Have you already decluttered your car but it still looks a bit messy? Try these time-tested organizing strategies.
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1.   Organize like items into containers. You might have a car supply bin, a first aid kit, or a conveniences box. Bins keep individual items tidy and easily found.
 
2.   Always label bins and boxes for easy identification.
 
3.  Make use of your vehicle’s built in holders and cubbies. Vehicle manual and registration belong in the glove box. Paper maps go in the door pocket or back of the seat pocket. Convenience items like tissues, sunglasses, and hand wipes go in the center console. Keep gift cards and loyalty cards in the glove box or a storage cubby. Flashlight, notepad and pen in the glove box.
 

​If you’re tired of driving around in a messy car then clean it up! Decluttering a car is infinitely easier than decluttering a whole house and there are many benefits. You will feel happier and more energetic once the useless stuff is cleared out. If a friend needs a lift you won’t feel embarrassed to offer one. Lost items will be found and fewer things will be lost in the future. As a bonus, decluttering your car will give you practice to move on to house decluttering (if you need to do that too!)

​Sooner or later, with just about every client, we come across a box of old car stuff in the garage. You know what this looks like: a dusty, neglected, cardboard box full of things that came out of an old car. Maybe it resulted from cleaning out a current car. This stuff languishes sometimes for years. As a result, people go without sunglasses, snow brushes, coupons and other favorite items because they forget that the box exists. Eventually these necessities are replaced out of desperation.
 
It’s only one box! Hopefully! Don’t be afraid of it! Sort it out right now. You’ll feel better knowing it’s done. You might even find those favorite sunglasses or a missing check! Begin by sorting things into two piles: 1) RELOCATE elsewhere and 2) REPLACE in the car.

​June is a popular month for families to move. Kids are out of school and parents have time to settle the family in a new place before fall. The weather is fine – no considerations for snow and ice. It is also a good time of year to take stock of your life and consider a possible future move. This month’s posts focus on planning, packing and moving. Today we describe on how to plan ahead to avoid stress! 

Does mental illness cause you clutter stress? Here are nine tips to help overcome inertia and achieve your decluttering dreams.
 
BECOME AWARE OF YOUR SITUATION – How did this happen? When did it begin? What is the cause? What’s going on? What are you feeling? Are there other things that need to be fixed before decluttering begins?
 
COMMIT TO GET STARTED – decide today, now, you will begin on your journey to improve your living space.
 
SET GOALS – if you don’t know where you’re going, it’s hard to know whether you’ve arrived.
 
START SMALL – expecting large results is a recipe for disappointment, stress, negative feelings. Plan bite sized tasks on your calendar and stick to them.
 
STAY POSITIVE – celebrate little accomplishments to keep motivated and maintain momentum. A journey begins with just one step. Baby steps ARE progress.
 
GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK – when you backslide. Every day is a new beginning, don’t give up.
 
SHARE YOUR JOURNEY WITH SOMEONE – a friend or relative who will listen to your successes and struggles. You will feel supported and accountable.
 
GET HELP WITH PHYSICAL LABOR – if you are challenged with energy or strength. Another person can work under your direction to do the heavy lifting.
 
SEEK PROFESSIONAL HELP – in a therapist and/or professional organizer. A professional will hold you accountable and motivate you in the initial steps at the very least.
 

 In the previous post we saw that depression and anxiety can contribute to clutter in the home. Further, clutter can make depression and anxiety feel much worse. Here, we describe how you can begin to take action to reduce clutter. As the clutter decreases you will feel better – less stress, more confidence to handle things, happier with your  environment and more calm.
 
What’s the first step? ​The first step is to become aware that there is a problem. The next step is to reach out for help. Neither is easy but both are necessary. If you feel comfortable, talk to a therapist, friend or relative about your desire to declutter. If this is not possible or if you have already tried without success, you should contact a professional organizer. 

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Yes! In my experience it does.
 
In light of Mental Health Awareness Month, I am sharing some thoughts on the connection between mental health and disorganization. My hope is that readers find this post hopeful in their efforts to organize themselves or to help a loved one get organized. I speak primarily of anxiety and depression here but other mental health issues are linked to disorganization as well. It is probably no surprise to readers that mental illness affects most areas of a person’s life and organization is no exception.

Are you still with me? If you have accomplished parts 1 & 2 - great. So far, the stuff that doesn't belong is gone (or marked to go). All bins and boxes are sorted and labeled. Categories are identified. Don't give up - you're almost done. In Part 3 we continue to sort the remainder of things into defined categories and then actually do the organizing. 

This step is really easy. Continue to pick up individual things and place them with similar items (in their categories). Label them in your mind if not out loud to reinforce your grasp of the emerging organizational system. Or, write category names on paper and hang on walls/shelves. Or, use chalk to identify categories on the floor or driveway.

​   Okay, you may be thinking that cleaning out the garage is not that easy or quick. Hang in there. If you followed Part 1, I bet some of the unwanted things are already gone. Continue with the previous task of looking up ways to get rid of the unwanted things from Part 1. Yes – you can do it, just keep at it. And keep your goal in mind– why you want to declutter the garage. In this second part we tackle bins and boxes of assorted stuff. 

​     Most people have bins and boxes of assorted items stashed in the garage. If you don’t have any, consider yourself fortunate and skip this step! Otherwise, examine your bins and boxes to recall why they got here. Making space for a remodel? Clearing spare bedroom for holiday 

​     Now that spring is here, the temperatures have warmed (a bit) and many of us are thinking about clearing the garage. If a garage cleanout is on your project list this spring take heart. The benefits of a decluttered and organized garage are guaranteed to outweigh the time and effort expended. Finding things will be a breeze. Seasonal tools will be readied. The car will fit in the garage. Life will be good! Sounds overwhelming? Not at all! Break the project down into small chunks, put them on your calendar, be determined – you can do it. Envision the look and feel of the decluttered garage in your mind. Invoke that image as often as necessary to stay motivated.