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 Milwaukee/NARI
Encourages Homeowners to Start Year by Clearing Out Clutter
By Milwaukee/NARI Home Improvement Council
Posted: Jan. 12, 2009
Space in a home can be functional or dysfunctional, depending on how
well it's organized.
According to members of the Milwaukee/NARI Home Improvement Council,
Inc., the area's leading home improvement and remodeling industry resource
for more than 47 years, when homeowners plan ways to clear out the clutter
in their home, they could benefit by taking baby steps.
The gradual approach to organizing is the most productive, according to
Brenden McDaniel, owner of Action Organizing Services LLC of Milwaukee.
McDaniel doesn't believe in purging a room of all contents, then starting
over. He sees the best progress when the work is done in small doses.
"Discipline yourself to work on it an hour or two a week," he says.
When homeowners are inconvenienced by possessions and the space they
require, and when the items cannot be seen, reached or used, then pruning
is needed. "When people value their stored stuff more than they value
their time to navigate their house, there is trouble," McDaniel says.
Renting storage units simply relocates the problem and can create a burden
for other family members, he adds.
McDaniel says most disheveled homes begin with explainable human
behavior. Procrastination and perfectionism are frequent causes of abodes
gone bad, he believes, with health problems also a factor. Some people
hoard possessions for various reasons.
"Be patient as people sort out their stuff. Impatience can cause stress
and stress is probably what caused the problem in the first place. Don't
look impatient or they might give up," he adds. "Grab a boombox, listen to
music, and make it fun."
Defining the purpose of a space can help determine what gets tossed and
what belongs in the space. McDaniel recommends that homeowners stop and
think about the function of the family room, screened-in porch, so-called
"junk" drawer, or kitchen pantry.
Categorizing is key. McDaniel organizes by sorting items into three
categories according to how often they are seen and used; he labels them
"best friends, acquaintances, and strangers." His advice: "Keep best
friends to a minimum." Items marked "strangers" are clearly not used every
day, and "acquaintances" probably aren't, either.
Discarding items is a hard step for many homeowners. McDaniel says to
start with easy decisions about unused appliances and recycling materials
that have accumulated. He says to frame questions to get results. "Can I
get rid of any pillows?" is too general. Instead, ask: "Which pillows can
I get rid of?"
McDaniel advises homeowners to make a decision to let go, and then
remove the items promptly. "Don't fall into the trap of thinking 'I can
use it someday,'" he says. "If it's not beautiful or useful right now, why
keep it?"
Organizing an emptier room can make or break the functionality of the
space. Michael Aliota, Certified Remodeler and vice president of Aliota
Bros. Contracting, Inc. in New Berlin, notes that spatial utilization is a
common problem in houses. "Keep in mind how best to utilize the space you
have," he says. "Keep same-size items together." One rule of thumb is to
group larger items and store them lower while smaller items are grouped
higher on a shelf.
Aliota says that home-organizing equipment, similar to all other
furnishings, can be chosen to fit a specific budget. Options range from
fancy to purely functional. "If you're on a tight budget and don't have a
lot of time, simple plywood or melamine shelving with a 2 x 4 framing
might be the answer," he says.
Finally, reward the new organized behavior, perhaps by going out to
dinner or taking before-and-after photos. Connect the project with
something positive and even perfectionists can find satisfaction. Then
move on to the next room and do it all over again.
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