Combat Clutter During the Holidays

Sharon Lowenheim knows a lot about organization. The self-proclaimed “Organizing Goddess” has been fighting clutter since 2006, when after 25 years in corporate America she decided she needed a change. “I wanted to do something that would make me want to get out of bed every morning,” she says. “Many of my friends were on their second or third careers and I was still on my first—I wondered if there was a second chapter for me.”

Her passion, Sharon realized, was in creating order of out chaos. She accepted a severance package from her company, and the next day was at a street fair with a sign that read, “Don’t stress the mess!” to sign clients up for her new career as a professional organizer. Since then, Sharon has been featured in Better Homes and Gardens and Cosmopolitan, and below she shares her top tips to transform you into an organizing goddess of your own.

Simplify your schedule. Take a look at what you take on during the holiday season and ask yourself, “Is this a tradition that I really enjoy and want to continue, or am I not into doing this and would everyone be happier if we just stopped?” You will cut down on decorations and baking, and save yourself from events that cause too much stress.

Shop smart. Don’t give physical gifts, give experiences. It will be a much more enjoyable and everlasting memory. Grab a pair of theatre tickets or invite a friend to dinner. If you do need to purchase something, try to find it online. You will avoid the stress of packed stores and limit compulsive shopping habits.

Let go. When you start clearing out your closet for 2013, figure out what should stay and what should go. Let’s pretend we’re packing for a journey—this journey will start today and last for the rest of your life. What is in this apartment that you will need to make it until then? Keep the things you use every day, as well as a few things that you love—letters from a family member, a gift from a friend—and toss, donate or sell the rest.

Build up. If you’re in a city, your rooms are small and storage space is limited. Think vertically. Go as high as the ceiling lets you. Install shelves to make use of wall space, and invest in storage structures from the Container Store to maximize closet space.

Make a system. Remember that important paper you put in a special place so you would not lose it, only to never see it again? Every paper you need should have a home, and if it doesn’t, make one. Invest in a filing cabinet, and be sure to clean it out yearly. People are afraid to get rid of things, but if you get rid of what you don’t need, then the things you do need are easier to find.

–Lindsay Putnam