Clutter Crisis

It typically takes a few months for a woman to fully recover from giving birth, but its been a year since Camille was born, and I havent been able to bounce back, Dena says. Thats mainly because the circumstances surrounding Camilles birth were anything but typical. She suffered a seizure a week after she was born and now faces a host of developmental challenges. Combine that with the demands of caring for two other children, Derrick, 6, and Courtney, 4, and the move almost two years ago into a new 6,000-square-foot house in Cherokee County, and its easy to understand why Dena feels overwhelmed.

For Dena, who works three 12-hour shifts a week at Northside Hospital in Atlanta, the moment of clarity came when the water to her home was shut off because she had lost track of the bills. I just decided Im not living my life in chaos, she says. She learned about professional organizer Allison Carter through a parenting Web site, and she gave her a call.

Dena decided to focus on her office in the basement first, since thats where she pays bills, works on the medical paperwork necessary for Camilles care, synchronizes the data in her PDA and communicates by e-mail. Derrick and Courtney often join her in the office, which is equipped with a computer for each of them. Denas husband, Jim, who is an attorney, also has an office in the basement–a space Dena says is among the familys future organization projects.

Next, the two moved on to the array of objects strewn around the room. Allison set up boxes marked goes elsewhere and keep to separate the things that needed to be moved to another place in the house from the things that could stay in the office. Were only keeping things in here that are appropriate to the space, she says.

Most of the useful or meaningful things Allison and Dena purged from the room went into storage (Christmas decorations, wrapping paper, candles and decor items). The rest was relocated upstairs to the main rooms or the toy area.

Another common roadblock on the path to order is the tendency many have to zigzag when they try to organize a space. One of the problems I have is when I organize Ill take something to where it goes and then get stuck in that room, Dena says. Allison calls that zigzag organizing. You get distracted by your clutter in another room, and you forget to come back to the original room, she explains.

For those who dont want to or cant afford to hire a professional organizer, Allison says to just ask a friend whos organized for help. The friend often wont even need to lift a finger. Just knowing someone is watching commits you to do it, she says.

When organizing on your own, Allison says, remember to start with a general focus and gradually work toward the specific. Sort things into piles, then sift through each pile, keeping what you need, use and love and getting rid of the rest. Thats where many people get into trouble, Allison says. Objects often are associated with memories, and it can be hard not to confuse the physical object with the memory its linked to. Dena, for example, had been keeping every piece of art her kids had drawn, rather than choosing their favorites and putting them on display.

The kids were surprised and amazed to see the office again, though they checked to make sure I didnt throw away their stuff, Allison adds. Denas husband was a bit concerned about that, as well, and is a little hesitant to let me into his office.