Tag: decluttering tips

A Dad’s Guide to Decluttering

Posted on by Jordank

Father’s Day is June 15, and — like most people — #dads sometimes need a little help with #decluttering. Whether they’re #minimalists when it comes to extra #stuff or irrepressible #packrats, there’s always room to streamline.

Of course, every dad is different. Some are juggling family, kids and career in starter homes with little space to spare, and others may be dealing with the weight of a lifetime of accumulated paperwork and other #stuff post-retirement.

His hobbies will have an effect on the level of #clutter. If Dad is a woodworker, mechanic or tinkerer, he may have hundreds of tools and parts to #organize. He may even have duplicates! Help him sort out his favorites — the ones that really get used — and #donate or sell the rest.

If he’s an avid athlete, sportsman or musician, he will probably have more than one piece of specialized equipment that takes up a lot of space when not in use. And even if Dad just likes to read or listen to music, chances are he has a lot of accumulated books, papers and media.

Young dads with kids may not have as much stuff of their own, but struggle to keep the family #organized. Brooklyn’s Tidy Dad believes that #decluttering, #cleaning and #organizing responsibilities should be shared in a household, since everyone contributes to the #clutter and mess.

His advice? Know what makes a space seem #messy and #cluttered. Reassess the “hypothetical someday” to determine what’s really in use. Find a balance of possessions, space and everyday life. Schedule #decluttering on the calendar. And make #tidying tasks manageable and routine.

Ultimately, he says, #tidying is more than decluttering — it’s a way to create space for every part of your life. Young or old, the idea is for dads to have “just enough” #stuff and systems in place to make it easy to maintain an equilibrium.

Once you’ve helped Dad declutter, tidy up and organize, contact ClothingDonations.org for a #free #donation #pickup. He’ll be happy you helped, and in turn, happy to help the nation’s #veterans with his donation. #DadsDecluttering

Observing National Get Organized Day 2025

Posted on by Jordank

National Get Organized Day is Saturday, April 26! It’s a great day to #declutter, #organize and generally improve your space and productivity. #Clutter and disorganization can undermine progress in all aspects of life, creating anxiety and stress. The average American spends about 8,700 hours of their lives looking for #things, the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) estimates, so you will save time and money by putting the things you need into their proper places. Get started today, and your #decluttering and #organization efforts will snowball until they become second-nature. #NationalGetOrganizedDay

Keep Your Car Clutter-Free

Posted on by Jordank

Anyone who operates a vehicle knows how quickly it can fill up with papers, empty beverage containers, automotive supplies, receipts and other junk. If you don’t #clean and #organize your vehicle frequently, it can fast become a #cluttered #mess.

The mess gets worse if you’re shuttling kids, who leave articles of clothing, sporting goods and food wrappers in the back seats, glove compartments and seatback pockets. “Kids add a whole new level to car clutter,” says Home Storage Solutions 101.

To keep your ride #clean and #organized, start by reducing the #stuff you keep in it. Remove everything from the car’s interior at the end of each day you drive. Make a habit of emptying cup holders and consoles, and disposing of any #trash.

Once you have a baseline of #cleanliness, buy a seat back or floor organizer to keep any essentials — wipes, a flashlight, first-aid kit, charging cords, etc. — in a single place. Place important documents such as your vehicle registration and insurance card in the glove box.

Keep a trash bag in the car for the wrappers and container that otherwise would get stuffed into a crevice or stashed under a seat. Train yourself and your children to collect all of their stuff at the end of every ride. Repetition will make it second-nature, says blogger Kerilynn Snyder.

Next, establish a regular cleaning routine, Danielle Moss says. Vacuum the floors and wipe down all surfaces and glass. For the easiest #cleanup in all kinds of weather, invest in all-weather floormats to make spills, mud and dirt easy to deal with.

You can often find lightly used baskets, organizers and automotive accessories at the #thrift stores supplied by generous #donations to ClothingDonations.org. And if you find any #junk in your car you don’t need as you #declutter, bag it and contact ClothingDonations.org for a #free #donation #pickup.

Those #donations help fund valuable programs that #help the nation’s #veterans. So you’ll get the good feeling that goes along with #donating to a good cause along with a clean and comfortable vehicle. Happy motoring!

How to Organize a Great Garden

Posted on by Jordank

Your area has likely seen its final frost, and if you’re anything like the folks at The Organizing Blog, you’re just itching to start a garden — either to take advantage of delicious, healthy fresh produce at low prices or to improve the beauty of your home’s outdoor spaces.

#Organizing your tools and planting supplies is the first step to an #clutter-free garden, says Lovely Greens: “Start sorting your shed, garage and garden of everything that’s standing in the way of the garden you want” by tapping the KonMari method to #declutter and prepare.

Then, visualize your ideal garden. Yours might have rows and rows of tomatoes, peppers and other crops, it might have rose bushes and ivy, or it might have an assortment of native perennials that flower and pop throughout the year.

Consider the site, Almanac says. Sunny spots work better for the majority of crops and plants (many vegetables benefit from six to eight hours of daylight every day), but you have options for shaded areas, too. Sketch out the plots on a sheet of paper or try a garden planning app.

Dedicate beds to “families” of crops. Alliums (chive, garlic, leeks, onions, etc.) can go in a bed together; squashes, melons and cucumbers in another. Remember that some plants may need support structures or protection against pests and include those in your plan.

Now for the fun part: Pick out what you want to plant. In a food-oriented garden, that means crops you’ll use and enjoy. Whatever you grow will taste better than the commercially grown, store-bought version, but  there’s no reason to grow cilantro if you think it tastes like soap.

In a flower garden, that means designing for visual impact, varying heights and colors to lend visual interest throughout the year. Fill in those empty-looking spaces but don’t crowd plants and give your garden some height by mixing low-lying plants with taller varieties.

Pay special attention to perennials whether you’re planning a vegetable or flower garden. These plants need a dedicated space where they can thrive with routine maintenance year after year; get their placement right the first time.

A well #organized garden can provide higher yields and greater visual impact. Before you start digging, have a plan in mind — and you’ll soon enjoy the fruits of your labor on the table and around the house.

Organize the Spaces That Often Get Neglected

Posted on by Jordank

Even the most organized people have areas they neglect to #organize and #declutter, Real Homes says. These areas likely include the #junk drawer — that catch-all space that holds everything pens to pills to old phones. The pantry is another area that gathers random items (sometimes in multiples) and must be #cleaned and #organized regularly to avoid eating expired foodstuffs. Linen closets should contain only the towels and bedding you actually use, not the many backups used for cleaning or guests. Instead of neglecting these spaces, tackle them before everything else, professional organizers suggest.