Assert your right to be free and independent of clutter! This month’s Top Ten are easy tips and ideas about how to start the de-clutter process and suggestions for planning and maintaining the process.

1. Plan the process and start now! Create a plan to de-clutter. Set dates and times of the day to get the job done. Trade de-cluttering tasks with your friends. Chances are they have clutter, too. Allow a year for completion of the plan. Create a vision of how your uncluttered spaces should look. Cut out pictures of cool looking clutter-free space from that magazine you’ll discard. Take stock of everything in your space and make decisions of what to let go based on what it would take to live in your ideally-cleared space. Separate what belongs in each room and put it there.

2. Figure out the paper clutter once and for all .Most homes have miles of files and piles of paper. It’s everywhere. Find a good system to deal with it and be done with it. Regularly recycle newspapers and magazines. Pay bills online.

3. Let go of that which is no longer needed. Children’s art projects, greeting cards with lovely sentiments, souvenirs from magical vacations… all are tempting to keep. Can the idea, or memory, of the art, card, or souvenir be treasured rather than keeping the physical reminder?  Aside from the sentimental, look around your living spaces and let go of the excess “stuff” that is keeping the space crowded and cluttered. Sing along with me: “Let it go, let it go, let it go!”

4. Organize what is needed, required, desired. Everything in your home needs a home. Start by sorting like items together. Decide where they will live. Infrequently used stuff should be stored high or in the back of cupboard/closets. For things used often or all the time, keep them close at hand. Sort: like with like. You can’t go wrong with an assortment of bins and containers. They’re great for keeping your stuff together, and labeling them makes items quicker to find. Never underestimate the power of a P-Touch label maker! Oh yeah!

5. One room/closet/shelf/drawer, at a time. Clearing the clutter begins with one area. That’s it. Concentrate on one area. Don’t move on until you finish the job. Then move to the next space. It’s nearly impossible (and altogether daunting) to de-clutter a home all at once! Focusing on one room, one closet, one shelf, one drawer at a time makes the task feel more possible and easy to manage.

6. Keep it out or put it away. A desk only needs a few pens, a dish of paperclips, one stapler, one tape dispenser… a few folders of current work… and not much else. Likewise in the kitchen.  If cooking isn’t what you do regularly keep cutting boards and knives in the cupboard. The coffee maker should stay on the counter if you use it everyday. Otherwise, clear some space beneath the cabinet and store it there.

7. Clear the refrigerator. Health reasons aside, too much stuff in your refrigerator makes it difficult to identify what’s on the back of the shelves!  Discard expired food. Move the nearly-expired  to the front of the refrigerator.  Purchase inexpensive storage containers like these at Bed Bath and Beyond.

8. Clear the medicine cabinets. Medicine cabinets are often home to mostly expired medicine, lotions, and all manner of potions.  Find inexpensive drawer organizers at Target Bed Bath and Beyond, or Container Store.  Keep first-aid stuff close at hand. Use baggies to gather hair clips, razors, nail supplies, etc.

9. Use Wall Space and the inside of Closet Doors. Adhesive hooks and towel racks are great storage solutions for clothing accessories and hanging/folding items. Pocket wall organizers like this many uses it would be hard to list! When using wall storage, everything is visible and can easily be accounted and organized for.

10. Maintaining de-cluttered space. Take photos of the newly de-cluttered areas. Think twice about everything that is brought into your space. Will it have a home? Does it have immediate use? Are you buying it for someone else and do they need it?

Summer is here! This means the kids are home, beach & camping trips are necessary, you have time for a short vacation, the grill is finally being used, and your collection of flowers outside is getting some attention. With so many things going on it is easy to lose track of time and your belongings making clutter a formidable summer foe. Luckily staying organized throughout the summer months is not that difficult and doesn’t require much effort. Here is a list of the Top 10 Summer Organizing Tips:

