clutter-free

Occupied Staging and De-Cluttering for Home Sellers

By Hazel Thornton | May 31, 2012 |

This is the companion article to The Occupied Staging Clutter Flow Chart. It answers these questions: What is “Occupied Staging Clutter”? Why can’t I part with my clutter? What should I do with my clutter? What if, despite my best intentions, I am still living with clutter?

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The Value of Organizing Outweighs the Cost

By Hazel Thornton | April 20, 2012 |

Have you ever wondered who, exactly, hires a professional organizer? Are my clients all rich? A few are, yes, but mostly they’re not. Not at all. What do they all have in common? They are ready to make changes; they are willing to invest in themselves (and/or their home, work, and relationships); and they recognize that the value of…

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What I Know For Sure: Oprah Really Gets It!

By Hazel Thornton | February 12, 2012 |

I am grateful to Oprah Winfrey for introducing professional organizers Julie Morgenstern and Peter Walsh to the world at large. She increased awareness of the benefits of getting organized, paving the way for organizers like me to help others and make a living doing what we love. I originally wrote this in 2011, about what has become O…

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How to Create Your Own Simple Filing System

By Hazel Thornton | October 18, 2011 |

No two people are alike, and no two filing systems need to be either.  Create your own unique filing system using the S.P.A.C.E.* method:

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How to Create More S.P.A.C.E. in Your Life

By Hazel Thornton | October 13, 2011 |

S.P.A.C.E. is the system I use to organize anything and everything — a room, a closet, a junk drawer, a calendar — you name it! This acronym was coined by Julie Morgenstern, whose book Organizing From The Inside Out is such an industry classic that I often find copies of it in my clients’ homes!…

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Mystery Piles & Action Files

By Hazel Thornton | October 8, 2011 |

Have you ever heard the organizing rule, “Touch each piece of paper only once”?  (a.k.a. OHIO — Only Handle it Once) Well, it’s a myth. But the kernel of truth inside the myth is this: If you sift through a pile of mail, or other type of papers, and if you don’t decide the first…

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Is it Clutter?

By Hazel Thornton | September 29, 2011 |

This is the companion article to The Original Clutter Flow Chart. It answers these questions: What is Clutter?  Why can’t I part with my clutter?  What should I do with my clutter?  What if, despite my best intentions, I am still living with clutter?

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