By Flora Posteraro – Years ago, a good friend called me a “minimalist”. She’s right! In my world, less is more. Fewer words spoken and written. Fewer things in my home. The less I have the happier I am. I only have 2 purses, one for winter and one for summer. Ok, I actually have 3–evening bag too. If I buy a sweater, a sweater in my drawer goes. If I buy a dress, a dress in my closet gets donated. Every 6 months, I go through every closet, every drawer, every nook and cranny in my home purging things I don’t need, use or want. I am a minimalist. Clutter in my home creates clutter in my brain and I can’t think straight. I thrive when things are organized.
Laura Souders of Middletown, Pennsylvania wrote the book on being organized, literally. She authored, “Organizing Her Life: How My Journey Can Help You Declutter Your Spaces and Your Life.” Souders is also the owner of Healthier Spaces Organizing. “Organizing saves you time, energy and money. It saves you time by not looking for things you can’t find. It saves you energy by not having to clean quickly for guests. It saves you money by not repurchasing things you already have”, said Souders.
Souders has always been a neat freak! She remembers sharing a room with her little sister and dreaming of putting a line of tape between their 2 sides so her sister’s mess would not cross the border! Souders turned her love of clean spaces into a business in 2013. She now goes to other people’s homes and businesses and clears away the chaos. “People think better in a de-cluttered space and you can’t believe the things I’ve found buried in papers. I found gift cards, rare coins, cash, rookie year baseball cards. Things people didn’t even know they had”, said Souders.
So what can you do to organize your home and your life? Souders has this advice, “Start by evaluating everything. Ask yourself what you really use, what you enjoy having and be honest. Don’t feel guilty about donating things you don’t care about anymore. You can also create 3 piles. Things to save, things to sell and things to donate.”
If you’ve been saving and collecting things for years, the thought of this can be overwhelming and daunting. That’s why Souders says start small. “One drawer at a time, one room at a time. Also, set a goal and determine what you’re trying to accomplish with the room or the space you are de-cluttering.” Souders also says finishing one space will make you feel great and give you the motivation to keep going and clear out your entire house.
