Welcome to the introduction of The Missing Manual, a guide to organizing when you don't know how. In the end, it'll be a book, but for now it's a work in progress. I welcome your comments and suggestions, either in…
Logical brain, feeling brain: Who’s calling the shots?
When you're trying to get a handle on your clutter, it can be helpful to talk yourself through some of the reasons why you're keeping something. Do you use it? When was the last time you used it? How much…
Read More Logical brain, feeling brain: Who’s calling the shots?
Fiddly bits of paper are clutter: Here’s how to deal with them once and for all
Over the years, I've noticed that if a company wants me to keep buying from them, they'll offer me some kind of deal which involves me finding some scissors and clipping stuff. How many box tops have you snipped off…
Read More Fiddly bits of paper are clutter: Here’s how to deal with them once and for all
Can your clutter make you rich?
How much of your clutter are you keeping because it's worth a lot of money? I met with a vintage resaler this week because I'm always looking to find new options for you. Her pitch to me was that now…
Getting unstuck when you’re midway through decluttering
In every decluttering and organizing project, there’s that moment when you’re done. Except you’re not done. Far from it. The boxes are still crammed full of papers. The floor is still covered in piles. The closets continue to look like…
Read More Getting unstuck when you’re midway through decluttering
Want a beautifully organized closet? Here are the rules you absolutely must follow
You must hang your clothes by color. You must hang your clothes by size. You must hang your clothes by season. You must hang your clothes in outfits. You must hang your clothes by the occasion you'll wear them. You…
Read More Want a beautifully organized closet? Here are the rules you absolutely must follow
Did you get a screamin’ deal?
This thing you want to buy costs $100. More than you're comfortable spending, but it's on sale! It's half price! It's such a good deal, you'd be crazy not to buy it. You know you'll end up buying it eventually,…
Slow and steady wins the decluttering and organizing race
The exact decluttering principles I use with my organizing clients to help them successfully clear their messy homes. What is slow and steady decluttering? Slow and steady decluttering is the practice of tackling the clutter in your messy home gradually.…
Read More Slow and steady wins the decluttering and organizing race
10 ways to reward yourself for decluttering and organizing
The long-term rewards for decluttering are awesome. Who doesn't want to live in a beautiful organized space, where they can always find everything, and feel comfortable having people over at the drop of a hat? But decluttering is hard work.…
Read More 10 ways to reward yourself for decluttering and organizing
How to have a successful yard sale
Many basements are full of clutter waiting to be turned into riches at a yard sale. Here's how to have the best garage sale in town. How not to have a yard sale Some yard sales have the stench of…
When clutter is proof you’re loved
A surprising amount of the clutter that fills our homes falls into the category of evidence that we're loved. Here are the notes and letters all my friends from school sent me. I'm likable. I've kept every Valentine and birthday…
Clutter speaks out
Hello? It's me, your clutter. Listen, we need to talk. It's not like we really do much together anymore. I've been hanging out in the guest bedroom, and you haven't been in there for ages. To be honest, I've been…
Solving the decluttering puzzle
Living in a cluttered house is like sitting down to do a jigsaw puzzle. But you have three 1,500 piece puzzles mixed up in the box and only room on the table to do a 500 piece puzzle. Something's got…
What to do with sentimental clutter
Mementos and sentimental clutter can often trip you up when you try to declutter. What to do with all the precious personal tchotchkes that bring back so many memories? We feel so guilty. How could you ever think of getting…
I’m calling about my mom
God knows you've tried. You've coaxed, you've wheedled, you've threatened and yes, you've yelled. All for what? The clutter is still everywhere. Nothing has changed. You're worried about her safety and you're terrified that you're going to have to clear…
How to decide what to declutter
Loyalty's a fine thing, but taken to extremes it can create problems. If you feel the sort of allegiance to your stuff that usually comes with a marriage license, it can be hard to even think about letting something go.…
Can you donate parts of a set or a collection?
Absolutely. Feeling like you have to have all the parts of a collection can be a fast track to a cluttered house. Breaking up a set is a great way to keep only the things you love want and need.…
When your house is so messy you don’t know where to start
Twenty quick decluttering projects you can do right now When the mess is overwhelming, take 20 minutes to do a quick decluttering mini mission. You can do anything for 20 minutes! READ MORE >>> Decluttering motivation Set your timer for…
Read More When your house is so messy you don’t know where to start
Best places to donate
Congratulations! You've weighed the options and decided that you can let some things go. That's wonderful. Getting things out of your house is the next step in the decluttering process. But be careful, this step can to trip you up.…
How to declutter and organize
The Joyful Method will show you how to declutter and organize without getting overwhelmed. The Joyful Method to declutter and organize Getting the organized home you deserve Many of us would like to get organized and know the first step…
How to handle your Amazon problem
Amazon in small doses is convenient, helpful and a great invention. But too much of a good thing leads to clutter, both in the things you impulse buy and the boxes that clutter comes in. Here's how to beat Prime…
Ask the organizer: beloved children’s books
"What does one do with the boxes of wonderful old books that your kids loved and enjoyed and that are SO hard to toss? Do I save them on the outside chance that there will be grandchildren one day? Or?"…
Who can help you get to the next level?
