Amy Slenker-Smith

7 Easy Ways To Reduce Plastic Waste in Your Home

March 18, 2024 by Amy Slenker-Smith 3 Comments

March 18 is Global Recycling Day. I'd love to celebrate but we've reached a point of no return. Not only should we reduce plastic waste and use, we simply have to. This is no time to celebrate with statistics like this: The equivalent of one garbage truck of trash enters the ocean every minute The North Pacific Gyre (aka Great Pacific Garbage Patch) is twice the size of Texas 1 Million single-use plastic bottles are sold every minute. Americans use 50 Billion water bottles per year. Only 3 out of 10 are recycled. Studies show that 93% of bottled water contains microplastics in the water itself. Also, plastic is now in our food supply. By 2050, the ocean will have more plastic than fish by weight. I am overwhelmed by the magnitude of these statistics and saddened for our world. Something has to change. But How? Start small. Just start! Like decluttering, start with your own stuff. Make a few simple changes and set the example for others to follow. The best way we …

How to Create a Clutter-Free Home Office

February 12, 2024 by Amy Slenker-Smith 69 Comments

I'm going to guess that your home office might be the family dumping ground. And it has piles of paper everywhere. Also, the space is overwhelming because every flat surface is covered and you don't know where to begin. Plus the filing cabinet is filled with who knows what. And all this clutter robs you of productivity and focus. Does this describe your home office space? It is so uninviting you rarely work in it The bookshelves are cluttered and looming over you You sit at the dining room table with your laptop instead Well, today is the day to change all of that. In this post, I've written a step-by-step plan with 7 steps to declutter and organize your home office. Because a clutter-free space is a productive space and you can do this. Just take it one step at a time. Your Dream Home Office Before you dive in, take some time to dream about how you’d like your office to look and function. Search online for ideas and inspiration. I pinned some …

3 Easy Ways to Recycle Old Trophies

February 5, 2024 by Amy Slenker-Smith 3 Comments

Kids collect trophies, ribbons, plaques, medals and paper plate awards by the buckets! My young son’s collection is manageable but we are less scheduled than your average family. Fewer activities definitely means fewer items to display and store. Inevitably, empty nesters and their adult children will find themselves digging through boxes of ribbons and trophies wondering what to do with old trophies. And what I usually hear is that no one wants the stuff. Especially the children who actually earned the awards. As an organizer and minimalist, I encounter this often with my clients. And it tends to be more difficult for the parents to part with the items. If you find yourself struggling to let go of these items and with adult children who just want you to throw it all out, take a breathe. I encourage you to respect their decision and give them the items to handle as they see fit. And yes, that may be the trash can. Sentimental Items When it comes to all sentimental stuff, …

How to Get Organized for the Holidays Now 🌲

October 23, 2023 by Amy Slenker-Smith 1 Comment

Last year, a friend admitted she didn't want to decorate for the holidays because she had too many decorations. They overwhelm her to the point she'd rather leave them in the storage room. I understand why she feels this way and even how she got to this point in her life. I've seen it in so many homes and I know she is not alone. Recently, I stopped at a big-box store to pick up trash bags. At the front door, I was greeted by a display of oversized Christmas decorations and Halloween too. And my first thought was, where do people store these things? The Holidays We watch the advertisements running. Decorations pop up everywhere. Christmas candy and novelties line the grocery store aisles. Like it or not, we are entering that time known as “let’s circle back after the holidays.” The holidays….sigh. Thanksgiving and Christmas are lumped together into a period of 6 weeks that so many people just hope to survive. What if this year was different? What if you celebrated a …

How to Declutter and Organize for a Home Remodel

September 4, 2023 by Amy Slenker-Smith 4 Comments

You signed the contract. The remodel is happening. And your dream kitchen will soon become a reality. Demo Day Now Demo Day is fast approaching and you're wondering, where will I put all this stuff? Not to mention, how to prepare meals? In the garage? Maybe the basement? Unfortunately, I've seen many clients wait until the last minute, box everything up, and pile it in a corner. Then, dig through boxes for months looking for items they need. Instead, spend a little time organizing and decluttering the contents thoughtfully. Consider before, during, and after the remodel. Here are some tips to keep you organized. Before the Remodel Start easy. Declutter with a clean sweep of the room. Use the Demo Day deadline as motivation. Walk through the kitchen and fill three boxes labeled Trash, Donate, and Relocate. Open every cabinet and drawer but move quickly. Set a timer. Be decisive. Trash/Recycle - Mismatched plastic containers, chipped glasses, extra lids, …

3 Easy Steps to Create a Clutter-Free and Organized Bathroom

August 21, 2023 by Amy Slenker-Smith Leave a Comment

Do you have half-used bottles of shampoo under the bathroom sink? Or perhaps a cluttered countertop overrun with lotions and potions. What about that really expensive beauty product that you didn't like but can't bring yourself to throw away. Does any of this sound familiar? It's ok. You are not alone. Bathroom clutter should be very easy to manage because most of the items are consumables. Yet somehow, linen closets and cabinets are usually filled to the brim. And if you cannot use your toiletries fast enough, they expire, or change composition and thus become unusable. By keeping all this clutter, you might just be delaying the inevitable and making it really difficult to keep your bathroom clean and organized. But what if we tried a different approach? What if you could see everything under the bathroom sink? And you had organized drawers and cabinets with the make-up and toiletries you use daily? Think about how much simpler it would be to get ready in the morning. What if …

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