Mary’s birthday present was three sessions with De-clutter Me! What would be next? The pantry!
We spent our second session together on some of the shelves, tossing some foods past their “sell by dates,” and rearranged others, so that “like would be with like.” We consolidated Mary’s many candle supplies. A number of times, she asked how I would group items. The consistent answer – what would work for her, according to how her mind works, not mine.
In our third birthday present session, we finished the shelves, then turned our attention to the pantry counter. At the back, we removed the wok, which was hardly used. We decreased the water bottle stash, setting some aside to toss or donate. We placed in a bowl a small drill that Mary’s husband often uses.
Moving along, we consolidated cookbooks, adding some from a lower shelf. We pulled some plastic bags from mostly-empty boxes, setting them aside to store with other bags and wraps. We put new plastic containers with others in an upper cupboard, and likewise found new homes for other items.
Almost done, we focused on the last section of pantry counter. As with its other parts, we placed some items with similar others elsewhere. The “ginormous” box of cereal went to the side wall, with Mary vowing that she would never buy such a big box again. Revealed – a charming “Boulangerie” (Bakery) sign, a nice tribute to Mary’s former work as a school French teacher. I suggested that she might hang it on the opposite wall, where she would see and enjoy it more.
As we finished, we briefly discussed wall storage for the boxes of single serving coffee, “visual noise” currently taking up floor space. It might be possible to find a suitable rack or shelving that wouldn’t be too deep, while maintaining access to the cupboard next to the wall. Mary said that she would look online.
In the end, Mary was surprised that we accomplished all that she hoped. The pantry’s clutter cleared, it was more organized, its contents much easier to see and find. She happily smiled. A birthday present 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.