"Look at the puppy and call out the numbers using your peripheral vision." I'm sitting in the optometrist's office and she's going over the instructions for the first set of vision therapy exercises. My eyes throb and I want to…
How to give yourself a fighting chance to get the garage decluttered and organized
It’s 95 degrees in the garage and it's dimly lit, dusty and dirty. But today's the day you're going to organize the garage so let's have at it. Grab the nearest box and open it. Take out the handful of…
Read More How to give yourself a fighting chance to get the garage decluttered and organized
What’s your excuse?
https://youtu.be/V4C7_rCmKHQ Klinger wanted to get out of the army, and you want to get out from under your clutter. But there are all sorts of perfectly good excuses for why that hasn't happened yet. Watch this two-minute clip as Lieutenant…
Essential Effortlessness
Part of getting things done is figuring out what you need to do and how to do it as easily as possible. There are tons of books on productivity and many of us have whiled away many hours reading them,…
Five things I know you have too many of
My psychic powers are about as reliable as the magic 8 ball but I'll put good money that you have at least one of the following five things in your home. Maybe even more than one. Bed, Bath & Beyond…
Customized organizing for the way things really are saves you time and energy
Organizing for the way you actually live saves tons of time and exasperation. A furry example. It started when he was about eight. "He's a big dog, who knows how long he really has?" my husband said, tucking Baxter's doggy…
Read More Customized organizing for the way things really are saves you time and energy
Use your complaints to get organized. Wishes can come true!
Thinking ahead is at the heart of organizing and it's a skill that can be developed and enhanced no matter how scatter-brained you naturally are. You've been waiting all day for a callback from your doctor/the IRS/the person who said…
Read More Use your complaints to get organized. Wishes can come true!
Migraines suck and you can get through them: Three tips to ease your burden
Knowing I won't be able to do the dog walk tomorrow, I text my friend: "Massive mirage will gave to like tomorrow." Something feels off about that but I'm too far gone to make out the letters on my phone.…
Read More Migraines suck and you can get through them: Three tips to ease your burden
Tell me your worn stories
I call them memory clothes - bits and pieces of clothing that bring up such intense memories that seeing them takes you back in time. Emily Spivack, author of Worn Stories, calls them 'sartorial memoirs'. If you've ever kept a…
What is clutter?
Clutter's a slippery concept, because there's no generic checklist, no boxes to tick. You can't print out a list of things to declutter and know if you get rid of them, your home will be clutter free. You and you…
Bathroom decluttering
Decluttering the bathroom Nothing screams "declutter me!" like the counter in your bathroom. Lotions and potions jostle for your attention, all hoping today's the day you reach for them. Like the long line of hopefuls winding out from a casting…
Three games to help you declutter books
When - not if - you declutter your books, taking charge of the process will make it easier. Kindle readers can skip this post - although I see you, digital clutter - but for most of us, books are among…
Organized enough
There are no organizing police, but you'd be surprised how many of my clients worry there might be. Perhaps you too feel you aren't organized enough, that you're not doing it right. Often, that's because you grew up in a…
Decluttering motivation
You want to declutter, but it can be so hard to find the motivation. Here are seven highly effective strategies to get you off the couch and happily decluttering. Strategy #1: Use music to energize you Some days you're just…
How many scissors do you have and where are they?
Were you raised in a full house where anything you could possibly want was somewhere if only that elusive spot could be located? We must have had at least twelve pairs of scissors, none of which were where they ought…
Decluttering magazines
In these covidest of times, have you put your stack(s) of magazines to good use? Made the collages? Created the vision boards? Read all the articles you've been meaning to? No? You're not alone. The magazines have languished since well…
‘I always ask, What hurts most?’
Filled Up and Overflowing - what to do when life events, chronic disorganization, or hoarding go overboard, is a compassionate, practical read that I wish had been available when I was starting out as an organizer. I'm thrilled we have…
Decluttering books
If ever there was a time to catch up on your backlog of unread books, this pandemic is it. Whether you're staying safe at home or working from home, time has opened up for most of us. No commuting, groceries…
Ask the organizer: A bad smell in the fridge
Dear Joyful Surroundings, There's an odor in my fridge. I've got a new box of baking soda in there but it doesn't seem to be working. Thanks for listening, M, Colorado Dear M, We have huge fridges these days, nothing…
Organizing your bedroom
Remember when you were a kid and your room (or the bit of the bedroom you staked out as your territory) was the only place you had to keep everything? The bed, which doubled as your couch, was squashed in…
Chronic disorganization case study: Jason’s story
“Want to give me the tour?” I asked as Jason stood in front of me, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. I’d seen photographs of his house already and we’d talked about his organizing goals but I…
Mindful decluttering
When it comes to decluttering, the focus is usually on how things look. Look at that bedroom!I can't see the bed!I don't see how all those clothes can possibly fit in the closet. But we have five senses and they…
The importance of clutter
Sometimes clutter is vital and that’s why you’re keeping it. You may genuinely think the reason you don't declutter is because it's overwhelming. And that may be true. But it's worth considering if there's something else going on too. READ…
How will I know when I’m organized?
If clutter has been a long-standing problem for you, it can be tough to figure out when you're done. How will you know when you're Organized with a capital O? Organized You're Organized when you can use each room for…
How to stop organizing overwhelm
In theory, decluttering and organizing are simple. You select what you still need and let the rest go. Find homes for everything you've kept and move on with your life. The reality, as we know, is somewhat different. Because although…
What does chronically disorganized mean?
The Institute for Challenging Disorganization defines chronic disorganization as disorganization that persists over the long haul, often making your quality of life worse, and is a constant in your life no matter what you try to do to fix it…
What are you doing instead of decluttering?
Everyone wants to be organized but no one wants to declutter because it's overwhelming. You take one look at the guest room and you just want to close the door and make it all go away. You cede the space…
Getting unstuck
Twenty minutes decluttering a day is the slow and steady way to lasting change but sometimes it feels like you're spinning your wheels. When you start to wonder if it's worth it, check in with yourself and see if you're…