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20 Tips on Cleaning a Depression Nest

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20 Tips on Cleaning a Depression Nest

The term “depression nest” has become more popular since the pandemic began. This is a messy and disorganized room or home as a result of experiencing depression.  It is an outward display of a depressed mental state.  This is a type of situational disorganization, where a life situation, in this case depression, has caused someone to put off the regular maintenance of cleaning and organizing their environment.

If someone is depressed, cleaning and organizing won’t solve that depression.  I recommend reaching out to friends, family or mental health professionals to help.  However, cleaning, decluttering and organizing can help you take control of your environment and improve your surroundings, which may lower feelings of stress, anxiety and depression.

Sometimes, my work as a professional organizer has me cleaning up a “depression nest” with a motivated client who’s working to overcome paralyzing and overwhelming feelings to improve their space and quality of life.  This person may feel guilty or embarrassed about letting the room or home get to this messy state, but there is no need to feel that way.  Depression can bring on fatigue, lethargy, and difficulty focusing, and it is tough to stay organized in that situation.  I’m there to help my clients in a nonjudgmental way to turn their space into something they can be proud of and enjoy.

Here are some of my top tips when tackling a “depression nest”:

Do not have a judgmental family member or friend help you.  This person may be well-meaning, but if they can’t accept the current state of your space and assist you without judging, then it is best to tackle this on your own, or with help of a professional organizer.

Schedule a time when you have the most energy to take on this task.  For example, if you’re an early bird, plan a time to focus on this in the mornings, when you have the most energy.

Eat beforehand, and stay well-hydrated.  It is difficult to focus when you’re hungry or thirsty.

Play music in the background. Do this only if music helps to motivate you, and doesn’t distract you.

Let light into the room.  Open the blinds and turn on overhead lights before starting.

Take a before photo or video. This is so you can see the transformation you’ve made once done, and feel good about what you’ve accomplished.

Gather the basic sorting and cleaning tools before you start.  Have the following tools nearby: empty boxes for items to sell, donate or to move to other rooms, trash bags, recycling bins, laundry baskets, and cleaning supplies like a broom, vacuum, disinfectant wipes and gloves.  If your space is too cramped at the start, set up a folding table in a hallway or other room for a sorting area.

Start with the space that is most important to you.   The space that usually makes the most difference in the quality of your life is where you sleep. If your bedroom is the first thing you see when you wake up, and the last thing you see at the end of your day, focus on your bedroom first, before going to other rooms.

Begin with clearing the floor space. Creating a safe space to walk around the furniture should be your first goal.

Next, focus on picking up obvious trash. Clear out any definite trash with your first sweep of the room, gathering, empty bags, wrappers, bottles, etc.

Separate items by type.  In bedrooms, you may have categories such as paper, books, electronics, clothing, shoes, jewelry, make-up, keepsakes, luggage, etc.  Clothing is usually the largest category, so pile all clothes in one area, and go through those after the floor-space has cleared.

Plan to do laundry.  Load up all dirty laundry in baskets, hampers or bags and move them out of the room. Be prepared to wash clothing after this clean-out, so schedule a time to go to a laundromat to do it all at once, or plan to do many loads of laundry in your home.

Focus on organizing after you’ve removed excess items. Once you’ve removed trash, recycling, dirty laundry, and items that need to go to other rooms (for example, dishes to go to the kitchen), or things you want to donate, you can then focus on how to organize what remains.

Sort through the visible surfaces.  Focus on clearing the tops of dressers, tables and other furniture.

Sort through closed storage areas. Next, sort through each drawer, cabinet, box, etc.

Focus on closets last. Eventually, move into organizing the closet, once the main bedroom has some space.

Tackle this in small increments of time. I suggest anywhere from 1 to 3 hours at a time, and understand that it may take more than one day.  

Rest in between, and take breaks as needed.  You’re doing a lot of emotional and physical work, so remember to take breaks!

Take an after photo or video. If you feel like it, share your accomplishment with others as inspiration.  Be proud of this transformation of your environment!

Make a plan for maintenance. Once you’ve decluttered and cleaned up your “depression nest,”  make a list of the daily and weekly tasks you need to do to keep it that way.  For example, putting dirty laundry in a hamper, washing clothes, putting away clean laundry, taking out trash, bringing dirty dishes to kitchen, filing, recycling, or shredding of mail and papers, sweeping or vacuuming, etc.  Schedule a time to do these tasks regularly. Even 10 minutes a day can help maintain a clean room.

Once your bedroom “depression nest” is taken care of, you can focus on other parts of your home, one space at a time.  Make a goal going forward to always keep your bedroom as your sanctuary, an environment that you want to wake up to every day.

12 Reasons to Organize Your Children’s Bedrooms

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12 Reasons to Organize Your Children's Bedrooms

Organizing your children’s bedrooms will help both you and your children in many ways.  Take a look at some of the benefits of organizing your children’s bedrooms.

