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5 Effective Habits of Clutter-Free Families

May 6, 2024 by Amy Slenker-Smith 10 Comments

Fighting clutter can feel like a losing battle. After all, there are 300,000 items in the average American home. But decluttering is more about habits than ones ability to get organized. My first piece of advice for clutter-free living is to stop shopping. Stop the inflow. Consider a Shopping Moratorium for 30 days. Experimenting with less reveals how little we really need. Living with less also creates a peaceful sanctuary in our homes. A calm environment at the end of a workday and a place where our eyes can rest, clutter-free from distractions. If you'd like to calm the chaos in your home, start with these 5 habits. Protect Flat Surfaces Flat surfaces attract clutter. And clutter attracts more clutter. The largest flat surface in your home is the floor. Don’t mistake it for storage. Adopt the habit that only furniture belongs on the floor. Pick up trash when it falls. If you have hardwood floors keep a dust mop handy for a quick sweep. Go through the mail outside by …

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 …

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 …

The Ripple Effect One Starbucks Can Have on Your Life

August 18, 2020 by Amy Slenker-Smith 2 Comments

One morning, I left early to get my car inspected. With laptop in hand, I prepared for the long wait time. The garage is conveniently located next to Starbucks. And this presented an opportunity to sit on their patio on a pleasant morning. Debt-Free Living When I use a table at Starbucks, I believe in supporting the business, but I also spend my money carefully. And thus had already made my coffee at home. I gave up my daily Starbucks run over 12 years ago thanks to a personal finance class. I debated over what to order. A muffin would be less expensive but full of sugar so I settled on Bacon Gruyere Egg Bites. $4.99 was the price of using their table, shady umbrella, and WIFI for two hours; good value for my situation. But the price tag got my wheels turning…$5 multiplied by 5 days a week? Add on a grande drip coffee, at $2.95/day and now it's $8/day or $40/week. Change the drip coffee to a latte and it’s $50/week or $200/month. Pick up a pre-packaged …

How To Declutter and Organize Magazines

February 28, 2020 by Amy Slenker-Smith Leave a Comment

For years, we subscribed to our favorite magazines and even the Sunday newspaper. Over time, they became a burden to read, instead of enjoy. Gradually, we reduced the subscriptions but were harassed by endless mailings from publishers offering "lowest price ever" if we renewed. While I could easily manage the magazines themselves, I found all the extra mail to be wasteful. It required diligence on my part to know when our subscription REALLY expired. At one point, I had paid for 2 years in advance. Eventually, we went down to just one magazine. It was my favorite until I realized every other page was an advertisement. It was thick with unnecessary ads. This was just the motivation I needed to end the subscription. For months, the bills continued. Even a letter that stated I was delinquent. But that's just another sales tactic because advertising works. I don’t object to an occasional magazine. Reading is good. But my approach eliminates waste and …

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