Are you overwhelmed with the contents of a room, closet or space in your home or office?

Are you having trouble focusing on what to keep and what not to keep?

Is your vision for what you want a particular room or space to be used for lost in all of the “stuff”?

Is clutter in your home or office affecting your sense of well being, your peace of mind, or does it keep you from having a peaceful living existence for you and your family?

Are you having difficulty finding an organized “place” for all of your stuff?

Are you trying to downsize your belongings or maybe your parents’ belongings?

Are you preparing for a move and feeling overwhelmed with where to begin to prepare your home for prospective buyers?

Are you trying to coordinate a move?

Do you have a difficult time letting go of items in your home that you don’t use on a regular basis or don’t need?

If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, an ORGANIZER may be exactly what you need.

The best way to begin to find an organizer in your local area is to ask your friends, contacts, or co-workers if they know of anyone or have used an organizer. Word of mouth and references are the best way to find an organizer that will meet the needs of your home, office and family.

It is a good idea to have an organizer that is a member of NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers). This shows that the organizer is committed to professionalism, as well as enhancing the lives of clients by creating unique storage and organizing systems to help control their surroundings, their time, their paper and their peace of mind. Go to Napo.net for more information.

Keep in mind that there are many different kinds of organizers. Some organizers have a “hands on” approach and help sort through each item. Other organizers act as coaches and guide their clients through the purging process. Decide how involved you want your organizer to be.

So, whether you are looking for an organizer to help de-clutter closets, process paper piles, redo a filing system, organize a pantry, basement, attic, or create an organized place for all of your garage belongings so that your car can fit in, an organizer is available to help you create a peaceful living experience for you and your busy life.

Are the clothes in your closet squished together without even a hint of order?  Do you have shoes, belts, clothing and other items laying on the floor of your closet?  Are your clothes separated by season?  Do you have your good winter sweaters “hanging” instead of neatly folded and protected to keep their shape?  Do you have clothes in your closet with the tags still on, that you purchased over six months ago, but have never worn?  Can you find the mates to all of your shoes?  What about that dressy blouse you wore last New Year’s….can you find it?  Are you”frazzled” when you walk into your closet?

Your closet CAN be an orderly, peaceful place to store your clothing and accessories with a little bit of time, effort and creativity.

The FIRST thing to do is to take everything out of your closet and determine what kind of shelving, hanging space and organization system is desired and needed for your specific closet space.  There are a lot of choices and options from ClosetMaid organization systems to the Elfa decor closet at The Container Store, or maybe even custom built suggestions.  You may already have good, quality hanging and storage space.  Choose closet organizing hardware that will give you lots of options, such as adequate hanging space, pull out bins, shelving for shoes and accessories and full use of your closet area from floor to ceiling.

NEXT, determine what items you actually wear and use on a regular basis and remove all of the rest.  Donate your unused clothing and accessories to a local shelter, resale shop or Goodwill.  This may be difficult to do, but is essential in having a functional closet.

FINALLY, after your organization hardware is installed, create an organized “home” for your clothing, shoes, hanging items, and accessories, arranging by color and season.  Be creative by using storage bins and baskets that you may already have.  Use hangers that are alike and sturdy (give your wire hangers to your dry cleaners, as they will recycle them).  Create a visually pleasing atmosphere for this space in your home that you visit every day.  If you have room, create a place in your closet where you can lay out your everyday jewelry and fun accessories.  The most important thing is that you should love going into your closet!

Below are some pictures to help inspire you to get started!