Before / After

Before and After photos are the best way to understand what The Clutter Helper does. De-cluttering not only keeps you organized, but saves you thousands of dollars because you can now see what you own, and you no longer purchase duplicate items.

The Before and After photos below are of a 2000 square foot home with extreme clutter.

Living Room

Let’s start with the main floor of this 2000 square foot home. When you are using this room for your main entertainment and have 3 grandchildren, it does not take long for the clutter to build up. We moved the furniture around into a U-shape, placed all TV and game controls in baskets and books and magazines now have a home. This makes clean up a breeze.

Before Family room before professional organization After Family room after professional organization

Reading/Play Room

We separated this area from the living room so we could have the grandkid’s toys and books in their own area and baskets labeled “Toy”, “Book”, “Puzzles”, “Games”. Make it fun and easy for the kids to put their toys away.

Before Reading room before professional organization After Reading room after professional organization

Eating/Dining Room

The cabinet work was superb! We needed to go through all of the cupboards and drawers and rearrange, clean and found new homes for everything that stayed. When you have extreme clutter, there will be 2, 3, or more of many items; this means only 2 will go back into the cupboards and the remaining will be donated by the Clutter Helper to e.g. Diabetes, the Salvation Army, etc. Wow, what a beautiful room!

Before Disorganized Dining Room After Organized Dining Room
Before Cluttered Kitchen After Un cluttered Kitchen by The Clutter Helper

Kitchen

We all wish for a kitchen like this! Now we have to take everything out of these cupboards, clean, organize, and put back only what is needed. Discard all expired items and multiple items go to the Food Bank. The best way to keep well organized is to label the shelves and the containers so it is easy to see what you have – then you won’t purchase extra.

Before Disorganized Kitchen After Professionally Organized Kitchen by The Clutter Helper
After Professionally Organized Kitchen

The main floor is complete

Tip – Take 5-10 minutes a day to place all items that are not in their proper new homes, and place it there!

Let’s go upstairs of this 4-bedroom house.

Bedroom

This room was used for lots of storage – blankets, games, lego, an extra bed, and lots of clothes. The Clutter Helper, Anita, arranged this room, set up the bed, and used the extra shelves for the toys. She used large totes for the large amount of lego. Laundry hampers were added and an extra desk was set up for doing homework. All shelves were labeled. A 10 year old can now enjoy and plan in this room again.

Before Kids room that needs to be organized 1 BeforeKids room that needs to be organized 2
AfterProfessionally Organized kids room 1 After Professionally Organized kids room 2

Bedroom #2

This is a small room, and there was too much stuff! We needed to downsize all the toys and use tubs and organizer shelves. The desk is now useable for homework. The bed had shelves on the bottom – we labeled them and used them for small toys and many game cards.

Tip – Tubs and containers are so inexpensive and easy for kids to put their toys and games away. Also have your children take 5 minutes before TV time and ask to place all stuff back in their appropriate places.

Before Bedroom needs professional organizing AfterBedroom after organizer from The Clutter Helper
BeforeBedroom in need of a professional organizer After Organized bedroom

Let’s go downstairs

Rec Room/TV Room

This room could not be used for many years. Everything was piled up in storage tubs. This basement had 2 storage rooms that were not being used to their potential. Anita cleaned, organized the shelf unit so that all the books, controller, CDs and tapes now have a proper home. The 2 storage rooms down the hall are now named “4 Seasons Storage” and “Craft and Sewing Room”.

Before Basement needs organizing BeforeBasement in need of professional organizing
AfterBasement organized by Anita Beil

Let’s go down the hall.

4 Seasons Storage

After sorting all of the seasonal items, Anita placed them in tubs, storage bins, and on shelves that were already in this storage room. She labeled each shelf “Christmas”, “Easter”, “Halloween”, “Thanksgiving”, and “Summer”. The small 5-drawer cabinet has all the ribbons, bows, labels, tape, wrapping paper, and cards. On top of the white cupboard is only the Christmas wrap, bows, cards, and gift bags. Labels, tubs and storage shelves are the best way to keep organized. Now when the client needs to find Birthday cards, she can find them in a small white drawer, 3rd drawer down.

Before Storage space to be organized BeforeCluttered storage space
AfterOrganizer approved storage space After De cluttered storage space
AfterProfessionally organized storage space

Craft/Sewing Room

The last room downstairs that will complete the entire basement is the craft/sewing room. This room is very large and had huge potential. All of my clients sewing magazines, patterns, notions, and craft books were placed in the white file cabinet. The only things placed on the sewing table was the sweing machines and serger. The shelves are completely reorganized and labeled with appropriate items (e.g. material, wool, craft supplies, etc.).

In the hall were just a few items that were going to donations. Now the client has a clear and clean walkway to all 3 areas (storage, Rec, and TV area). All it takes is 10 minutes a day – pickup and place things in their new home!

Before Craft room could use a professional organizer BeforeMessy craft room
AfterCleaned craft room After Organized craft room
AfterCraft room after organization

This completes our tour of this house!

Organizing is very beneficial for a man’s workspace too!

A handyman installed a work bench and peg board. Anita went to IKEA to purchase all shelves and baskets, and necessary containers for all screws, bolts, drill bits, etc. This client “Man” was extremely happy and has been able to keep de-cluttered for 7 months!

Before Disorganized garage AfterWell organized garage

A Few Tips to Help Your Kids

Ready, Set…Get Organized!

Bin It: Set up coloured bins in the children’s room, 1 for each category (dolls, books, lego, etc.). They will think it is fun or organize, and the new system will be easy for them to manage on their own.

OR / AND

Alphabet: Have kids spot things that need to be put away in alphabetical order. For example, “A”nimals, “B”oard games, “C”hairs, “D”olls, etc.

Kid Tip from The Clutter Helper

Rather than telling kids to “put toys away”, encourage them to put toys “in their new homes”. This will help prevent a decade of teenagers stuffing items into the wrong drawers and cabinets.

Incentive: Got a kid who reponds to rewards? Tell him/her that for the next week, she/he will earn 1 point for every night she/he goes to bed with their stuff put away. Reach 5 points, and they will receive a prize. Have a prize box and let them pick their own prize. Change the prize box every other week. They will look forward to their reward. Tip for Mom!: Use prizes under $2 – dollar stores have great kids things.

Fact:  People only wear 20% of the clothes they own. The rest of the clothing is “just in case” clothing.

Fact: Getting rid of clutter eliminates 40% of housework in the average home.