1. Keep all of your grilling tools in one place to make it easy to access and so you do not misplace them. A bucket or pail works great and are inexpensive.
2. When going to the beach or camping, keep all of the mosquito repellent and sunscreen in a Ziploc bag. You can simply put the Ziploc bag in the car or in a tote so it is easily accessible and don’t have to worry about leaks.
3. Protect your stored winter coats and clothing so they smell nice for next winter. Cedar is great for keeping moths away, I like to get a breathable bag and make my own mix of cedar, lavender, and chamomile to put in my winter closet.
4. The end of tax season should mean the end of piles of paper. File statements and corresponding deductions’ documents to avoid mixing the papers with others on your desk.
5. Going on a road trip? A shoe organizer designed to hang on the inside of your closet door is great for the backseat of your car. You can organize your maps, food, games, and other road trip necessities without cluttering your entire car.
6. Keep an extra trashcan or plastic laundry basket outside for beach/water toys. This way you don’t have to worry about bringing the mess indoors and they are readily available when you need them. Make sure it is ventilated so the toys don’t get moldy.
7. Keep gardening supplies in one area. A bucket or pail works great and everything is visible so you can grab whatever shovel or tool you need and can bring along the rest.
8. With school out of session clear out backpacks, school papers, drawings and activity bags. Let your child help to decided what to keep and toss.  Also be sure to sell back textbooks if that’s an option.
9. Create a summer routine for you and your children. Make a summer chore chart easily visible so your children can see what they need to do for the day before they go out and play. This is also great if your children complain of boredom with their free time, they can help you out around the house.
10. Plan ahead! Whether it’s a vacation or just a short camping trip, make a list of what you need to do before R&R and a checklist of everything you and the family need to pack (that way you don’t forget anything except your worries). If you’re using a motorhome, then make sure to stock on common Motorhome Parts that can go wrong.

In Los Angeles, April showers were a blip on the screen and May flowers come up anyway. You gotta love L.A.

With a play on the word May – our organizing theme this month is simple: May you find the organizing system that works best for you!

Not all organizing systems are appropriate for all brain types. Left-brain dominate people may do well with a file system where papers are out of sight. People who rely upon visual cues may create a “piling” system instead. Knowing your brain type will increase the likelihood of maintaining a successful organizing system.

May all your de-clutter dreams come true.

1. Filing system. The point of having a filing system is find and retrieve the information you need when you need it. An effective filing system will save you time and minimize the chance that you will lose important documents and records. Filing is most effective when clearly labeled tabs contain the information on the label. This can include an array of information from finances to recipes. Keep like information together and file paper as soon as you need too. Nothing is more frustrating than not being able to find important records when you need them.

2. Binders. Binders are great visual file systems for everything you can imagine: tax information, emergency contacts, car maintenance, children’s artwork, medical information etc. Be sure to include tabs, sheet protectors, labels, and anything else you will need to keep things in a clearly labeled and easily accessible part of the binder. The binder will only be as effective as you make it. For example, shoving papers in the binder without putting them in the section they should be in can lead to more disorganization and frustration later on.

3. Piles. For those that have a difficult time putting things away, clearly labeled piles can often be helpful and require less effort.

4. Labels. How are you supposed to remember what’s in the bins or boxes in your home if they are not labeled? There is a difference between a box with “tree ornaments” and a box with “house decorations.” The easiest way to identify what you need when you need it is making clearly identifiable labels.

5. Drawer organizers. Any drawer can become the “junk” drawer where finding items can be difficult. Drawer organizers are great for organizing everything from office supplies to socks.

6. Family Calendar. Create a family calendar with a “to do” check list.  If you are in charge of managing multiple schedules keep all activities in one place to avoid overbooking and over-stressing.

7. Bookshelves: Bookshelves aren’t just for books! They can be used to fit bins that contain items off your dressers and floors. Find what works best for you.

8. Zoning: Create zones in your place, like with like. Every item should already have a designated ‘home’ so it can be put back instead of placed into a pile or left on the floor. Use vertical space, cabinets and shelving to create zones for your files, supplies, mail (envelopes, stamps, checkbook) and resources (books/research).

9. Paper: Don’t keep what you don’t need. The majority of what is filed never sees the light of day again. So before you put something away, avoid the “this may come in handy one day” syndrome. Ask yourself: Can I find this information anywhere else? If the answer is “yes” then discard the item. Be sure to download my “Paper Clutter: What To Keep and For How Long” to help you.

