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The Decluttered Home {A New Monthly Home Organization Column & More!}

by | Nov 27, 2012 | Domesticity, Organization

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The Decluttered Home {A New Monthly Home Organization Column & More!}

Home Organization & Decluttering

This year has been a BIG year for organization around my home. We’ve reorganized how we wanted to use our home, how it feels to us, and now have set it up to be much more effective and comfortable for our needs. This next year I have big plans for fine tuning the details of our organizational systems and making sure each and every closet and drawer is organized to its fullest potential. Good-bye excess and hello order! We still have a ways to go (don’t look in our garage yet heh heh) but we are well on our way.

Dealing with stuff and clutter, and using and loving what we have in our homes, is something I really enjoy thinking about. Organization makes such a difference in our quality of life!

And so it is with great excitement that I share some big news today!

I’m now writing a monthly column on decluttering and home organization for the awesome Uncle Bob’s Self Storage Company! It’s one of the largest self-storage companies in the U.S. and I’m excited to partner with them in bringing you this column! I’ve enjoyed working with them over the past few months to get this column set up and ready to go and today is the BIG DAY I get to tell you about it!

The Decluttered Home

The column is called The Decluttered Home, and I’m pretty tickled to be able to bring you all along on my own journey and pass along tips and ideas for getting your home organized and into shape, so you can really love where you live!

I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to dive more in to the topic of creating a comfortable home through being better organized! I’ll keep you in the loop as I have a new article over at The Decluttered Home so you can follow along and maybe share your own journey to organization too!

So, thank you for checking out my new column, The Decluttered Home! Maybe leave a comment there and share your own stories? My first two introductory posts are up including the welcome post with a bit of my story and 4 Reasons Why You Might Have a Clutter Problem! Oh yeah. I think many of us can relate to clutter problems, right?

Thanks so much for your support! Of course, nothing will change here at The Inspired Room, this is still my home base and I have lots of cool stuff in store for us here too! And I’m actually planning on adding more fun organization-related content to The Inspired Room.

By the way, I could use some suggestions for home organization topics you’d like to see covered, so if you can help me out in the comments, I’d appreciate it!

What are some of your biggest organizational challenges?
I’d love to address your questions and organizational issues  in future articles!

43 Comments

  1. Stephanie

    Kitchen cabinets and drawers are an organizational nightmare for me…and since we have 6 month old twins they share a room and closet….any tips on closet organization for two kids? Congrats on the column!!

    Reply
  2. Mary Ann Schaper

    I love love love to organized so anything is great for me, maybe my worst area right now is under the bathroom sink, under kitchen sink. Those kinds of areas where nothing is the same size.

    Reply
  3. Jenn

    I live in New York City and have a very small kitchen. Where do I put all the tupper ware (as I gift, I received the good Oxo ones, but they don’t fit into each other)? Also – large/awkward kitchen appliances?

    Reply
  4. Pinky

    WE are in a new home nd all spaces seem to be SMALLER. Where I used to have double vanities in all bathrooms, I noww have singles except the master but it is even half the size. Less drawers and cabinet space. My kitchen is pretty big so that is OK. I am REALLY looking forwrd to this. Is it going to be another blog? Can I sign up to get an e-mail notification? Congrats!!!!!

    Reply
    • Melissa

      Thanks! I’ll be posting a link to each post and maybe a summary here on The Inspired Room so you’ll be able to find all the new articles! I will also post related content here, so I’m excited! YAY!

      Reply
  5. Maria

    How exciting, Melissa! So many congratulations to you! I would love to hear your take on organizing linen closets, laundry rooms, HOLIDAY DECOR (ugh, I hate putting it away every year), and maybe even your kitchen drawers? Thanks so much for giving us the opportunity to provide you with feedback on what we’re interested in. This is going to be fun!

    Reply
  6. Linda Stoll

    … many congrats on all the opportunities coming your way … I look forward to seeing what you bring to the table on this endlessly fascinating topic of clutter/stuff/junk/possessions!

    … how fun is it that this is exactly what I wrote about earlier today! we just can’t get enough of this!

    Reply
  7. Sandy

    So excited for you … my tupperware never stays organized, no matter how hard I try!

