Perfecting your garden is a process of trial and error. And sometimes, when you’re in the thick of it, it’s nice to call in an expert for some sage advice or words of encouragement.
01.06.2024 - 10:35 / thespruce.com / Barbara Bellesi Zito
Decluttering your space is simple in theory: just sell, donate, or discard/recycle anything you don’t use or need anymore. But it's the practice of that simple theory that can be hard.
Lauren Saltman, professional organizer and owner of Living. Simplified., often needs to ease her clients into the process.
“Encouraging my clients to let go of items is so much easier once we group like items together,” she says.
You might be surprised by how many similar items are lying around your home. If you’re ready to declutter, start with these all-too-frequently found items that organizing pros would gently encourage you to part ways with.
The Spruce / Eric Brockob
Let’s be clear: home chefs need tools like spatulas, knives, and cooking spoons. But Saltman recalls working with one client who amassed an “astounding” number of kitchen tongs.
“We had a good chuckle, keeping two long pairs and one short, and then we donated about 15 pairs,” she says.
What number is “too many” to have of any cooking utensil? Saltman says if you have several of one item in a drawer but keep rewashing your “favorite” one, it’s time to declutter the rest.
“My rule of thumb is to make sure an appliance has multiple uses and that you don't already have something else in the kitchen that can get the job done,” she says.
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The Spruce / Henry Wortock
If you’ve got a kitchen junk drawer, we’d bet good money there’s at least one too many screwdrivers in it.
For starters, Saltman recommends getting rid of any that are worn down at the tip. Next, pick up each of the remaining ones and see if any are too uncomfortable to grip—those
Perfecting your garden is a process of trial and error. And sometimes, when you’re in the thick of it, it’s nice to call in an expert for some sage advice or words of encouragement.
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