Don't be afraid to get organized 

By LARRY HUGHES


I remain receptive to new ideas no matter how foreign to my nature they may be. Ellen Kutner's business card reads "Simply Organized" and "Decluttering and Space Organizing."

These are concepts with which I am familiar although one would not guess so visiting my living space. I'm not trying to justify my behavior, but if I throw something in a corner I'll know where it is the next time I need it.

Trouble is, if I don't use that something for a period of time it tends to become dust-covered. All of which might lead people to believe I am "unorganized." Or worse.

"Personality wise, I think I've just always been an organized person," said Kutner, who grew up in Hyde Park and has made a business out of helping others find and remain on a de-cluttered path. The family lived in three houses during her formative years in Hyde Park and her father's philosophy was that time to move was time to get rid of stuff.

"If he didn't use it after a certain amount of time, it was gone," she explained. "That's just kind of a part of me. I know that the more things you have, the more time it takes to take care of them. My philosophy is that I don't want to spend my time taking care of my possessions."

Kutner does not employ a heavy-handed approach. A client doesn't have to throw everything out. She knows older folks often have certain possessions that remind them of special people and places. By all means, keep what is near and dear to you.

But if you have overflowing drawers and closets, a crammed attic and/or garage, a disorganized kitchen and your paperwork is in absolute disarray, she might be able to help. It's about stuff you don't use. Maybe it's clothing that doesn't fit or a gadget that's broken.

Just so much you can fit

"Sometimes when I'm having a tough time making a point to a client, I try to bring it bring it down to simplistic terms," Kutner said. "Like a shoebox. You can only fit so much in that shoebox before it starts overflowing. It gets to the point with some people that they can't find a place to sit, or, stuff another piece of paper into a file draw."

Kutner values the concept of recycling. She operates a thrift store for her church. "When I work with someone and they have things they don't want and don't have a place where they can go, I can take those things from them, give them a receipt for their donation and put it in a yard sale I run a few times a year for my church," she said.

January is "Get Organized Month" as proclaimed by the National Association of Professional Organizers, of which Kutner is a member.

If you've been meaning to wish a loved one Happy New Year the next time you see them — you know they're somewhere around the house — it might be time to call Ellen at 845-453-4481 or visit www.simplyorg.com

Larry Hughes' column appears every other Friday. Write to him at the Poughkeepsie Journal, P.O. Box 1231, Poughkeepsie, NY, 12602. He can also be heard on WHVW Radio (950 AM) on Friday at 10 a.m. and on Saturday from 8 to 10 a.m.