    Reply
  8. Melissa Shepard

    Games/Game consoles, board games, junk drawers with all those random things (batteries, cords, half decks of cards, old birthday cards, broken crayons, nerf darts, ect).
    We have a detached garage so most of our paint supplies and tools end up shoved in closets or drawers because we are too lazy to go put it up or go get them out when needed. Bathroom toiletries, family devotional station (bibles, journals, bible study materials), informational papers that come home from school/church/activities, entry solutions for jackets, backpacks, shoes, sports equipment. Socks!

    I obviously need help in a lot of areas. I’m glad this life is a process, we will take it one day at a time. Looking forward to what you come up with in these topics of decluttering.

    Reply
  9. RuthE

    I’m very excited to hear about your new newsletter. I love organization in all facets of my life. My home has somehow gone wild…lol…maybe it’s too many moves in a short time! I am looking forward to your ideas for bringing order in my home again.

    Reply
  10. Diane

    I must tell you that I laugh every time I pass by a self storage unit. Why? Because of some silly sketch on the Prairie Home radio show about someone putting themself into storage….self storage. Yeah I know….it’s been a long time and you would have had to have heard it. Regardless…congrat’s on your new gig! I’m always up for organizational ideas. My friends think I’m pretty organized….which is mostly true….but I keep too much in my head and not on paper. That is really my issue. Aside from that I just never get a good handle on my decor stuff in the basement. I dread unpacking it all….yes…there is a bit. I would be faced with a big mess to organize. It’s just easier to keep it packed up and dream of using things. Not a good plan, is it? Take care…

    Reply
  11. Cathy

    Congratulations on the new column! I’ve been scouring blogs for organization ideas and motivation for the last few months and I am happy to add one more from a blog I already read daily!

    Our organization and declutter problem is a combination of changes in our lifestyle. Two of our sons are grown and gone and the third one is 17 and will be on his own soon too. We’re trying to downsize and organize and prepare for our life as just a couple again. I want to simplify and declutter our lives but my husband is having a hard time letting go of his part of the clutter.

    We are selling our 2,200 sq. ft. home on 4 acres and are temporarily renting a 750 sq. ft. home. We have been married for 35 years and have way too much stuff we’ve been toting around from house to house and across the country and most of that stuff has never been out of the boxes. We dread the day we will have to go through my husband’s parents’ houseful of clutter and we are horrified by the idea of making our kids sort through all this junk that no one cares about anymore, even us, or it wouldn’t still be in boxes after all these years, right?

    So we have told the boys to claim what they want now or kiss it goodbye. We have donated truckloads of stuff to Goodwill, with plenty more to go. We have a houseful of furniture in storage, selling or giving away what we can.

    My problem is my husband is a borderline hoarder, just like his Dad. Where I gave away almost all my clothes, shoes, purses, books, knick-knacks, games, kitchenware, and squeezed down into 1/3rd of a 3 foot wide closet, my husband has 6 boxes of t-shirts alone, at least that many boxes of baseball caps, some he’s never worn, and tools and parts for never-done projects and model cars still in the boxes, and his collection of 20+ Monopoly games and who knows what-all — all stuffed into our rent house’s tiny basement, garage and a small storage unit. He has two large desks in the basement to hold all his paperwork and computer clutter. I counted 10 lawnmower engines sitting in the driveway next to the BBQ grill. The list goes on and on and on.

    I’m at my wit’s end. How do I get my husband to declutter as mercilessly as we need without making him feel like he’s letting go of a part of himself?

    Reply
  12. Sherry

    My “junk” drawer is my downfall. Once a year, I take everything out, literally dump the drawer onto the floor and sort. If I could just retrain myself not to shove things that I don’t want to deal with in there in the first place, my life would be much neater! Perhaps I need to sort it more than once a year! I usually find that I have more pens, pencils, paperclips, etc. that I cannot possible use in a year. I usually give them to my daughter, a teacher, for her classroom. . Anyone have any ideas on storage for a junk drawer? I’ve yet to find a perfect organizer for this area.

    Reply
  13. Tracey

    Congrats Melissa!
    (I tried to leave a comment over at the De-Cluttered Home and keep getting “data base error”?)
    I love the Inspired Room and really need the De-Cluttered Home.
    I am looking forward to being both inspired and de-cluttered. In fact, if you would ever consider doing a “make-over” I’m first in line!! :)
    Thanks Melissa!

