Now that summer is over and we can focus on our work schedules and families, we can also do some clutter therapy in other areas of our lives. De-cluttering your closets, bathroom drawers, and desk areas will give you the answer you’ve always needed to start fresh this fall.  In my six years of organizing for clients, friends, and family, I have discovered that profiling disorganized spaces has been my expertise. Before you decide what needs to be de-cluttered, ask yourself: what is going to make me the most productive? Do you desire a clean, straight lined office? Then don’t start in your kitchen! Decide what kind of person you are as far as how you sort your clutter. Am I am an “Out of Sight, Out of Mind” person? Am I an “Over Organizer”? Am I a “Stacker”? Identifying your organizing type will help you decide what systems are going to work best for you. Start small so that things don’t overwhelm you.

Clutter Therapy Step 1:
Start with the file drawers in your office. Don’t overstuff the drawers. Sort any papers you no longer need and shred them if they have important information on them such as social security numbers or other personal information. If you are unable to utilize the file drawer because it is not working properly, fix it or get a new one. If you are an “Out of Sight, Out of Mind” person consider using a table top filing system rather than the drawer itself. Using stylish file boxes, file folders, and other organizers will make you more likely to see and want to file your paperwork.

Clutter Therapy Step 2:
Answer the hard questions about your wardrobe honestly!  How long has it been since you’ve worn that summer dress from your trip to Hawaii? Do you really like this pair of shoes your mother gave you? Purging old items can be fun because you might discover things you forgot you had and can integrate them into your current wardrobe. After sorting through your clothing, decide what is going to be the best way to contain and keep your closet organized based on your organizing personality. If you are a “Stacker”, then you might be inclined to put contents into a storage system that allows for open-cube storage. It has the appearance of “stacking” but is organized within the storage cube. Looking for savvy decorative boxes is another alternative. Don’t forget to label appropriately!

Clutter Therapy Step 3:
Lock it up if you love it. Keeping things simple for fall, consider organizing your jewelry box. Even with jewelry if you’re not wearing it, get rid of it, unless it’s a keepsake item or heirloom. If you have a broken jewelry box or one that you’ve outgrown, consider using the wall in your closet as new home. Fabric covered bulletin boards make a great system to hang necklaces, bracelets, and oversized earrings. Also, if you are an “Out of Sight, Out of Mind” person, seeing the jewelry will help you keep up the maintenance on it. If you want to keep new items that you haven’t been wearing, take the jewelry out of the box and display it in your wall unit or jewelry armoire as a reminder to wear it. If you can’t see it, chances are it’s been stuck in the box for a reason. Evaluate the items the next fall to see if you actually wore the piece. Group you’re similar items together along the way, and you will have organized jewelry.

Now that your office drawers are neat and uncluttered, your closet has its style back, and you can coordinate with fabulous jewelry that you forgot you had, you are ready for fall!  Believe me, you will thank yourself later when the holidays come around the corner, and you need a place to put all your fun, new gifts!

Tonia Tomlin is the Founder and President of Sorted Out™ and Sorted Out Publishing. Tonia is an author, publisher, speaker and mother of twin girls. She has been featured on HGTV’s, Mission: Organization, and is the author of the book Chaos 2 Calm: The Moms-of-Multiples’ Guide to an Organized Family. For more information, please email: Tonia@SortedOut.biz or visit www.SortedOut.biz.

View All Luxury Brand Sponsors