Cut the Clutter

Several weeks ago, you-know-who was making a list and checking it twice. Now it’s your turn to make a list — only this one is about organizing a cluttered closet, kitchen, office or any other room that needs attention, and that probably means all of them.

With gifts from the holiday season and items that have accumulated through the years, it’s easy to become overwhelmed with stuff. Eliminating clutter can lead to a less stressful life and that should be everyone’s main resolution for 2015.

Amy Ream is owner of Always Ready Organizers and her first rule of organization is one word: purge.

“I can go to your closet right now and remove quite a few clothing items that don’t fit or haven’t been worn in over six months,” she proclaimed. “And the same goes for shoes.

“As a general rule, we tend to hold on to things and can’t let go of them for any number of reasons. I understand. A certain sweater received last Christmas may not be in style anymore, but it has sentimental value.”

Ream said closets are a focal point for clutter and disorganization because they can be hidden by a door. In fact, a cluttered closet can be a sign of stress.

“As a society, we overconsume,” she said. “We buy more and we buy more often, but don’t have anyplace to put those items because nothing is removed to make room for them.

“That includes clothing that is still hanging with the tags on them. We overbuy and what we buy gets shoved into the closet.”

Ream teaches customers that finding a place for everything and making decisions are time management skills.

“Today, too many people are rushing from one thing to the next and leading lives that are more stressed than ever before,” she said. “They don’t take the time to put something properly away — to make a decision. It becomes difficult. I can walk into a home and immediately spot problems.

“One time I walked into a kitchen and started looking around and found socks in one of the drawers. Right away I knew that person had a problem making decisions and consciously knowing that socks do not belong in a kitchen drawer. Organizing even one closet can dramatically lessen the stress level.”

Jay Ward is ready to rectify that problem with his made-to-order closets. He is co-owner of Absolute Closets and Cabinetry, a company that designs efficient closets.

“Most closets are just a rod and shelf,” he said. “When a customer calls us, we walk in, look around, evaluate and then suggest a design that could feature drawers and additional shelves. Most closets can double their space with just the addition of an additional rod. Corners are wasted space and that’s taken into consideration when redesigning for overall better storage.”

The most popular redesigns occur with the master bedroom, followed by children’s closets. One of the benefits Ward notices when his work is completed is less closet clutter.

“When we walk into a closet for the first time, it is usually stacked with stuff from floor to ceiling,” he said. “The good thing is that before we begin the redesign, customers have to remove everything so we can optimize the space. When they move their stuff back in, many clothing items and other things are discarded or given to charitable organizations. Now the closet is more organized and so is the person’s life.”

Ward said the design work is created on the computer and sent to the customer. Once he receives approval, the total job of ordering the material to final completion is about two weeks with only one to two days in the house.

“We design to capacity and that means making the most use of the space we have,” he said. “The cost can be $300 all the way to $80,000.”

So what does an $80,000 closet look like?

“This was a two-story closet that had a staircase leading to the second level,” Ward said. “The closet was like a small home. You would be surprised at the size of some of the closets we have built and redesigned.”

But since most closets are just a rod and shelf, many homeowners prefer to organize by storing excess clothing in plastic containers. Ream says no.

“The plastic boxes are just going to add more clutter,” she said. “Remember, purge first and then organize clothing by season or color or item, meaning pants all together next to long sleeve shirts that are next to short sleeve shirts.

“I have walked into homes and have seen boxes against a wall. When I inquired about the boxes, the person said they had been there for years and she didn’t even notice them anymore. This was serious negative energy and those boxes had to be removed.”

Ream said disorganization or the need to organize is not a male or female issue but has more to do more with the personality and psyche of the person.