With Thanksgiving quickly approaching now is a great time to get your pantry in order! Before you start makin' groceries or even a grocery list, a single afternoon spent taking inventory of your kitchen can save you time, money & stress.
Watch this months CTC segment on WWL-TV Channel 4 morning news & see how easy it is to Clear the Clutter from your pantry!
As a professional organizer I often see how objects affect my clients lives. From clothing to keepsake. But what about your phone?
I believe that when we take the time to delete or keep people in our phone we are also reevaluating our relationship with them. Are they worthy of being in your life? Do you carry their energy with you everywhere you take your phone? I've begun to downsize the amount of contacts I have on my cell. I was surprised at how many numbers I no longer need & more importantly I discovered that there were people who I have no desire to talk to ever again! The simple act of hitting that delete button is a way of letting go of what I like to call emotional clutter. The next time you're waiting at the doctors office, sitting in an airport during a layover or during the commercial breaks of your favorite television show go ahead & give it try. Make room in your life for more positive connections & say goodbye to those contacts that have served their purpose.
I'm back in the Channel 4 News studio for my first pre-recorded segment Purse or Purge Worthy! Ladies this one is for you. Catch it on air next Saturday, October 10th at 8:30 AM on WWL-TV.
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A few months ago I lost not one but both of my beloved cats. Mazzy & Bartleby were my adopted family. My little girl, a talkative blue-eyed Siamese/Tabby mix came into my life as a rescue kitten when I was just 19 years old.
Mazzy Blue Earned the Nickname Princess Mae-Mae
Bartleby joined us a few years later from the Humane Society, a handsome long haired tuxedo Main Coon with a love of food & 25 lbs to show for it. In 2011 the 3 of us drove from Seattle, WA to our new life in New Orleans. Bartleby loved walking on his leash & visiting with neighbors. He even got a taste of fame when I included his photo in one of my WWL-TV segments!
Barty Gras - Bartleby's 15 Min of Fame on WWL-TV!
When Barty passed away in July I lost my best friend. For anyone that has loved & lost a pet you know firsthand what a sad & difficult experience this can be. While everyone deals with loss in their own way, I threw myself into work because I could not deal with my sadness. 8 weeks later Mazzy took a turn for the worse & joined her brother. I was beside myself but this time the world stopped. I took some time off work to process my loss. 17 years of companionship is a significant relationship & the house seemed so empty without my feline family.
Family Portrait - A Typical Morning in the Cymes Household.
It took about a month before I could even consider moving their possessions. However the site of their empty food dishes & toys on the floor did not bring me joy. Because I work with clutter & help clients process their emotions through the process of downsizing I was very aware that by keeping their stuff where it was I was pretending that nothing had changed. The next phase of my healing process could not begin until I fully came to terms with my loss by dealing with the physical items that represented Mazzy & Bartleby. Many people fear that by getting rid "stuff" means you're throwing away memories, let me assure you that no one can take away your memories of a loved one! Instead honor their memory by selecting a few keepsakes that make you smile & let go of the rest.
For more stories on the emotional aspect of clutter please follow me on facebook.
Today's client rocked my world when she purged her entire collection of design magazines. We recycled a decades worth of dusty subscriptions weighing 280 lbs. The room now looks & feels so much lighter!
Many clients are surprised when I tell them that the big garbage bag is for donations & the little plastic grocery bag is for trash. The truth is your clutter is likely more than 90% recyclable or donatable goods!
Contact your local charity to find out what items they can & can not accept. If they are unable to take something such as a working tube television or building materials, set it curbside for freecycle. One man's trash is another man's treasure.
Here's a great website called What Can I Recycle?
Be green & happy downsizing!
I've been a renter at this location since I moved to New Orleans back in 2011. I spent all this time making my house feel like a home but for some reason the shed remained neglected until now. Finally I couldn't take it anymore. Fortunately we have a new tenant moving in & I was able to motivate Dave, AKA world's best landlord to help me clean out the shed to make room for everyone's belongings.
My goals were simple. Remove unwanted building materials, organize holiday decorations & make room for my bike. A few hours later, with a shed full of donations laying on the curb for free pickup, Dave & I had worked a small miracle.
The best part is that I was able to enjoy myself, it didn't feel like a chore because we were having fun. Have a beer, listen to some tunes & clear the clutter.
Stasia Cymes Professional Organizer & owner of Clear the Clutter (504) 920-1800 Stasiacymes@gmail.com
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I had a great time speaking at the Sleepy Mom July event!
I enjoy living vicariously through other peoples children. My 15 yrs as a professional nanny gave me an inside look at family life. Each household was run by an amazing woman that did everything except put herself first.
Today is a friendly reminder to be kind to yourself. Whether you're a parent or not, too often we put the needs of others before our own. This selfless act is a noble one unless it's doing more harm than good.
Lead by example & take care of yourself. Your children are watching. If laundry & clutter have gotten out of control get your family involved & downsize often to keep the chaos at bay. If you're overwhelmed call Clear the Clutter at (504) 920-1800. We get you back on track with organization so you can spend your time doing more important things like enjoying quality time with your loved ones.
Stasia Cymes Professional Organizer & owner of Clear the Clutter (504) 920-1800 Stasiacymes@gmail.com
Follow me on facebook for inspiration!
Hooray it's my first blog! Today marks the launch of the new Clear the Clutter website, welcome. I'm excited to take you behind the scenes with these blog posts. As you can imagine I work with some very interesting & incredibly talented people. No two clients are ever the same but they all one thing in common. They're overwhelmed by clutter.
The owner of this lovely house is a friendly woman whose living room has been taken over by clutter. She tells me it started after Katrina. 10 years later it's a junk room, filled wall to wall with boxes & bags that prohibits anyone from entering.
Her willingness to let go of unwanted items from the past allowed her to reclaim her beautiful living room. What took years to accumulate was removed from her home in a matter of hours. If you want to enjoy something as simple as reading a book on your couch, it might be time to make room in your home for the things you love. Let the rest go.
Stasia Cymes Professional Organizer & owner of Clear the Clutter (504) 920-1800 Stasiacymes@gmail.com
Follow me on facebook for inspiration!