Make room for the new year

         Keep your clutter at bay with appropriate storage.

         Organize your items by colour, it makes it more

         restful for the eye. Storage cabinet from Crate and

         Barrel.

"When in doubt, take it out!" How about that design mantra for 2013? Having too many things on our shelves, walls and on the floor drains energy. Better then to leave space for what is truly useful, beautiful and what we really love. The new year is a great time to edit our belongings. Look at it as a cleansing process that will free up space for new, positive experiences. Here are five tips on how to kick start your clutter control:

1) Go room by room and define the function of each room. Think about what you need for that specific room and get rid of everything else.

2) Old magazines and books can take up an incredible amount of shelf space. Weed out what no longer interests you. Tackle the rest a little at a time. File magazine clippings in binders organized by theme.

3) Dishes in your cupboards are like clothing in your wardrobe. If you haven't used them in the last year, you probably never will. To realize that some things simply aren't for you is quite OK. That also applies to items that were given to you. Pass them along to a thrift store. They will be somebody else's treasure.

4) Have an empty corner somewhere? Use it for extra storage. Clutter control requires a good organizational system and appropriate storage.

5) Make a promise to yourself to buy fewer things, but to buy better quality. If budget is an issue, put up a picture of the piece you are craving, and look at it regularly. It will be an incentive to save up for what you really love, and to avoid impulse purchases.

Do you agree with me that less is more when it comes to design?

Home organizing essentials

It’s back to school for the kids, and the need to keep things at home organized has never been greater. To stay ahead of the game, I’ve asked the De-Clutter Coach Moreen Torpy to share some easy organizing tips. This is what she has to say:

September can be the beginning of a new year, along with January, for very different reasons. In January, we make resolutions to improve our interior lives, while in September, we tend to think more about our external lives and how to make them easier. Here are three simple ways you can do this without investing your entire RRSP in the project:

Papers:

Your children will soon start bringing these home from school or their extra-curricular activities so…

- Set up a file or box for each child and keep in a convenient place so your child can access it and add papers to it himself or herself. 

- Check that file or box daily to deal with anything new that has arrived. There may be forms and requests that must be dealt with in a short time frame. 

- Ensure your child takes back the necessary forms by the deadline with whatever needs to go with it.

Technology—small stuff:

Charge your cell phone, Blackberry, etc. and keep your countertops clear of charging cords by setting up a Technology Garage. Create one with a pretty box or covered basket with holes cut in the back to thread the cords through. The phones etc. can be placed in the box and plugged in without creating clutter. Plug in your devices every night so that they will always be charged and ready when you need them.

Mail:

- Drop into your recycle bin anything you won’t need when you pick up your mail. Shred anything with your name on it to protect your identity. 

- Place mail needing your attention into a dedicated box or basket in a convenient place so you can deal with it at a specified time. For example, if you normally pay your bills at the beginning or middle of the month, that would be your guideline. Setting up this kind of schedule will prevent having piles of miscellaneous incoming mail strewn about, yet what you need will always be organized for your attention.

By implementing these three tips, you will create a more peaceful environment in a sometimes chaotic life. And that’s certainly something to aspire to! Happy organizing!

Moreen Torpy is the De-Clutter Coach, a Trained Professional Organizer and Author. Let’s Get Organized: 172 tiplets to simplify life is her first published work. See www.decluttercoach.ca to subscribe to Let’s Get Organized, her monthly e-zine and purchase the booklet. Watch for her new book Moving Forward: Downsizing, Moving and Settling In that will be available soon.