In our next session, Amy and I worked to clear closet clutter. The walk-in closet held two file cabinets, boxes on shelves, somewhat-folded sleeping bags and other items.
We began by clearing the floor, pulling out a variety of bags, bins, and boxes, so we could move around in the space.
As is my professional organizer’s tried-and-true method, we would start in one top corner and work our way around. We consolidated some photography equipment, stacked yoga blocks, placing them near some other workout items, folded and otherwise contained sleeping bags. We looked into a few boxes, adding their contents to other boxes with similar items.
Next, we focused on the filing cabinets and the shelf above them. On the top of one, we removed packaged printer paper, placing it on a side shelf, closer to the door. We removed some files, adding them to a box with others. We put some of Amy’s former work-related three-ring binders on its top instead. For fun and color, I leaned the first Vermont flood-relief fundraiser license plate in front of them. On the other file cabinet, I placed the small hand-held vacuum, also to remove the distracting “visual noise” of its cord across the front. I also put a sweet framed photo of Amy’s daughter Janelle at the back of the file cabinet’s top, so she could see that it would look nice there. Then, I turned it over, to protect her daughter’s privacy. Similarly, on the shelf above the file cabinets, I placed a small collection of mounted photos highlighting her daughter’s high school gymnastics career. Once the “after” photo was taken, Amy might hang the photos, to surprise Janelle when she would come home from college in a few weeks.
We turned to the right. First, I removed a humidifier that the family doesn’t use anymore. Then, I moved the roll of bubble wrap to the corner, placing behind it two cardboard mailers for posters. We put office supplies, like boxed hanging folders, near other similar items close to the door. We consolidated padded and other mailing envelopes, placing them vertically between two boxes.
Since our time was ending, and we didn’t have time to explore the boxes on the shelves, we made some sense of them. That way, when Amy needs anything from them, it won’t seem so daunting. Also, with the floor cleared, she’ll be able to reach them. We didn’t return most of the boxes and bins. Amy would go through them.
Where would we work next? Maybe in one of the rooms with musical instruments. While that was to be determined, Amy was pleased with the session’s work of clearing closet clutter.
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.