WEST BLOOMFIELD, Mich. (WXYZ) — If you have any spaces in your home filled with clutter, National Organize Your Home Day could be the perfect opportunity to tackle that mess and that's why we spoke to a professional organizer to get some tips on how to address it.
It doesn't take long for mounds to become mountains, especially when it comes to clutter.
“For a lot of people clutter just feels like this weight on their shoulders that exists, doesn't matter if you close the door or not, you still know that its there," said Tori Cohen.
Also known as Tori the organizer, she has helped her clients on their journey toward a more functional space for years.
“the main areas people bring up, kitchen is definitely one of them, closet, home office," Tori said.
Cohen says the first thing she suggests is getting in the right mindset.
“What I take issue with is the guilt aspect of it and the comparison aspect," Tori said.
And be careful of taking everything out of it's place all at once.
“Truth is most people will just stop halfway throigh and just be in an even worse postiton than they were when they started," she said.
Instead, come up with a strategy focused on what would make your life easier in that space. For her, that looks like a kid's drawer in the kitchen.
“I always want to know what someone is trying to get out of the experience because I think something that people believe is that theres one way to organize and the truth is thats just not true," Tori said. “So you want to make the space for the things that are most important for you and go out from there."
It may be easier to start small with a junk drawer or entry way.
“So I have hooks right up here," she said. "“What I do walk in hang up my coat easy enough I can actually do it...I have two little kids and I put hooks low enough that they can hang up their own cups because I really want to teach my kids to take ownerhsip over their own stuff."
Creating a home for items like shoes and hats can help, and it doesn't have to be expensive. The goal is having systems in place that you can realistically maintain.
“Very few people are able to when they have one thing to put away stop everything and put that thing away so I want you to get rid of the guilt associated with that and I want you to have a landing spot," Tori said. "These are separated by size and when I have time we’ll put them away. I didn’t have time so we’re holding them here and I’m not going to feel guilty about this because this is a system that works for me."
When it comes to storage rooms, Cohen suggests using what you have, like diaper boxes and sticky notes, and organizing by category. It's about function over perfection and just getting started.
“There is no expectation of perfection I don’t want my clients to have that expectation of perfection because its either not happening or you’re putting so much effort into it that it just doesn't need to be," Tori said.
