Are your closets bulging? Do you spend valuable time struggling to find things? Ever buy something and later find you already owned one? March 19th is the first day of spring—the perfect time to clean, declutter and organize our homes and offices, making them more comfortable and efficient living spaces.
BeBossier spoke with professional organizer and Haughton’s own Brittney Copeland of Making Over Spaces with Brittney Copeland on how to make our homes both functional and a beautiful showcase for our treasures.
“The main issue my clients face to declutter and organize is where to start. I always breakdown a system for decluttering which involves the following key notes:
“Purpose. Does it currently serve you or your family’s needs? Have you worn or used it in the last year? Have you placed it out on a shelf in the last year? If the answer is ‘no’ to all the above, then more than likely you don’t need it.”
“Letting Go. Whether it has sentimental value, dollar value, nostalgia or you are just feeling bonded to something materialistic, know what you are willing to let go of to achieve organization.”
“Systems. First you must start and commit to finishing—it will not be done overnight. Anyone can clean a home but, without implementing an attainable system for the client that will allow them to continue an organized lifestyle, you are simply just housekeeping. We have a ‘Keep’ box, a ‘Toss’ box, and a ‘Second Life’ or donation box to go to a non-profit or thrift store to serve a purpose for someone else. Typically, this helps people feel better about letting things go.”
“I always go into a project asking my client what they love and what they don’t love about their space. Anytime a client has items they want to sell, I make sure we check the condition and current market value of the item. Is it worth the hassle of trying to wheel and deal or is it better to donate it? If it doesn’t sell, what is the plan?”“If a client insists on keeping a lot of things, I recommend investing in a shelving system, bins and labels. This can be set up in a garage, a room, an attic or a closet; somewhere you can access it and go through it annually, at minimum, to add to and purge as needed.”“We currently live in a time where all you see and hear about in home design is minimalism and simplicity,” said Copeland. “I have noticed that clients feel they must hide away all their things and those hiding spots become very cluttered and disorganized. They don’t have to hide the things they use daily or love! There are ways to display and utilize those things. Creating a functional system for everyone to be able to use within your home is the key to achieving that. Mom and dad can’t be the only ones cleaning up all the time. Get the whole family involved.”“Create a routine to throw out anything you don’t need or put everything back in its designated place,” said Copeland. “We are creatures of habit and creating this habit is one you will never regret.”