Expert Stasia Steele organized this master closet in Duxbury
Over the past year, homes became offices, classrooms, gyms, restaurants and the site of almost every activity. Spending day after day in one space has probably made you realize that you need to ditch the clutter. Thankfully, Boston’s best professional organizers are here to offer their expert advice to get you started.
The Expert: Stasia Steele, The Little Details
The Tip: Labeling is key
“Once you start organizing an area, you can easily get distracted and feel pulled into another area of the house to put things away. Rather than immediately putting away misplaced items into the room they belong in, set up labeled bins or bags within the room you are organizing. [That way], you can put your misplaced items away later, one room at a time, rather than getting derailed.” 2255 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, 617.714.4273, thelittledetails.com
The Expert: Sarah Buckwalter, Organizing Boston
The Tip: Identify your clutter hot spots
“Look at where clutter collects and set up ways to organize it. Place a decorative bowl where you usually drop your keys. If your coat closet is on the other side of the house, then install hooks where you walk in the door. If mail and papers pile up on your counters, place a nice box or basket there to contain them until you have a chance to go through it all. Having items contained also helps when you need to do a quick clean up.” 464 Common St., Ste. 244, Belmont, 617.699.1263, organizingboston.com
The Expert: Deb Stone, ShipShape Organize
The Tip: Tackle the pantry with a detail-oriented mind
“We like to use an assortment of organizing tools in a pantry. For example, use baskets to contain and hide bigger items like chip bags. Use clear bins like [those at] Idesign to group your packets of items like rice or beans. Use lazy susans for condiments. They are especially helpful when placed in those hard-to-reach corner shelves. And think about placement on shelves. For example, snacks should be in a bin or basket at waist height so that your family can look into it easily to choose what they want. Heavy items should be lower.” Five Fan Pier Blvd., Ste. 1501, 978.771.0527, shipshapeorganize.com
The Expert: Heidi Solomon, POSH Boston
The Tip: Color coordinate
“In today’s full and busy lifestyles, people tend to forget what they can’t see. Organize by color, using clear bins or containers with labels to help jog your memory about what goes where. The easiest solutions to follow are the ones that don’t require any thinking. If it’s too complicated, it will fail. Keep it simple.” 857.204.6240, posh-boston.com
Photography by: By Stasia Steele
