WWOZ, Organizer of the Groove Part 2!

Last month I was invited to organize two offices over at WWOZ. If you've ever felt distracted by clutter at work know that you're not alone. When your space lacks order then precious time can be lost looking for items that should otherwise be easy to find. 

Once we eliminated the clutter & found a proper home for everything else, this office was transformed from a storage room into a professional workspace that's now the envy of other coworkers!  

We organized everything! Filing cabinets, desk drawers, bookcases & more. Even the mailing station got an upgrade.  

Not only do I find beauty in simplicity but I also find great joy in decorating in a way that inspires creativity. When you walk into your office how does it make you feel? 

There's more on the horizon for me here at WWOZ. That's the thing about getting organized. It motivates those around you to get organized too. Sometimes you just need a little inspiration. 

Happy Downsizing!

Stasia Cymes                                                                                                                                       Professional Organizer & owner of Clear the Clutter                                                                          (504) 920-1800                                                                                                                                   Stasia@clearthecluttertoday.com

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Recycling Mardi Gras!

Mardi Gras is here & chances are your home is already filling up with bags of beads & throws. But when the season is over what do you do with all the stuff?

Donate your beads & throws with Arc of New Orleans! Arc’s Mardi Gras Recycle Center is open year round collecting items that are then sorted, packaged & sold. Creating jobs for our disabled community by keeping Mardi Gras out of landfills is a win win!

Can't wait? Recycle your beads & throws after Saturday's parade. Look for Arc's 10 purple roller bins walking behind Krewe of Feret! I look forward to the day that we can recycle after every parade. 

Happy Mardi Gras! 

Stasia Cymes                                                                                                                                       Professional Organizer & owner of Clear the Clutter                                                                      (504) 920-1800                                                                                                                                   Stasia@clearthecluttertoday.com

WWOZ, Organizer of the Groove

As a lover of music I was really excited when my favorite radio station asked if I could help them get organized! A new team member recently joined the station & unfortunately for her the only office space available happened to double as a storage room. I believe that our surroundings should inspire, not hinder our productivity & right away I could see why this room was a problem. 

The challenge is that 80% of this stuff doesn't belong in this room. The problem is that the other offices are just as full which means a lot of thought is going into finding a forever home for every single item. It's a jigsaw puzzle with many colorful pieces!

Over the next few weeks my goal is to bring a sense of order to the WWOZ offices for the wonderful people that work there. This is already turning out to be one of my favorite Clear the Clutter projects! I'll be blogging more photos & Guardians of the Groove office updates as progress is made. Stay tuned! 

P.S. Get your 2016 Brass Pass & become an OZ member! 

Happy Downsizing!

Stasia Cymes 

(504) 902-1800                                                                                                                             Professional Organizer & Owner of Clear the Clutter                                                                    Stasia@clearthecluttertoday.com

The Advocate, Urge to Purge!

After losing weight, getting organized is the 2nd most popular New Years resolution. In this follow up article with The Advocate we take a look at the top 3 common clutter offenders. Click here to read to the full article! 

Happy Downsizing!

Stasia Cymes 

(504) 902-1800                                                                                                                             Professional Organizer & Owner of Clear the Clutter                                                                      Stasia@clearthecluttertoday.com

The Advocate, How to Stay Organized After the Holidays!

I was so excited when The Advocate recently contacted me for advice on Holiday clutter. Click here to read the full article. 

Happy Downsizing!

Stasia Cymes                                                                                                                                          

(504) 902-1800                                                                                                                             Professional Organizer & Owner of Clear the Clutter                                                                          Stasia@clearthecluttertoday.com                                                                        

Easy Tips for an Organized Pantry!

With Thanksgiving quickly approaching now is a great time to get your pantry in order! Before you start makin' groceries or even a grocery list, a single afternoon spent taking inventory of your kitchen can save you time, money & stress. 

Watch this months CTC segment on WWL-TV Channel 4 morning news & see how easy it is to Clear the Clutter from your pantry!

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Stasia Cymes

(504) 920-1800 clearthecluttertoday.com 

Do You Keep Emotional Clutter On Your Phone?

As a professional organizer I often see how objects affect my clients lives. From clothing to keepsake. But what about your phone?

Iphone Contacts.png

I believe that when we take the time to delete or keep people in our phone we are also reevaluating our relationship with them. Are they worthy of being in your life? Do you carry their energy with you everywhere you take your phone? I've begun to downsize the amount of contacts I have on my cell. I was surprised at how many numbers I no longer need & more importantly I discovered that there were people who I have no desire to talk to ever again! The simple act of hitting that delete button is a way of letting go of what I like to call emotional clutter. The next time you're waiting at the doctors office, sitting in an airport during a layover or during the commercial breaks of your favorite television show go ahead & give it try. Make room in your life for more positive connections & say goodbye to those contacts that have served their purpose.

Follow me on facebook for downsizing tips & inspiration!

Stasia Cymes,

Professional Organizer & owner of Clear the Clutter (504) 920-1800 Stasiacymes@gmail.com

How Losing a Pet Affects Your Relationship with "Stuff"

A few months ago I lost not one but both of my beloved cats. Mazzy & Bartleby were my adopted family. My little girl, a talkative blue-eyed Siamese/Tabby mix came into my life as a rescue kitten when I was just 19 years old.

