At SimplifyNYC, we strongly believe that the way to a simpler home and simpler life begins with decluttering.
Whether you are selling your apartment, or you just want to live in a more organized home, you must start by saying “goodbye” to all those unvalued items. This “stuff” is no doubt taking up too much real estate in your home.
Cole is a licensed real estate agent with BOND New York and considers every item you allow into your home an investment. That never-before-used air fryer: property. Those shirts your mom sends you that you never wear: property. The free samples of face cream filling your bathroom vanity: property. All of these things affect how much available space you have. When you take ownership of your “stuff” and remove unvalued items, you create more real estate within the home, and in New York City, where extra space is GOLDEN.
It may sound tedious, but we help our clients go through every single closet and drawer, deciding what is being used and what is not. The pandemic has actually been helpful to us because it has created a way to measure time. If you have not touched something since 2019, then you probably do not need it anymore. It sounds easy enough and we encourage you to try it yourselves. However, we would not have this business, and be writing this article, if clients didn’t want our help. Often, just accountability…like a personal trainer. Whatever helps you get started, feel free to take what we have learned into consideration.
Here’s an idea: start with drawers.
Drawers are a confined space so it makes it less overwhelming.
Start by removing items one by one and place “like with like.”
This isn’t how it’s going to end up…it’s just helping us identify what’s what, such as pens, papers, business cards, documents, and memorabilia. When you’re making these piles go ahead and think about which items are keep, for donation, to recycle, or trash. Trash is always the last resort. (We will talk about that more later!) Once you’ve identified your property it’s likely that you have discovered more real estate in your drawer—GOLDEN!
Envision Time!
We guarantee it’s going to feel really good to keep a clean drawer. We encourage you to take a minute to think about your entire home being that clear. How does it feel? What if you just donated the majority of unused items you currently own? Envision having every drawer, closet, and cabinet looking clear and organized. Envision having a mental list of everything you own and know exactly where it lives. Okay... minute is up! Keep that clarity in mind before you start putting things back. It’s in that moment that you can change old habits and even your life.
Then you get to decide “where do we put this crap?”
What do you put back in the drawer? Whatever you want... it’s your home. Your life. We suggest looking at your “keep pile” and identifying what the majority of it is…. If it is pens and business cards, then it can be an office drawer. If it is photos and tchotchkes from old vacations, then maybe you could turn it into a drawer of keepsakes. Either way, what you have chosen to keep, to value, should lead you to where it goes. Sometimes, clients realize they have completely emptied a drawer and that is super exciting— “You go, Glen Coco!”
We want you to have a relationship with your property. Take ownership of every paper clip and every roll of Scotch Tape. You made an investment in it. It’s yours. You wouldn’t buy a second home in the Berkshire’s and just forget about it, would you? No! You would take care of it. Love it. If you VALUE everything you invest in, then you will automatically declutter your life. This works in any investment…emotional, physical, and financial.
What are you doing this weekend? I bet you have twenty minutes to start on at least one drawer, or maybe two. Go get an iced coffee or have it delivered. Put on Harry Styles or Beyonce’s new Album and make it fun. Teach your kids that this is “something we do. We decide what’s valuable to us or what is taking up too much real estate.” Take pictures and reels and post them on social media. Have a blast taking care of your home and be sure to tag us, @SimplifyNYC. We can’t wait to see the results!
Hello. We are Caleb and Cole. We each share a passion for organization and cleansing the home. We think of SimplifyNYC as not just a service, but a philosophy about life that we pass on to every client with whom we work. Our backgrounds are both in the performing arts. Through intense study of the arts, we gained greater perspective on how to tell a clear narrative, how best to determine focus and articulate goals. We think of your life and your home similarly. Too much clutter obscures clarity. Our goal is to better your quality of life by ridding it of negative, cluttered space and creating a clear, safe space outside the hustle and bustle of NYC. To reach us directly click here and follow us on Instagram.
