Kathleen Reynolds, Professional Organizer

Kathleen Reynolds, Professional Organizer Organize, declutter, and maximize your space. C'mon, you know you want to!

03/14/2020

Now that you're stuck at home, let's finally tackle that long-over due organizing project that's been sneering at you for months. I'm available.

My Favorite Things!Before you buy any organizing pieces, here are my favorite affordable storage tools:Magazine Holders....
11/20/2019

My Favorite Things!
Before you buy any organizing pieces, here are my favorite affordable storage tools:

Magazine Holders. These take up very little space and hold so much. Great for keeping all parts of a project in one place such as college applications, as well as corralling sketchbooks, files, paper supplies, and periodicals.
https://www.ikea.com/us/en/cat/magazine-files-10567/

Lazy Susans in your kitchen cabinets. Everything becomes accessible and visible.
https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/s/lazy-susan-turntable

Hooks. Best organizing bang for your buck. I have 20 in my three-room apartment.
https://www.homedepot.com/b/Storage-Organization-Home-Storage-Hooks/N-5yc1vZc89i

Under Bed Storage Boxes. If you live in an apartment, you need these. Everything stays clean and protected. Only buy clear storage boxes and don’t waste money on things like wheels on the bottom.
https://www.containerstore.com/s/closet/storage-boxes-bins/our-under-bed-box/12d?productId=10035006

Open bins under the kitchen and bathroom sink. You’ll always know what you have and exactly where it is.
https://www.containerstore.com/s/kitchen/sink-under-sink/12

08/22/2019

What to do when you’re not the problem.

The most successful dating app would align people with the same standard for a clean home. I frequently get called in by one spouse because of the other’s mess. Respect is the issue here. One person feels disrespected because they are being forced to live with (and clean up) an endless mess. The other person feels they are being bossed around. Nobody feels “at home” in their own home. Some ground rules need to be set. My method for 16 years has been to get the space “clean with a gentle sense of order.” Clean means no dishes or trash are out. A gentle sense of order means everything has a home. Of course, life takes over occasionally but with this simple standard, it’s easy to get back on track. Paper and clothes are the biggest clutter offenders. Give each person one basket for their mail and papers. Nothing gets lost and it ensures a little privacy. Clothes are either put away or in the laundry. It takes the same amount of time to hang something up as it does to throw it on the floor. A good compromise is giving the order-challenged person one chair or small table to put things on. That’s it. The clutter is contained. An organized home isn’t about looking good to others. It’s about having your space support your life.

08/08/2019

What to do when you’re so overwhelmed you can’t breathe.
Take these three actions:
1. With trash bag in hand quickly walk around the apartment
throwing out everything that is truly trash.
2. Gather all the paper that can be put in recycling and get it
out of your home.
3. Clear one small spot that is sacred: a corner, a chair, a
nightstand, or a drawer. No clutter will enter here. This is
your starting point.

From there, take 15 minutes a day and clear another small spot. Build on these successes. It’s all about progress, not perfection. This is a gentle way to take back your home at a time when it all feels like too much.

They're away at camp! What would you like to get done?
07/07/2019

They're away at camp!
What would you like to get done?

04/24/2019

Does your spring break include some spring cleaning? I have two last-minute openings for Thursday, April 24th and Saturday, April 26th. Let me know what you'd like to get done and we'll make it happen.

07/09/2018

Happy Summer! Need help with an organizing project? I'm available just 9 days in July. Mon, 7/16 - Thurs, 7/19, Mon, 7/23, and Sat, 7/28 - Tues, 7/31. Let's talk!

11/15/2017

Parenting Your Parent (Part 2) Paperwork and Collectibles.

The seemingly endless papers can go from piles to files in an hour or two. Save tax, insurance, financial and medical documents. Shred old credit card statements and save documents related to home ownership. Throw out paid bills such as the phone, cable and utility bills. Set-up autopay for bills that are the same amount each month (condo common charges, etc.) and coordinate this with pension/IRA/social security deposits. Most likely, your parent will no longer file documents (hence, the piles around the house.) Keep a few two-pocket folders on the table (or a desk) for them. It’s easy for them to put doctors’ statements and medicare/insurance documents in one, financial statements in another, and bills not on auto-pay in another. This is manageable for them. Nothing gets lost and it gives them confidence and a sense of control over their day-to-day lives. Elderly people get an onslaught of catalogs, shady credit card offers and questionable charitable solicitations. It’s easy to cancel the catalogs online and to stop the credit card offers: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0262-stopping-unsolicited-mail-phone-calls-and-email
If you don’t have it already - get power of attorney and a copy of their will. Your parents’ health and ability to make decisions for themselves can change instantly. Being ready is important.

