Amy Slenker-Smith

How to Increase Margin and Improve Organization in Your Home

January 27, 2023 by Amy Slenker-Smith 24 Comments

Want to know a secret? Organizing isn’t about the stuff. It’s actually about the margin between the stuff. The more space, the better. I create margin in every space I declutter and organize. Eliminate the excess and keep the essentials. Margin represents 37% of a page of written work. Margin makes spaces look more attractive. As a decluttering coach, I help clients create margin in their crowded and cluttered spaces. Empty Flat Surfaces Consider the kitchen. Are you fighting to store a large piece such as a griddle or the Instapot? Open all the cabinets, take a step back, and find prime real estate for the items you use most and store them accordingly. This means getting rid of lesser-used items and rearranging. Margin also means empty flat surfaces such as clean kitchen counters. With clean counters, I unload groceries, cook dinner, and pack lunches without cleaning the kitchen first. Create a Playroom Not a Toy Room Margin also means creating a …

How to Declutter and Recycle Old Electronics

January 24, 2023 by Amy Slenker-Smith 1 Comment

Our electronics become obsolete quickly as technology is constantly changing. And yet, we have a tendency to hang on to old phones, printers, and cords. When I declutter homes, I often find unidentified cords neatly coiled and unopened. Just in case we need them, right? If a cord is unknown and unused, it is highly unlikely you will use it. Simple Steps to Declutter and Organize Electronics Inventory Write a Household Electronics Inventory of devices you use at least once a month. Here's a sample list to get you started. iPhone iPad MacBook Laptop Desktop Computer Printer Scanner Kindle Wireless Headphones Bluetooth Speaker Gaming System DVD player (I doubt it) Collect the Cords Aggregate all the cords and chargers that go with these devices Choose a central location for the family to access. Label each cord with a Sharpie or label maker. Keep charging cords in a basket. Use rubber bands to wrap cords neatly. …

5 Fun Things to Do on Black Friday Instead of Shopping

November 21, 2022 by Amy Slenker-Smith Leave a Comment

Truth be told, I have wonderful childhood memories of Thanksgiving and Black Friday. Our routine included grandma’s cooking times two! For many years, my mom was an intentional Black Friday shopper. As a busy working mom, she capitalized on the day off and finished most of her shopping in one day. Would you like to create a simple Christmas? Learn more in my Christmas Workshop and 3 Digital Downloads. Check it out here! Coffee, Dessert, and Flyers The Black Friday tradition began with the “newspaper flyers”. They arrived Wednesday, unlike modern-day Black Friday advertising. After dinner, Grandma Ruth served apple, mincemeat, and pumpkin pie. She poured coffee as we broke open the cellophane package of ads for Friday's sales. The next day, my mom dutifully packed turkey sandwiches and carried a hand-written list with her Christmas Club envelope. This was money saved weekly from her paycheck which created the gift budget and not a …

9 Ways to Shop Smarter for Clothing

October 9, 2022 by Amy Slenker-Smith 5 Comments

Do you have a closet full of clothing but nothing to wear? Have you tried shopping for new clothes only to find items unworn with the tags still on them? Or maybe you're holding on to things hoping you will fit into them again in the future. This is pretty common with the closets I declutter and organize. Learning to shop smarter is key. The very first closet I organized was my own. But it requires maintenance and good shopping habits to keep it that way. All my clothing fits in one closet. Every season and yes, socks and underwear too. Getting ready is a breeze because my entire wardrobe is in one place. And when the seasons change, I can transition to the appropriate clothing easily. I no longer drag bins of clothing up and down the stairs to perform the seasonal swap. This saves me two weekends a year. And my guest bedroom closet is ready for guests instead of filled with extra clothing. But this was not always the case, I've come a long way and learned to shop …

5 Reasons Why I Canceled My Costco Membership

September 18, 2022 by Amy Slenker-Smith 16 Comments

For years my family shopped at Costco. We went every month to buy paper products, groceries, and browse all the aisles. Each time, we expected a full cart and a long receipt. We never bought just one or two things. We always deviated from the list because the impulse buys were too tempting. The average Costco shopper spends $114 a trip and shops every two weeks. That’s over $2,700 per year. Costco knows how to design a store. Milk, eggs, and rotisserie chickens are in the back. Seasonal items, toys, and clothing live in the middle so you walk by them twice. Expensive electronics stop you in your tracks at the front door. The store's natural flow encourages you to walk by expensive items first. The groceries (which are what you came for in the first place) will be last as you travel the store. Shopping at Costco is an event. You need to allocate several hours for this trip. Generally the items on the list are spread across the store because of the strategic design. Since, we …

3 Easy Steps to Create an Incredibly Organized Kitchen

August 7, 2022 by Amy Slenker-Smith 6 Comments

Who doesn't love an organized kitchen? But many kitchens hold more gadgets and gizmos than anyone needs to cook dinner for their family. At least that's my goal, to cook healthy meals for my family. And I believe everyone would like to prep dinner without cleaning up the kitchen first. Less Clutter and More Organization in just 5 Days with my Free Mini-Course. Kickstart your decluttering efforts with my Free Mini-Course. Click HERE and learn how to create a clutter-free and organized home. Organized Kitchen When it comes to an organized kitchen, I find there's a lot of stuff getting in the way of how the room is made to function. Piles of paper and mail Small appliances covering countertops Bulk food buys with nowhere to live Decorations and dust collectors Items that do not belong in the kitchen Try these 3 easy steps to an organized kitchen. Step #1 - Meal Plan I know. You hate meal planning but it is necessary. The only way to …

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