2024 Organizing & Decluttering Thread

I recently accepted a new job, and I decided that that is my line in the sand to get organized before I begin working again (after 20 years as a SAHM). So, today, I contacted and subsequently hired a home organizer to come in next week and help me make bigger progress than I can make in a short period of time on my own. I will have the help of two organizers for three hours, so a total of six extra "man-hours" to tackle two spaces in my home. Right now, I'm thinking I'll focus on my family room and kitchen, but the dining room is in contention, too, since it's the catch-all room in the house that has about six different functions. Anyway, we'll see how it goes, and if it goes well, I may sign-on for more help, but this is just to begin to make a dent, see if I like this person's style, determine whether the money is worth the outcome, etc.

Has anyone else ever hired an organizer, and if so, did you have a good experience? I'm sorry if this has been mentioned previously in this thread. I don't always keep up with it so forgive me if I'm duplicating.

Oh to have a hallway large enough for a pile of anything.

Mine is so stupidly narrow, I will not put anything on the walls. Forget the floor.

Have you been able to start on your camping gear linda ? I’m like alsomsknit , my hallways are too small for anything to be on the floor. My entryway is plenty big, and sometimes things pile there, especially after trips, but right now it’s clear.

I had a really great decluttering day today! In terms of size everything would add up to a good sized box. But more than that, several items that kept making the cut when I decluttered before either due to clutter blindness or not wanting to admit I wasn’t going to use them are finally out the door. A luxury duvet set will hopefully be going to one of DH’s coworkers, if not we will donate to a charity shop for an animal shelter, and I finally made the decision to let the set of counting crossstitch ornaments go there as well. As much as I wanted to, I just didn’t enjoy it when I picked it up again. And a set of 12 napkin rings my mom got me which I love and go perfectly with our kitchen and dining decor and Fiestaware…but I never use.

I used to have a huge stash of ribbon for wrapping presents and crafting that I have decluttered and used over the years to get down to a partially full drawer. Today while organizing a different drawer in the unit I decided to go through them and only kept about 8 spools, all favorites that go well with the one patterned roll of wrapping paper I use now, the rest into my crafty donations. That’s another suggestion from Peter Walsh I loved and finally brought myself to try out. Have a single wrapping paper that sort of becomes your signature, and a few different ribbons that go with it. Or maybe he said one combination, I don’t remember. I love wrapping so I’ve resisted forever but a couple of years ago decided I would go crazy at Christmas, but would use his suggestion for the gifts I give throughout the year. So I selected this watercolor rainbow paper for most gift giving occasions, plus a thick shiny white paper. For me this is a minor miracle. And when I was storing the ribbons with the paper I noticed my gift wrapping tackle box. I no longer use the bow making tools in there, so I’m moving the items I do use to the wrapping paper box and reusing the tackle box for something I’ve needed a different solution for. Double win!

Plus more perfume that I tested today, and I am almost finished with the unread book I selected yesterday from my stash. I’m getting a lot out of it, but I won’t reference or read it again so it’ll be donated when I complete it tonight and I’ll pick out the next one to read/reread.

LOL, I wouldn’t be able to do it. I would rather photocopy the pages I wanted to keep and donate the cookbook intact. I’ve actually photocopied recipes I use a lot out of cookbooks I’m not going to get rid of because it’s easier to use them that way. 

Thank you 

I’d dump my DDs stuff in the doorway of her room, but I’m mean like that! 

Her room is upstairs or I would be tempted but I don't really want to haul the big backpack and the tent (which needs to be set up to dry out) and everything else up the stairs.

Dh could but he's as clutter blind as she is. She did just come down and get it -except the tent.

Daily declutter task from My Simpler Life Declutter Calendar:

Clear out one pile in a hallway.

They have this for 3 days. Apparently there are lots of hallways big enough for piles and lots of piles in said hallways!

We do have several hallways capable of piles but I try to keep those areas clear of them. That’s not to say there aren’t piles of junk everywhere else, LOL. But having said that, there is some stuff that is in the entryway coming from the garage that I told DH it needed to go somewhere else because I’m sick of looking at it, including a box with a random part that I don’t know where he wants it where he will know where it is, a big box with a blow up mattress in it and a metal jug with some sealer or stain or some chemical. So basically none of it is my crap.   Oh, and a giant pack of toilet paper that needs to get put away.

dewryce - we really didn't want an open concept house which did prolong our house buying as modern houses are almost all open concept and many of the older ones had been converted. One of our hallways is like you describe - the one from the living room to the main bedroom.


Well, looks like we'll be decluttering more of our fence - the rest of the bit in the front with the gate and all of one side. It's in the way of putting in a new drainfield. We had already taken out the front on the other side of the house when we put in a garage but didn't bother with the extra expense of removing the rest - they'll take it down no charge so win-win. It'll leave us with fences along part of the boundary line with the neighbour on one side (his side yard, our back yard) and along one side between us and the property there (our side yard, their backyard. The other two sides are road facing. The previous owners had fenced in the back yard but we don't need that.

Three days and three listings have sold - yay! Now my “for sale” pile is a bit smaller and I’ve also cleared out a couple of boxes I’d held onto to post sold items.
Cleared under the dining table - did I just move a full box of Lego to sort to another room? Yes. But the room looks so much better.
Also cleared off a few items on top of my dining room table - put them away or piled so they’re tidier to the eye.

On a roll so I just cleared out the expired medication, expired hand sanitisers (who knew!) and bathroom vanity including an unused electric toothbrush caddy - finally got hubby to get rid of some aftershave he’s had since we’ve been married and never used (that’s 15+ years)!
These were areas I’ve gone through many times and said “yep, it’s done.” Just goes to show nope it’s not done and it’s time to take another look

You are on a roll! To do items, especially ones I’ve been avoiding feel so dang good when I complete them, definitely a big declutter win. 

I’m doing the same, thought I was done and was just maintaining but watching some YouTubers has really motivated me and I’m digging super deep this time…like I thought I already had already!

eta: I watched this video by Mia Danielle twice today, once on my own and again with DH, and I really recommend it. It’s titled 5 habit swaps for a minimalist life, but don’t let that deter you. Everything applies to decluttering and maintaining that and they’re simple and she explains them well. Some are oldies but goodies like quality over quantity and experiences over things, but others were either new or she added another way of looking at them that resonated with me, especially number 2.  Also, I have to brag, while we were watching DH was like “that’s a Peter Walsh thing.” Gotta love it! 

I bought a new bench for my mudroom and moved the old one right into my vehicle. I dropped it off at Goodwill yesterday, so same day!

I also gave DH's sister an old Christmas stocking she wanted. I knew she'd be seeing another brother, so I also handed off a bag of canning jars to give his wife. Whoo! I now have a clean mudroom.