|
Saturday,
January 8, 2005
Focus
Section
Ready,
Set...
Get
Organized
By
Jackie DiMarzo
For
the Poughkeepsie Journal
My
kitchen pantry was overflowing with food. I
probably couldn't have fit another item in there without
something
falling on my head. Little did I know that
many of those
boxes and bags were practically empty.
The pantry also
contained a coffee pot that doesn't
work, a carafe that
leaks, a bottle of olive oil I didn't
know I had, and my kids
Halloween
bags - still full.
Fortunately
for me, Ellen Kutner, professional organizer,
came to my rescue and
organized my pantry in
less than
ten minutes. "You create zones by putting like
things
together," she said, referring to the shelf of cereal
boxes
and areas that contained
pasta or baking items.
Kutner,
a resident of Pleasant Valley, is a member of
the
National Organization of Professional Organizers
(NAPO). NAPO has announced that it will sponsor the first Get Organized Month this
January 2005 as an annual event to raise awareness about the benefits to getting
organized and hiring a
professional organizer.
"January
is the perfect month to launch Get Organized Month," said NAPO President Barry Izsak. "People
often
make getting organized one of their New Year's
resolutions. Now there is help. NAPO Professional
Organizers are available during
[January] and year-round to help people reach their organizing
goals."
What
are the benefits of getting organized?
According
to Kutner, having your home and/or office organized can increase productivity and energy, help
you
meet important deadlines, and gain control of your
surroundings.
When
your surroundings are organized, says Kutner,
you
are able to find things more quickly and not duplicate
purchases.
This saves both time and money, not to
mention stress and aggravation. "A well organized home gives you more time for family,
friends, hobbies, and relaxation," she said.
But
what does a professional organizer do in your
home?
Is it as overwhelming for them as it is for us?
Kutner says
some clients warn her on the phone that she
will probably
run screaming from their home when they
see the mess -
but she hasn't had
that happen yet.
Because
a lot of people don't know where to begin,
they
don't begin at all, she said. That's when it's time to
bring in
a professional. "In a lot of ways you become
somebody's
personal coach and it
gives them focus."
Because
Kutner is not sentimentally attached to her
client's possessions, she
can come in and help them sort
through them and get rid of
the clutter. "Some people
are so overwhelmed that they
can't see the light at the
end of the tunnel. I focus them
and
direct them."
Kutner
usually starts in an area like the kitchen or living
space, some place
where the client spends a lot of
time
and will see the biggest difference once the space is
clutter
free. Some people want to have their bedroom
organized.
"Bedrooms should be free of electronic gadgets and
piles
of things. It should be a place where you
can go and
relax," she said.
Decluttering
is her first mission when she begins with
a
client. "We weed out and purge and the pile dwindles
down to something that's easy to organize. I love challenges. The
challenges I face each day energize me. [When the job is finished,] people experience a sense of
relief and actually feel
lighter."
Adults
often feel sentimental about items that were given to
them by a favorite
aunt
or another person in their life who is now deceased. Some of the
things we hang on to we don't
use, and we don't even like. But
we can't get rid of them. "I try to
help people to let go of guilt,"
said Kutner. "Keep things you
treasure and things you use, and
let go of the things that have no value to you."
Kid
Stuff
It's
hard enough for adults to
organize and get rid of the mounting pile things we accumulate,
how do you get your kids to do
the same? If you have them go
through their things on an on-going basis, it will be easier for
them, said Kutner. "Go through
their things with them every six months, or with the change of
seasons." Things that they have
outgrown or don't play with anymore can be discarded, she explained.
And
what about when the kids
are all grown up? Kutner advises
hanging on to some items that are
key to their childhood, like a
game they loved to play or their
favorite books.
Regarding school or art work,
which can get out of control if
you try to keep all of it, Kutner
recommends asking the children
which pieces are important to
them and keeping those things.
Have them pick out their favorite
piece of writing or artwork they
did that week and throw the rest
away. Their favorite pieces of
work can be stored in a sturdy portfolio.
One
parent Kutner worked with
hung her children's artwork on
the walls of the garage. The
whole family could appreciate it each time they got into or out of
their cars, and there was no need
to put scotch tape up on the walls
inside the house.
Sort,
keep, donate, and throw out
After
Kutner and her clients
determine what will be kept in the
home and where, the discard pile
needs to leave the house - and fast. Some things, of course, will
be thrown out, but Kutner has a place for those things that can be
donated to someone who can use
them. She runs the thrift shop at
her church, St. Paul's Episcopal
Church
in Pleasant Valley. "It's
great to be able to take the job
full circle," she said.
"I can help
people clean out their homes and then hand them a receipt for a tax
deductible donation to the church's thrift shop." The
thrift
shop usually holds a rummage sale twice a year and makes
affordable items available to
people who need them. "It feels so
good to be able to help someone [in their home], and give to the
church and community as well,"
she said.
"I
love being able to make a
difference in somebody's life," she said. "It gives me a
great
sense of satisfaction and
accomplishment."
For
more information about
Ellen Kutner and her business
"Simply Organized," visit her
Web site at www.simplyorg.com
or call her at 845-453-4481. For
more information about NAPO, go to www.napo.net.
|
