Erasing Clutter

Transform Your Space, Free Your Spirit

by Crispin Kott, April 30, 2009

The notion of “spring cleaning” has become something of a cliché, but with good reason. The changing of the season, the rebirth of life—it’s a time when people are often more inclined to make changes at home, clear out the clutter, and get more organized.

According to decluttering experts, it’s always best to come up with a plan before doing anything. And part of that plan is considering why something as seemingly simple as removing clutter might be far more important than you realize.

Rosalyn Cherry is the creator of Clutter Master, a guide and hands-on kit designed to make organizing easy. She says removing clutter can have positive emotional impacts that people might not even think about. “A basic definition of clutter is ‘a confused multitude of things,’” Cherry says. “When there is no clutter, you are surrounded by the things that nourish you. Everything has a place, so you can find what you need with ease. Your living space reflects who you are. You move forward in life, open to possibilities instead of being weighed down with too much stuff. It is a glorious feeling of freedom and it is attainable with time and effort.”

Johanna Bard, owner of Your Hudson Valley Organizer and a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers, agrees, adding that it might be especially important in times of financial strife. “Let’s just take the economy right now,” Bard says. “If people in general have less money to spend and aren’t going on vacations, perhaps it’s better spent in creating your nest, creating your vacation at home and having a calm and serene and fun place to be.”

Design Intent
In undertaking an organizing project regardless of the scope, coming up with a game plan might be the best place to start. Marie Mendoza, New York State–certified interior designer and owner of Kingston-based Marigold Home, says it’s simply a matter of considering what you have to work with. “The best first step is to identify the size of your space and to remember what you can put in your space is only what the space will allow,” she says. “It’s like putting water in a pitcher.” Mendoza says the next step might be to figure out what you’d like your space to look like, something she calls “design intent.”