Mazzy Blue Earned the Nickname Princess Mae-Mae  

Mazzy Blue Earned the Nickname Princess Mae-Mae  

Bartleby joined us a few years later from the Humane Society, a handsome long haired tuxedo Main Coon with a love of food & 25 lbs to show for it. In 2011 the 3 of us drove from Seattle, WA to our new life in New Orleans. Bartleby loved walking on his leash & visiting with neighbors. He even got a taste of fame when I included his photo in one of my WWL-TV segments!

Barty Gras - Bartleby's 15 Min of Fame on WWL-TV! 

Barty Gras - Bartleby's 15 Min of Fame on WWL-TV! 

When Barty passed away in July I lost my best friend. For anyone that has loved & lost a pet you know firsthand what a sad & difficult experience this can be. While everyone deals with loss in their own way, I threw myself into work because I could not deal with my sadness. 8 weeks later Mazzy took a turn for the worse & joined her brother. I was beside myself but this time the world stopped. I took some time off work to process my loss. 17 years of companionship is a significant relationship & the house seemed so empty without my feline family.  

Family Portrait - A Typical Morning in the Cymes Household.

Family Portrait - A Typical Morning in the Cymes Household.

It took about a month before I could even consider moving their possessions. However the site of their empty food dishes & toys on the floor did not bring me joy. Because I work with clutter & help clients process their emotions through the process of downsizing I was very aware that by keeping their stuff where it was I was pretending that nothing had changed. The next phase of my healing process could not begin until I fully came to terms with my loss by dealing with the physical items that represented Mazzy & Bartleby. Many people fear that by getting rid "stuff" means you're throwing away memories, let me assure you that no one can take away your memories of a loved one! Instead honor their memory by selecting a few keepsakes that make you smile & let go of the rest. 

For more stories on the emotional aspect of clutter please follow me on facebook.  

Why Inviting Friends Over Can Motivate You To Clean House!

This month on Channel 4 I talk about using outside sources to help you get organized in 2 simple steps!

 

Follow me on facebook for inspiration!

Stasia Cymes                                                                                                                                   Professional Organizer & owner of Clear the Clutter                                                                    (504) 920-1800                                                                                                                               Stasiacymes@gmail.com

Is Your Clutter More Than Just Trash?

Many clients are surprised when I tell them that the big garbage bag is for donations & the little plastic grocery bag is for trash. The truth is your clutter is likely more than 90% recyclable or donatable goods!

3 hours worth of donations. Ready for charity pickup.

Contact your local charity to find out what items they can & can not accept. If they are unable to take something such as a working tube television or building materials, set it curbside for freecycle. One man's trash is another man's treasure.

Here's a great website called What Can I Recycle?  

Be green & happy downsizing!

Stasia Cymes                                                                                                                                   Professional Organizer & owner of Clear the Clutter                                                                      (504) 920-1800                                                                                                                               Stasiacymes@gmail.com

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Confessions of a Professional Organizer: My Own Messy Shed

I've been a renter at this location since I moved to New Orleans back in 2011. I spent all this time making my house feel like a home but for some reason the shed remained neglected until now. Finally I couldn't take it anymore. Fortunately we have a new tenant moving in & I was able to motivate Dave, AKA world's best landlord to help me clean out the shed to make room for everyone's belongings. 

My goals were simple. Remove unwanted building materials, organize holiday decorations & make room for my bike. A few hours later, with a shed full of donations laying on the curb for free pickup, Dave & I had worked a small miracle. 

The best part is that I was able to enjoy myself, it didn't feel like a chore because we were having fun. Have a beer, listen to some tunes & clear the clutter.

Stasia Cymes                                                                                                                                       Professional Organizer & owner of Clear the Clutter                                                                            (504) 920-1800                                                                                                                                   Stasiacymes@gmail.com

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Super Mom or Super Overwhelmed?

I enjoy living vicariously through other peoples children. My 15 yrs as a professional nanny gave me an inside look at family life. Each household was run by an amazing woman that did everything except put herself first. 

Today is a friendly reminder to be kind to yourself. Whether you're a parent or not, too often we put the needs of others before our own. This selfless act is a noble one unless it's doing more harm than good. 

Lead by example & take care of yourself. Your children are watching. If laundry & clutter have gotten out of control get your family involved & downsize often to keep the chaos at bay. If you're overwhelmed call Clear the Clutter at (504) 920-1800. We get you back on track with organization so you can spend your time doing more important things like enjoying quality time with your loved ones. 

Stasia Cymes                                                                                                                                       Professional Organizer & owner of Clear the Clutter                                                                            (504) 920-1800                                                                                                                                   Stasiacymes@gmail.com

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A Day in the Life of a Professional Organizer

Hooray it's my first blog! Today marks the launch of the new Clear the Clutter website, welcome. I'm excited to take you behind the scenes with these blog posts. As you can imagine I work with some very interesting & incredibly talented people. No two clients are ever the same but they all one thing in common. They're overwhelmed by clutter. 

The owner of this lovely house is a friendly woman whose living room has been taken over by clutter. She tells me it started after Katrina. 10 years later it's a junk room, filled wall to wall with boxes & bags that prohibits anyone from entering. 

Her willingness to let go of unwanted items from the past allowed her to reclaim her beautiful living room. What took years to accumulate was removed from her home in a matter of hours. If you want to enjoy something as simple as reading a book on your couch, it might be time to make room in your home for the things you love. Let the rest go.

Stasia Cymes                                                                                                                                       Professional Organizer & owner of Clear the Clutter                                                                            (504) 920-1800                                                                                                                                   Stasiacymes@gmail.com

Follow me on facebook for inspiration!