The official start of spring is just days away and I can’t be the only one counting down the minutes! I am more than ready for the warmer temperatures, the blossoms to bloom, the birds to sing and to throw open my windows to let that fresh air fill our house. This month we have […]

As a professional organizer, I’m always asked if I “make” my clients get rid of stuff while helping them declutter. In case you’re wondering the same thing…the answer, in short, is: absolutely not. In recent years there has been a growing interest in minimalism and a greater emphasis on “less is more”, but before you jump on the bandwagon and rid your home of anything that doesn’t bring you joy, take a moment to carefully review a couple of categories before letting them go.

Who has issues in the morning and would to shave off a few minutes from their morning routine? There are so many ways to make the most out of your confined space in a shower so that you are not only more organized, but you are able to speed up your daily routine (win-win!). Similar to every area of your home, organization can streamline your daily routine and help you save time, money, and frustration in the long run. And all this while in the shower!? Yes. It’s possible.

While it can be tempting to think of how you can transform your entire home during spring cleaning/organizing, it can also be overwhelming and time consuming. Instead, narrow your focus to a few select areas that will make the most impact, like your kitchen and pantry. When you set out to organize your kitchen and pantry, make sure to avoid making these common mistakes so that you can save on time, money, and ensure that you make the  most out of your available space.

A few months ago I hosted a workshop event called Cleanse Your Closet with the consignment gurus from The RealReal. The workshop was held at the inspiring BUREAU coworking + event space, and we spent the evening chatting all things closets, including how to create the best closet layout for your space, how to organize your clothing, and how to handle situations like knowing when to consign an item, how to handle sentimental items, and how to store out of season clothing.

The thing about spring cleaning/organizing/whatever you want to call it is there is so much build up around it. There is no official “spring cleaning” holiday per se, but instead it’s the general time of year where we are all supposed to buckle down and get our stuff in order.

To be honest, I have a love/hate relationship with it. I mean, as a type A person to my core there are few things I enjoy more than a good list to check off and for everything to have its place. But, even though everything has its place doesn’t mean that everything needs a place in your home.

It’s officially spring and with that comes the start of spring cleaning and organizing. This year I’ve created a Spring Organizing Series here on the blog, which will be a collection of blog posts dedicated to getting specific areas of your home organized. First up in the series is the topic that I get asked about most often: kids stuff!

My 9-year old identical twin daughters and I were on Great Day Washington earlier to discuss spring organizing tips and to provide real-life examples of how families, including those with young children, can help out with getting organized (and not just create more chaos). Here are a few tips to get your family involved with spring cleaning the closet, toys chest, pantry and storage.

Have you ever asked your kids to help you clean and organize, and when you get started, it actually seems like more trouble than it’s worth? Getting them to pick up and organize after themselves can require so much effort, energy, and emotion. Here are some tips for kids to get and stay organized.