10. Use technology to help with your organization. With technology and websites like NeatReceipts, CardScan, Intelliscanner, and ScanDigital, you can get rid of business cards, receipts, archive papers and photographs. Your smart phone also has calendar and notepad for you to jot down on-the-go notes you need to remember later on.

The month of April is generally a very pleasant time of year and people around the world celebrate the rites of Spring! We clear our gardens of last year’s growth and make the ground ready for flowers and beautiful blooms. Spring is traditionally a time of renewal, cleansing, and preparing for the long days of summer. Many people feel an energy shift during this time of the year. Days are longer and, with that, comes limitless possibilities about how and where to spend your time. It’s a good time for a little introspection, breathing new life into your 2017 goals to help ensure that you will meet them.

Events are held around the world in recognition of Earth Day, April 22^nd, which was begun in 1969 in San Francisco, the City of St. Francis, allegedly, the patron saint of Ecology. Earth Day reminds us that if our carbon footprint is tiny, we may have some luck ensuring that the planet may survive the intensity of our desire for more “stuff.”

Here are your Top Ten Tips to minimize your footprint and celebrate Mother Earth!

1. Take stock of what you’ve got. If you feel over-abundant, or that you just may have too many of one particular thing, now’s the time to decide: how much is enough?
2. Consider a donation to The Story of Stuff Project, or at least view their amazing 20 minute documentary: The Story of Stuff with Annie Leonard.
3. Let the sun shine in! Clean the windows inside AND out, then shake out the curtains and wash them.
4. Spring clean with a friend! Ask your favorite pal to help you with a major cleaning of your space – top to bottom. Reciprocate. Repeat as necessary.
5. Participate in Earth Day events in your community.
6. Improve your recycling habits. Think about this: Per year , an average family consumes 182 gallons of soda, 29 gallons of juice, 104 gallons of milk, 26 gallons of bottled. That’s a lot of containers.
7. Cut down on household paper; organize bills online. Here’s one cool way: https://www.finovera.com/
8. Make this your new mantra: Less is more. Less is more. Less is more. Less is more.
9. Buy yourself an awesome travel mug for your morning coffee. Be sure to take it into the coffee place when you stop in for a cup (and you’ll get discount on the coffee!)
10. Don’t forget to take your re-usable shopping bags into the market. If you forget, kindly ask the person in line ahead of you to hold your place while you run to the car. It won’t be long until you always bring them with you!

7. Create an organizing system that is an extension of your natural habits. If you organize your mail at the kitchen, set up a mail organizing station in the kitchen.

8. Add more organizing efforts into your daily routine rather than subtracting old ones. It is easier to add a habit then to subtract one. For example: after you make a mess, clean it up.

9. Choose to stay organized every day. Take time each day to put items back where they belong. If an item has no “home,” give it one and make sure it stays there. Clean along the way.

10. Take time to organize yourself and your mind. Do the best to create a stress-free environment for yourself. Don’t bite off more than you can chew and overbook yourself. Set aside time each day to unwind and relax. If you are too busy to find time to relax, organize your schedule to set aside time.

It’s officially Fall in Los Angeles although you wouldn’t know it: the weather forecast for today is 95 degrees. But judging by the plethora of pop-up Halloween Costume stores, it’s obvious the fall season has arrived!

Halloween has grown into a special day for young and old alike. Straddling the line between fall and winter, plenty and paucity, life and death, Halloween is a time of celebration and superstition. It is thought to have originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off roaming ghosts.

In LA, one of the biggest costume parties of the year is the celebration of Halloween on the streets of West Hollywood (check it out HERE – you’ve got to go at least once!) 

To ready yourself for the festivities, A Clear Path Presents:

Top 10 Tips: Organizing to make your Halloween a Treat

1.  Prepare your costume ahead of time. There is always a last minute rush for Halloween costumes, or are you that one person who actually ends up wearing a sheet with two holes cut out? Don’t be that person! If you are on a budget, inexpensive costumes may be found at thrift stores and discount clothing retailers (Marshalls, TJ Maxx, etc.). You can also exchange costumes with a friend or relative or make your own.

2. Make lists and calendar priorities. Make a list of everything you and your family need to do before Halloween. Give yourself “deadlines” to get a costume ready, prepare treats, RSVP to events, etc. If you are a visual person, write these items on a calendar and use a different color for each family member’s “deadline”.

