Take the first step to a more organized life
Published 7:53 pm Monday, February 23, 2009
Celebrity interior designer Christopher Lowell shows how to declutter and redesign your home in his book “Seven Layers of Organization.”
Today, as part of a seven-week tip series, we address Layer 1: Assess and Schedule.
Before you can purge unnecessary items, you must prepare mentally.
Step outside your front door, take a deep breath and walk back in as if you are a critical stranger, assessing what’s garbage, what should stay and what should be donated.
“Pretend like you have no idea who’s inside that house,” Lowell said in an interview with The Herald. “Literally ransack your own house. Open every single drawer. Open every single closet. Really take a look. You will find stuff there that applies to a life that you had, sometimes going back to high school.”
Spend about an hour in each room. After this reality check, schedule one day of purging per room. Use weeknights for smaller, less challenging rooms.
Be specific about your plan. Do not delay. Lowell recommends completing the entire purge in no more than 10 days to keep from getting bogged down with emotions and indecision.
Sarah Jackson: 425-339-3037, sjackson@heraldnet.com.
Check out the Good Life section next Tuesday for Layer 2: Detach and Purge.