    Reply
  14. Melissa D

    Once I finally stopped beating myself up over the piles I sat down and really thought about why each spot was there. I live in a ranch house with little storage (minimalist 60s building!), so…. 1) no medicine cabinets to contain pesky everyday stuff like toothpaste, SPF or makeup; 2) no mudroom, and no closets near the doors; 3) a tiny trapezoidal pantry off the kitchen.

    The school and kid piles drove us all insane the most, and were the most visible. So I made my own “mudroom” out of a thrifted, high-quality armoire. Now the kids can stow bags and jackets in something nice, and I can stow projects there for easy retrieval. I found super cute wire baskets at Goodwill. A little thought towards solving the problem, rather than just “containerizing” it, was the key.

    Any suggestions for bathroom clutter when you don’t have a medicine cabinet?

    Reply
  15. Christy Dixon

    I’m excited to read your new endeavor but right now none of the links to The Decluttered Home! are working.

    Reply
  16. Bobbi Jo Nichols

    So excited for you and for all of us who get to read your posts. I followed the links but it said Database Error. Love your blog Melissa ! Hugs, Bobbi Jo

    Reply
    • Melissa

      Oops! Maybe we knocked their server out! Oh dear! I’ll let them know!

      Reply
  17. jillian

    Are those curtains from Pottery Barn? I have been coveting a pair for a while and these look just like them, so if you got them somewhere cheaper please please please share!!!

    Reply
    • jillian

      P.S. I don’t know how that link to my post showed up in my comment. Feel free to remove it, I didn’t mean for it to be there.

      Reply
  18. Victoria

    The link to Uncle Bob’s website not working

    Reply
  19. Terry

    Melissa, I tried each of the links you provided but only get an ERROR message.
    Congratulations on your new job! I have always loved reading articles about organization, and look forward to reading yours!

    Reply
    • Melissa

      Thanks so much Terry! Looks like the server may have crashed to The Decluttered Home. I let them know and hopefully it will be back online soon!

      Reply
  20. Catherine Ellenwood

    Congratulations! This is very exciting news!

    I have two problems –

    1. I manage to get a space clutter free, in particular my home office. I think I have a home for everything, only to discover that some piece of mail, some email, some thing that I need to keep, has no where to go. I work from home as a college instructor for 3 online universities.One is full time and the other three happen every couple months. When I’m in full work mode, I have little time to deal with overflowing filing, mail, receipts, etc. Suggestions?

    2. My husband is my second problem. He has ADHD and as I’m sure you know, they are very much clutter challenged. Even though I have places for things, like the scissors I keep in my home station, he doesn’t put them back. This is his habit – he’ll get a tool to use, like the scissors (or hammer or pliers) and the set them down any where. Then when he (or I) need them again, we spend too much time hunting for them. We’ve tried lots of strategies, but nothing seems to work for him. (don’t even get me started on his home office!!!). All suggestions are welcome!

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Melissa D

      There is a book called Organizing for ADD that is super helpful for the afflicted (I’m one of them!)

      Reply
  21. Kimberlie

    My worst area is the storage room. We have wooden shelves that hold large plastic containers I haven’t looked into for years. Everything gets stuffed into this space and it becomes a mess! I would like to have a separate area for Christmas decorations and an area for gift wrapping in this room. It would be nice to know what is in these containers at a quick glance. FYI this area is unfinished and utilitarian at best. It also contains a refrigerator for overflow food during entertainment.

    Reply
  22. Carol

    Melissa ~
    Good for you tackling such a huge topic that can weigh us down. My biggest organizational problem is definately my pictures. Tons of photos in a total unorganizational mess and really it is a tremendous burden. Think about it a lot ~ so I would be interested in that topic.
    Thanks.

