Renovations expert Mesa recently worked for Michelle and Larry. He wanted to give them a gift in return, so he offered a session with De-clutter Me! In my years as a professional organizer, that was a first! Other gifts have been for the holidays, a birthday and Father’s Day, but never as a thank-you for prior work.
I arrived on a classic January morning – very cold, though brightly sunny. We decided to work in the dining area, first focusing on a shelving unit. Behind its left-side door was a variety of mason jars, more than needed. We settled on keeping ten, placing the rest in a box for donations or a spring garage sale. We consolidated cooking utensils in a jar, though agreed that a larger crock would hold them more efficiently.
Next, we moved to the bookshelves. Working top to bottom, we cleared and dusted. The top shelf was reserved for some treasured items and family photos, which Michelle and Larry would add later. Why not while we were working? To protect their privacy when it was time to take “after” photos. The second shelf now held cookbooks, with lots of empty space. On the bottom – two framed photos and a napkin holder. The extra, empty space would leave room for carefully-considered items, and also allow the eyes to rest and to enjoy the newly-organized space.
We next worked on the shelves behind the right-hand door. There were more wine glasses than they use, even when entertaining. We placed the surplus in the donations/garage sale box. We set aside other items to be given away.
With our remaining time, we cleared the table. I first asked about the gingerbread house. Larry spoke to their young son, suggesting that its time had gone by. Out it went! We found mail to be opened, consolidating it for their attention. Noting my experience as a professional organizer, I shared that the often-found pile of mail can lead to the slippery slope of creating more clutter. The suggested solution – to open and process mail every day.
We pulled their son’s artwork from the wall, which visually opened up so much space! Smiles all around!
Mesa’s gift time used, Michelle and Larry were pleased. 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.