In this Episode:

If you are dealing with clutter, I have on an expert who is going to help you get your home organized!  Kathy Vines is a Certified Professional Organizer and she shares her best tips for decluttering our homes.  We tackle clothes, papers, memorabilia and the systems + habits that will help you create the peaceful home environment you desire.

Key Takeaways:

• If someone says they are disorganized - they are disorganized in one of three areas: 1. stuff 2.systems or 3. habits
• The 5 main categories where people struggle: 1. clothes 2. books 3. collections 4. memorabilia 5. paperwork
• Start your kids at a young age to put things away.
• Managing the emotional piece with an item.  Just because something is memorable doesn't mean it is important.  You need to assess the value around the importance.
• Declutter to give a gift to your future self.  Clean the dishes in the sink every night so your future self wakes up to a clean kitchen.
• Uncover what isn't working so you can create systems to solve for the problems.
• Paper - you need a system.  Past, Present. Future.  Kathy says to prioritize the current paper over the past paper.  Go through all of the paper and she asks her clients to ask "What is the action I need to take with this piece of paper?"  For example, pay a bill or add something to your calendar like an invite.
• If you are overwhelmed start with one small space - like a drawer.  Group, like with like.  Start with something unemotional.
• Questions you can ask: "What does this room need to do for you?"  "How can you make it fully functioning?"  "What do you need to solve for these problems?"
• Her three best tips:  1. Everything has to have a home. 2. Ask "what does finished look like?" and work backwards to what you need to do to make that happen 3. Notice and beware of how often you say I'll do that "later" - always pick the best choice for "future you" and start now.

Show Notes & Resources:

Clevergirlorganizing.com to access Kathy's 2019 challenge to organize your home.  This is open to my audience until Jan 11th and then it closes.

Instagram: Clevergirlorganizing

Facebook: Clevergirlorganizing

Twitter: Clevergirlorg

Books:

Clever Girl's Guide to Living with Less: Break Free from Your Stuff, Even When Your Head and Heart Get in the Way by Kathy Vines

Organizing from the Inside Out by Julie Morgenstern

This episode was sponsored by Design a Life You Love, A Woman's Guide to Living a Happier and More Fulfilled Life. My book includes 52 inspirations, one for every week of the year, each with practical tips to guide you to self-love and success on your own terms. It’s a short book that you can read in about an hour, but includes life lessons that will last a lifetime.

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