    Reply
  23. Kim Moore

    What a great idea! Here are some topic ideas:
    Relish Small Achievements:congratulate yourself for organizing ONE shelf, cupboard, closet.
    Imagine the recipient of your cast off being floored to have that sweater/jacket/hat you struggle to donate. OR you can save it for a rainy day for another decade….
    Avoiding the Washing Machine Syndrome–that’s when you move your stuff all over and around your house because you can’t part with it but should. Around and around it goes like clothes in a washer…
    Last idea: making important notebooks–one with all the important info and copies of documents for your kids in case something totally awful happens. No one wants to think about that, but a one notebook system instead of a scattered file mess with some thing here and some on that shelf, and some in the other room, etc., would be such a gift to your family. Maybe make it really pretty so it’s more fun to put together.
    Many thanks for all you do to brighten our days!

    Reply
  24. tara

    Hi! When I click on the links in this paragraph, I get an error message saying “database error”. I’m using Google Chrome… just a heads up. love your blog. :)

    “So, thank you for checking out my new column, The Decluttered Home! Maybe leave a comment there and share your own stories? My first two introductory posts are up including the welcome post with a bit of my story and 4 Reasons Why You Might Have a Clutter Problem! Oh yeah. I think many of us can relate to clutter problems, right?”

    Reply
  25. Cathy Norrie

    Dear Melissa,

    I too have problems with the links you have provided to your new blog. My search engine is Chrome. I am really looking forward to all your great ideas in the clutter area – we live in a very small 100+ year old house with virtually no built in storage spaces. A challenge for creative storage ideas!

    Congrats!

    Cath

    Reply
  26. Amy

    Toy storage!!!! My kids keep their toys in their bedrooms. With six kids all the bedrooms are being used, no toy room at this house. And 3 of them still in the middle of the toy phase, so they are all kept in their room. But just dumping them in tubs or a toy box drives me crazy!

    Reply
  27. VHiggins

    Paper!! I can’t afford to get a good scanner to go paperless and I get *so* overwhelmed with keeping proper records (warranties, manuals, receipts, tax paperwork, etc.). If it’s too complicated to start or maintain I know I’ll only get halfway through. >.<

    Reply
  28. teresa

    My biggest organizational challenges….boxes of children stuff…they say they want…but have not taken to their home =) Do I count to three?
    Looking forward to all your tips.

    Reply
  29. Lin

    Oh so happy about your new monthly newsletter on decluttering! I am going to read it myself and also forward it to a freind that REALLY needs it! Her issue seems to be her garages and she has 3 and paper!

    Reply
  30. Lin

    Oh challenge is email!

    Reply
  31. Linda Darling

    I would really love to hear how you organize the Christmas decorations and excess things like ribbon, rapping paper, etc. This is totally out of hand in my house and it is getting too hard for my husband to get it up and down from the attic. We are going to pick up a smaller (ie, 5 feet instead of 7 feet) Christmas tree this year to have for the next, but I probably have enough wrapping paper for the next five years! Seems like a timely topic this time of year.

    Reply
  32. Barbara F.

    Congrats on this new opportunity! I’ve been on a major purging and decluttering kick for the last year or so. I’ve done pretty well with most things but paperwork and organizing the home office is still a challenge. I’d love to read thoughts and suggestions on keeping papers, documents, mail, etc. organized and out of sight.

    Reply
  33. Cathyhaden

    No matter how much effort you put in decorating a house, if it’s cluttered, it would never look as fancy and beautiful as you aspire it to be. So removal of unwanted items should be your first task.

    Reply
  34. Beth

    I have a mail phobia. I don’t open much of it and when I do, I feel the need to keep more than I should. I have tried having a basket, but it fills up and then what do I do with what is in it. I know the adage, touch each piece only once, but I am beyond that.

    Reply
  35. Cathyhaden

    What a great post and perfect timing. Get rid of the old as we hope for the new! Thank you for sharing. You just earned yourself a new follower. Keep up the great work.

    Reply
  36. Margaret L

    My latest thing is getting rid of all the vitamin bottles off the table by my chair! When I was just a young reporter, I used to interview people in their homes. My thought back then was… I’ll NEVER be the type to keep all my vitamin bottles on the table by my chair! Why?!!! Now, 40 years later, I understand… but I’m investing in a three-drawer rolling cart to hold all my bottles. It’s amazing that at age 65, I recalling the ways of my 20s!

    Reply
  37. CJ

    Well this is exciting for you! I’ll be sure to follow along for help with my messy life.

    Reply

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