3. Organized decorating. Time to collect the Halloween décor from years’ past. Notice if they are all placed in one spot or if the decorations are scattered throughout hiding spots in you home. Be mindful of how the decorations will be put back. Make sure the decorations do not interfere with daily life throughout your home.

4. Keep your pets safe with these tips from www.petmd.com:

• Keep Halloween plants such as pumpkins and corn out of reach
• Keep pets confined and away from the door during Trick-or-Treat time
• Don’t leave pets out in the yard on Halloween
• Trick-or-treat candies are not for pets
• Don’t keep lit pumpkins around pets
• Don’t dress your pet in a costume if it irritates your pet
• Try on pet costumes before the big night
• Make sure your pet has the proper identification in case of an accident

5. If you are organizing a Halloween Party, plan ahead. Make sure the invitations are out, you have an RSVP list and a meal plan, decorate, and get the Halloween party activity supplies (bobbing for apples, pumpkin carving, etc.) ready beforehand.

6. Carving pumpkins. Make sure you have all of your pumpkin carving tools (or just a lot of kitchen knives), and a designated pumpkin carving area. When you gut the insides, dispose of the waste right away, perhaps in a compost box, roast the seeds, or find a use for the pumpkin insides

7. Take reusable bags with you when you go trick-or-treating.  Paper and plastic bags may easily tear, spilling Halloween treats and disappointing children. Reusable bags are much more durable and better for the environment.

8. Organize the treats you bought ahead of time. If you are expecting a rush of trick-or-treaters, place various treats into a “treat” bag that each trick-or-treater can grab.

9. Clean up as you go along. Whether you’re baking, carving pumpkins, making a costume, or decorating, cleaning up as you go along will save time and probably a headache.

10. Storing Halloween decorations. Follow these simple tips:

• Designate a place
• Storage bins
• Label everything
• Store similar decorations together
• Discard or donate

Be Aware! Please prepare!

“It’s coming. I can feel it in my bones,” said Isabel, a client who asked for help assembling the family earthquake kit. I reminded Isabel that of course it is coming, here in West Los Angeles we live about as close to a fault line as anyone would want!

Personally, I think it’s kind of kooky that everyone living in California does not have an earthquake kit. Heck, I’ve got a kit in my car, one next to my front door, and a canvas bag beneath my bed, just near the head of my bed. The bag contains tennis shoes, jeans, socks, underwear, hoodie, reading glasses, flashlight, water purifier, batteries, and cash (small bills). I am ready for WHEN (not if!) the next big EQ rocks L.A!

September is Emergency Preparedness month. In an ideal world we’d like it very much if we didn’t have to think about what may befall us or our family. But we live in a world where disaster can strike at any moment. I know a lot of folks who want to hold on to their stuff “just in case.” But the chances of a big earthquake occurring, are probably higher than the chance you’ll need that extra toaster you’re holding onto for “just in case.

When I moved into my apartment I purchased two small, 1-person EQ kits at a local Surplus store. You can also find them at places like Lowe’s or Home Depot, or you can build your own. For local resources throughout the state, visit the website for the California Earthquake Authority.

This month’s Top Ten Tips to provides additional resources, ideas, and ways to prepare for what we all know can occur at any moment (even though we’re also in denial!).

An Organized Earthquake 

1.   When shaking begins:

• Lie down length-wise next to a bed or couch so you don’t get crushed by a collapsing table or desk. 
• Stay indoors until the shaking stops and you’re sure it’s safe to exit. 
• Stay away from bookcases or furniture that can fall on you. 
• Stay away from windows. In a high-rise building, expect the fire alarms and sprinklers to go off during a quake. 
• Roll over and lie lengthwise against the bed on the floor! That way the bookcase or glass doors near your bed lands on the bed and not on you!) 
• If you are outdoors, find a clear spot away from buildings, trees, and power lines. Drop to the ground. 
• If you are in a car, slow down and drive to a clear place. Stay in the car until the shaking stops. Avoid overpasses or underpasses.

2. Secure your items, placing pesticides, flammable containers, and breakable china on the bottom of cabinets with a secure latch. Consider consulting a professional to learn how to make your home sturdier. You can bolt bookcases to wall studs, install strong latches on cupboards, and strap the water heater to wall studs.   

