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End The Clutter Wars

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 27, 2007

Professional organizer and author Donna Smallin is a neatnik; her husband of 18 months is more like the rest of us. Peaceful cohabitation is a matter of negotiating boundaries and agreeing on "clear-free zones," Smallin says.

Better yet, remember why you fell in love in the first place; make the heart, not the vacuum cleaner, the priority.

Not everyone has the clean gene. But there's nothing like a new year to take another stab at a clutter-free life. The towering Pisa of paperwork on the desk must go; it's time to reclaim the bedroom closet. Here are some of Smallin's tips for restoring order:

•Get your brain in gear. Mentally prepare for the transition. Just because you've failed time and time again doesn't mean you're doomed to repeat that behavior. Try to get to the root cause of your disorganization, and figure out what you stand to gain by making changes.

•Start by tackling just one stumbling block. Hang up your jacket when you get home from work, sort your mail as soon as you retrieve it. In about 21 days, studies show, those actions will become habits.

•Make - and keep - organizing appointments. Schedule a 15-minute block in your day to pare down, clean up, pitch out or rearrange. If you're watching a television show, you can double up by pulling out a junk drawer and organizing it during commercials. Fifteen minutes a day adds up to seven hours a month, Smallin notes.

•Give yourself permission to let go of the past. Get rid of things you no longer love. If you don't adore it or you don't use it, that's a signal you don't need it. Donate that purple lamp with the green fringe that Aunt Mildred gave you to a thrift store. Dump the guilt and the stuff will follow.

•Get an organizing buddy for accountability. Check in with each other every week and see what kind of progress you're both making. If you need a kick start to get the ball rolling, hire a professional organizer to set up a game plan.

Michelle Bearden

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