By Helen Steiner, Lead Professional Organizer
Topic 2: The Pull Out Method!
Hey! Get your mind out of the gutter! We are talking about home organization here.
We have previously discussed the importance of reclaiming your space. We also talk a lot about the importance of decluttering. It sounds easy enough–just get rid of stuff! Yet, this can be an emotional and time consuming process. Especially when you don’t know where and how to begin.
So, let’s talk about that process. Let’s say you have determined the space that needs decluttering, for example, your kitchen. I use the kitchen example because this is often a space where the hustle and bustle of home life tends to take over. The ‘stuff’ seems to accumulate. Whether that be on the counter tops, in the cabinets or the creation of ‘junk’ drawers. Trust me, everyone has a junk drawer in their home! Yet, that doesn’t mean it has to look like a junk drawer–right? Are you with me? The same goes for all spaces.
Enter…the Pull Out Method!
To start, imagine we are in the kitchen. Designate a surface, for example, the kitchen table, and start pulling any visible clutter to the kitchen table. The name is pretty self explanatory–you will ultimately pull out everything. As you are doing this, begin forming categories. Create a category for each section: mail/any papers, vitamins/supplements, pantry items, plates & bowls, etc.. will go–for now.
It may feel overwhelming because you will visually be able to see all of your stuff. That’s okay, it’s normal to feel that. In order to get where you want to be organizationally you will have to make what seems like a mess. Remember, it will not remain that way when your project is completed! As one fellow organizer said, “You have to crack a few eggs to make an omelette!”
Once you have these categories sorted out you can begin the process of pairing down. Here at Meat & Potatoes we like to keep everything as simple as possible. Pair down your stuff category by category. For example, there is a lot of old mail and papers that no longer need to be kept–think about shredding important documents and recycling the others. Or, there are duplicates of a lot of my larger kitchen utensils. Consider donating these types of items.
Once you have completed pairing down each category–the fun part begins! The organizing and putting away of all of the essential ‘keep’ items. At Meat & Potatoes, we custom curate your space to meet your needs both functionally and aesthetically. We also then recommend recycling and donating unwanted items (we take those away after each session for you). That way, when your project is complete, you do not have to worry about any clutter in your freshly organized space! Our goal is to service you with any organizing needs and leave you feeling stress-free–and more importantly, clutter-free!
So now you know…The Pull Out Method! Coined by our Head Tater Tot, Cori.
Stay tuned for our next topic on organizing…. Please put any thoughts you have in the comments – we’d love to hear from you!
—-Helen
