoes. Success!

The bench and storage piece before we cleared its clutter — Before

Now she can sit on the bench to put on her shoes! — After

We had a little bit of time left. How to use it? She chose a slim kitchen counter and a bench below it, actually in the dining area. We consolidated a few small appliances on the counter, along with a container for often-grabbed items, and a decorative rooster. On the bench below, napkins, pot holders, muffins for toasting. Our time together used up, they were pleased.

A counter and bench before we cleared their clutter — Before

Small appliances together, clear space, and room to make toast! — After

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.

Living Room, Success Stories

A Wheelchair-friendly Living Room!

Posted on February 26, 2020February 26, 2020 by Ellen Gurwitz

As we finished our first session together, I told Sarah and her son Josh that I had a bold suggestion for them. How about a “double session” day? Borrowing the term from high school sports practice at the end of the summer, we would work for three morning hours, take a lunch break, then work for three more hours in the afternoon. They were “game” for it, and we agreed to take a 30-minute lunch break. Pretty impressive for a woman who admitted to being nervous before our first session!

When I arrived, we discussed where to focus our energy. We first chose the living room, which looked more like a storage space than one to use and enjoy. I suggested that we work our way around the room. We removed two plastic bins, like laundry baskets from one wall, and put a big leather chair and side table there. (Later on, as we worked on a closet, we found a projector, which we would place on the side table’s lower shelf.) Would that wall also be a good spot for a cupboard with a fold-down table where Sarah could store art supplies and work on projects? The room would be cleared enough to accommodate one.

A space practically "begging" for furniture — Before

Much more welcoming - with a big chair and side table — After

Our next focus area was in front of the windows. We cleared a couple of big blankets to be washed, removed a corner set of shelves, placing it in the bathroom to hold towels. We tossed some broken small decorative pieces that it had held. Sarah bravely set aside others for a spring tag sale, keeping only the most special ones. We removed other bins, setting aside their contents for donation, for the trash, or for the tag sale.

Part of the living room before we cleared its clutter — Before

A cleared space, big enough for Sarah's wheelchair — After

We also made room for pint-sized family members to enjoy the blackboard, there from when Sarah ran a day care center in the house.

Another comfy seating spot, complete with toddler-height blackboard! — After

When we were done with the living room, it felt open and airy. Perhaps most importantly, Sarah would be able to move around the room comfortably in her wheelchair.

The living room - after moving, and before clearing it.

Living Room, Success Stories

The Living Room – Quickly!

Posted on January 2, 2020 by Ellen Gurwitz

Her mother sent a link to the De-clutter Me! website – from Minnesota! Bryce got in touch. She had recently moved into a new condo. I sensed that moving had been exhausting. (When isn’t it?!)

When would I be available to help sort things out? Soon; in fact, it actually could be possible two days later. That doesn’t often happen!

Our task – to clear the living room, so that she could relax a bit, without looking at piles of various things left from moving. We started by setting aside clothes for storage. We collected notebooks and other materials for writing and art projects, tucking them away next to the couch, in the corner. She’ll be able to easily reach them there, when the time is right.

I suggested moving a large flat screen TV, which was in the small entryway, to protect it until there’s time to have it mounted on the wall. I placed it next to the couch, with the screen facing the wall, with the mounting hardware and cables.

We also cleared part of the kitchen counter, discussing the best places to store various kitchen-type objects.

The very full living room area before we cleared it — Before

The cleared couch and kitchen counter - aahh! — After

Our time used up, we discussed our next session. What to do? That was to be determined but, in the meantime, Bryce was smiling. Success!

Living Room, Success Stories

A Transformed Armoire

Posted on December 30, 2019December 30, 2019 by Ellen Gurwitz

Jonathan is a busy guy, working many hours. It seemed that he sometimes puts things in places temporarily then, because of his schedule, they stay there. In one session, we would focus on a tall armoire.

Using my tried-and-true professional organizer’s method, we would work top-to-bottom. We would “reserve” the most valuable real estate – the two shelves easiest seen and reached – for items Jonathan would want to use most. We would include the low bookcase next to the armoire, adding its books to the shelves.

First, we pulled out some clothes items that had landed there, placing them in the laundry. We put tall books on the top shelf. We worked our way down, putting hardcover books together, then paperbacks. We collected photographs in a bowl, for him to review at another time. Likewise, we collected various notebooks on a lower shelf, for when Jonathan wants to use them.

In the bottom area, we put his trumpet in its case, some paint brushes and other random items. All are clearly visible, for when he has time to use them.

Bonus points – the low bookcase was now empty, ready for another use.

What’s next? Maybe some work in the kitchen. We would decide then.

A tall armoire before we organized it — Before

the transformed armoire in the living room — After

Dining Room, Living Room, Office, Success Stories

It’s Kitty Land!

Posted on December 4, 2018December 4, 2018 by Ellen Gurwitz

Cece is devoted to her cat Babe. Boxes, bags and big pieces of paper are laid out for her to jump into and otherwise enjoy.

We started by clearing a floor area, then moved on to a corner piece holding family items, then to the table.

Our next area of focus was her desk.

With our remaining time, we cleared some of the living room floor space.

With great first progress achieved, we scheduled another session in a couple of weeks. Responding to my thank-you note, Cece wrote back that Babe had lots of new space to run around. Success!

Living Room, Success Stories

Bookshelf Organization = Rest for the Eyes

Posted on February 20, 2018March 20, 2018 by Ellen Gurwitz

Jennifer and Jim are working hard to clear clutter in their home. Bookshelf organization and decorating were needed for the island, really a free-standing bookshelf that “straddles” the kitchen and the living room. It’s next to Jennifer’s desk, which we organized during our last session. Continue reading “Bookshelf Organization = Rest for the Eyes” →

Living Room, Success Stories

Our Planned Desk Organization Task is Done

Posted on February 5, 2018March 20, 2018 by Ellen Gurwitz

In our second session, Jennifer and I mostly focused on her sweet desk, which she’s had for decades and likes very much.

First, we lifted everything to clear clutter from its top, dusted, and returned only a few items. Next, we worked on its cubby holes. Internal desk organization would make it much easier to use. Continue reading “Our Planned Desk Organization Task is Done” →

Kitchen, Living Room, Success Stories

A Holiday Gift from Afar

Posted on December 18, 2017April 1, 2018 by Ellen Gurwitz

Muneeza emailed from Connecticut, looking for a professional organizer. Would I be available to help her best friend Eileen, as a holiday gift? Sure! Continue reading “A Holiday Gift from Afar” →

Bedroom, Closet, Living Room, Success Stories

Grace’s House Transformation

Posted on June 2, 2016April 1, 2018 by Ellen Gurwitz

Grace lives in an old, charming brick house. She works long days for a non-profit organization, and also cares for her elderly mother and her companion, who live in separate assisted living housing. Though quite busy, she’s also considering joining the AirBnB movement. Our task: clearing clutter to help her thought process about renting a room or rooms. Downstairs? Upstairs? How many? Continue reading “Grace’s House Transformation” →