3. Know how you will communicate/stay up-to-date after the shaking stops.

• AM/FM radio.  Store at least 3 sets of alkaline batteries for standard units. Inexpensive radios are available from your local Radio Shack.  The best radio is one that has rechargeable NI-cads built in and may be charged with the built-in solar cell, or by cranking on a built-in generator handle.  
• Pen, pencil, and paper pad to leave messages.  Store in zip lock bag. 
• Stamped postcards.  Store in zip lock bags. 
• Your house might be gone, but if you still have a mailbox, the mail will continue service.  This is an easy way to stay in touch with family far away. 
• List of important phone numbers. 
• Weather radio or police scanner.

  4. Keep your home secure. Find out where the utility shutoffs are for water, power, and gas. Place a flashlight or an emergency light next to your breaker panel. Place a wrench in your water meter box located near the street and attach a tool on your gas meter for turning off the gas. Evaluate each room in your house. Ask yourself: what will fall on my head, or will keep me from getting out if it fell?  Secure anything you find.   

Hang heavy items such as pictures and mirrors away from beds, couches, and anywhere people sit. Store breakable items such as bottled foods, glass, and china in low, closed cabinets with latches. Also be sure to store household chemicals on a bottom shelf of a closed cabinet. Never store bleach and ammonia in the same cabinet.  These chemicals, when mixed, will create a deadly toxic gas.   

5. Locate a place in each room of the house where you can go to in case of an earthquake. Make sure family members also know where this space is. 

6.  Go to a designated public shelter if your home had been damaged and is no longer safe. Text SHELTER + your ZIP code to 43362 (4FEMA) to find the nearest shelter in your area (example: shelter 12345).   Stay away from damaged areas unless your assistance has been specifically requested by police, fire, or relief organizations. Return home only when authorities say it is safe.   

7. Know what to do if there is an earthquake at work.  Read your company’s evacuation plan. Note the designated meeting locations for after an evacuation. Each time you enter a room, take note of the exit routes and locations of fire extinguisher and medical kits. Keep your own personal supplies in your desk in a single pack of some kind that you can access quickly.  Along with your supplies, store a pair of walking shoes.   Be sure you have composed a card to carry in your wallet or purse with important phone numbers including the number of your out of state phone contacts. Keep the area under your desk free of waste-paper baskets and the like. This six-square foot area might be home during a few traumatic moments. If you are not at your desk when something happens, don’t count on being able to make it back.     

8.  Inspect utilities: Check for gas leaks. If you smell gas or hear blowing or hissing noise, open a window and quickly leave the building. Turn off the gas at the outside main valve if you can and call the gas company from a neighbor’s home. If you turn off the gas for any reason, it must be turned back on by a professional.   Look for electrical system damage. If you see sparks or broken or frayed wires, or if you smell hot insulation, turn off the electricity at the main fuse box or circuit breaker. If you have to step in water to get to the fuse box or circuit breaker, call an electrician first for advice.   Check for sewage and water lines damage. If you suspect sewage lines are damaged, avoid using the toilets and call a plumber. If water pipes are damaged, contact the water company and avoid using water from the tap. You can obtain safe water by melting ice cubes. 

  9. Know and understand your neighborhood. Contact your school district to obtain policy regarding how children will be released from school. Know the location of the nearest police and fire stations, as well as the route to the nearest hospital emergency room. Meet with neighbors and find out who has medical experience. If you are taking this preparedness thing seriously, share this information with the households next to you.  

The more people you can convince to prepare, the greater your group resources. Remember that you will be called upon by all around you for help, especially by those who didn’t take warnings seriously. Show neighbors where the utility shutoffs are and provide them with a list of contact phone numbers. Ask how to turn off your neighbor’s utilities.   

10. Come up with a plan in case of an emergency. Your family may not be together when a disaster strikes so it is important to plan in advance: how you will get to a safe place; how you will contact one another; how you will get back together; and what you will do in different situations. Here is a great chart to help you and your family come up with a plan in case of an emergency. Thanks to ready.gov, environment.nationalgeographic.com, and theepicenter.com for great emergency response.

More Spring cleaning and decluttering