On collectibles. The best place to start is with an association that deals in that collectible. (My dad collected postcards - and yes, there are actually clubs that buy and sell postcards.) For truly valuable items such as original art and first edition books go to an auction house. Get an appraisal so that you know what you have and can store and insure it properly. Think about selling the collection now while you have the time and energy. One client sold his comic book collection on EBay over the course of a year. He had the time but you may not. A little research now will save you time and stress down the road.

There is so much to cover on downsizing your parent’s home that I’ll address when it’s time to simply let go of things (including resentments) in part 3.

11/13/2017

Parenting Your Parent.

Your parent's dining room table is always covered with paperwork. This is the first sign that your parent is having trouble managing daily life. Their memory is starting to fail and they try to control things with visual cues. The piles continue throughout the house because basic decision making has become difficult. Combine this with mobility issues and it becomes clear that your parent needs help. It’s normal to feel frustrated or even slightly angry at your parent. You still see them as the vibrant person who raised you and doted on your children. You could also be feeling overwhelmed due to your own family and work responsibilities.

In the past few years, I’ve work with many families who are helping their parents to downsize to a small condo or to move to assisted living. One family reduced a five-bedroom home over six-months and another had to close out a two-bedroom condo in three days. The process is similar. Let go of everything your parent no longer cares about (clothes from a previous career, old paperback books, hobbies they haven’t touched in years, yard tools that won’t be needed.) Yes, you will have to get rid of some things when they aren’t looking and that’s OK. Pare down and pack up all that stuff YOU’VE been storing at your parent's house. If time permits, have a yard sale, if not, ask friends to drive items to local charities. Scheduled pickups often take weeks and frequently, they will reject items. One client listed everything on Facebook free to anyone who would pick them up that weekend. Everything went including the furniture.

So start downsizing while your parent can still be part of the decision-making process. It will empower them and reduce your stress load. Because this is such a complex issue, part two will focus on paperwork, collectibles and when to simply let things go.

09/22/2017

On the many moving parts to moving…

Let’s start by stating the obvious: moving is stressful. Schlepping everything you own from one place to another is a daunting task. Early planning reduces your stress load but the single most important thing you can do is get rid of everything you no longer want or need BEFORE the move. The temptation is to pack everything and “figure it out” on the other end. This costs you by: paying for supplies to pack things that are going to be thrown out, paying someone pack things that are going to be thrown out, and paying someone to move stuff that’s going to be thrown out. Plus, the fights with your partner about “Why is THIS coming with us???” Moving can be a time for a fresh start. Packing can actually be a calm time of reflection. What items are truly important to me? Does this wardrobe serve my current life or is it for a career I no longer have? Could another family benefit from these things I never use? As you pare down and pack, the move will begin to feel more manageable. If friends offer to help, have them pack your kitchen. It’s the most time-consuming task but requires no decision making. Packing paper protects fragile items better than bubble wrap; it’s cheaper and better for the environment. Be wary of moving companies that pack your stuff. In 14 years of doing this work, I’ve never seen it done well. They literally dump drawers into boxes and stuff always “goes missing.” Don’t waste time on labeling everything going into a box. Just label which room the box goes to on the top and one side of the box. Pre-printed labels can save time with this. A good source for affordable boxes is cheapcheapmovingboxes.com with next day delivery. Reach out to me with questions about your move or if you just need a sympathetic ear.

07/20/2017

Decisions, Hoarding and S**U Marie Kondo

“Have you ever worked with a hoarder!” Oh, if I had a dollar for every time someone asked me that. Hoarding is a mental illness and not about clutter, so I only work in conjunction with the client’s mental health professional. But once the client decides to ask for help, it is life-changing. And that brings me to decisions. Clutter is postponed decisions. Caring for children or aging parents, illness, excessive work schedules all deplete our ability to make decisions and contribute to “the piles” as my clients often call them. Life is frequently overwhelming but your home doesn’t have to be. So, there is no magic and it’s definitely not about how you fold your underwear. It’s about asking for help and making one decision at a time.

04/09/2017

In need of a little spring cleaning? I'm in town this week. Recent projects include reducing a client's two storage spaces to one, and helping a dear friend's 90-year-old mother eliminate years of paperwork and be more comfortable in her home. Contact me. Let's talk about your goals for your space.

12/23/2016

Wishing you all a merry & bright holiday!
(I'm back Tuesday, Dec. 27 to help you declutter all that 2016 bad karma.)

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