1.To get ready faster in the mornings

With your child’s bedroom organized, you will all be able to quickly retrieve items from dressers and closets, which will result in getting dressed faster.

2. To find things quickly

Your child will be able to find clothing, shoes, toys and games faster with everything organized.

3. To save money

Organized dressers and closets mean no more buying items you already have but cannot find.  You may save money by not repurchasing items you already own.

4. For a cleaner room

Better organization and less clutter means less to pick up, clean and dust. Creating a place for everything clears the floors, making chores such as sweeping and vacuuming easier.

5. For a calmer bed time

Cluttered spaces often cause anxiety.  A decluttered bedroom will help to create a more calm and peaceful feeling, possibly making it easier for your child to sleep.

6. For a healthier sleeping space

When a space is decluttered, it is easier to clean, and will result is less dust and bacteria in the sleeping space.  This can relieve allergies and give your child a healthier sleeping environment.

7. To improve study habits

If your child has a desk space set up in the bedroom, they have an area where they can focus on doing homework, which can improve study habits.

8. To streamline swapping out clothing sizes as your child grows

If you have a method to deal with changing sizes, such as storage for clothing that will be hand-me-downs or is to be grown into, the process of switching clothing sizes will be much easier.

9. To encourage reading

Organized book shelves will make books more accessible and encourage reading.

10. To teach them organizing methods

By working with your child to get their bedroom organized and maintain that organization, you’ll be teaching your child organizing methods that can be used for a lifetime.

11. To reduce arguments between siblings

If your children share a bedroom, setting up separate and organized storage areas for each person’s belongings can help prevent disagreements.

12. To give your child ownership of his or her belongings

If your child is involved in organizing his or her bedroom, it will help teach them to better care for their belongings and give them ownership and pride in their space.

The main benefit of organizing any area is that you and your family will save time searching for items resulting in less stress and chaos.  If you live in the Raleigh, North Carolina area and need hands-on organizing assistance or want a do-it-yourself plan, I’d love to help you.  If you live elsewhere, I offer virtual organizing services via FaceTime and Skype to help you with any size organizing project.  Please contact me for a free phone consultation to get started.

My Favorite Bedroom Closet Organizing Products

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My Favorite Bedroom Closet Organizing Products

Bedroom closets are one of my favorite places to organize.  I’ve decluttered and organized hundreds of closets, and these are some of my go-to products for organizing closets.  The exact type and size of the products depends on the size and layout of your space.

My Favorite Bedroom Closet Organizing Products

Slimline hangers

These are great space savers, and having similar hangers creates a tidy look.

Shoe racks

If your closet doesn’t have built-in shoe storage, a shoe rack along the floor or a wall will help to contain shoes.

Belt hangers

Belts come in all sizes, so gathering them together on a belt hanger makes them easier to manage.

Scarf hangers

Loop scarf hangers allow you to see what you own, letting you put together an outfit faster.

Command Hooks

These versatile hooks come in many styles and sizes, they can be used for various purposes on any open wall space in a closet.

Over-the-door shoe organizers

If you have enough space behind a door, these over-the-door organizers can not only hold shoes, but other small items of clothing such as socks and scarves.

Cube storage

If there’s enough space,  cubical units can add additional storage to a closet.

Fabric bins

These bins work well inside cubical storage units, or on closet shelves.

Storage baskets

For a more decorative look, storage baskets are great for containing items in closets.

Plastic storage drawers

If you prefer drawers to bins or baskets, stackable single plastic storage drawers are a great option for holding all types of clothing.

On Task Organizing, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com

12 Reasons to Organize Your Master Bedroom

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12 Reasons to Organize Your Master Bedroom
There are many benefits to organizing your own bedroom.  Although it may seem selfish, the master bedroom is often the best place to start in a whole house organizing project.  If this space is organized, your morning routine will run more smoothly, you’ll have a place to relax, and you will probably sleep easier.

12  Reasons to Organize Your Master Bedroom

1. To get ready faster in the mornings

With your bedroom organized, you will be able to quickly retrieve items from your dressers and closets.  You’ll have the ability to find items when you need them and get dressed faster.

2. To make laundry less overwhelming

By setting up system for laundry baskets and hampers, and having a place put away each and every clothing piece you own, the entire process of doing laundry will be less overwhelming.

3. To save time spent searching for items

You’ll save time getting ready in the morning and getting ready for bed.  Less time searching for clothing, shoes and jewelry will save you time during both your morning and evening routines.

4. To save money by not repurchasing items you already own

Organized dressers and closets means no more buying items you already have but cannot find.

5. For a more romantic & relaxed atmosphere

By decluttering and organizing your bedroom, it will become a more visually appealing place.  This will be a place where you’ll want to spend time on romance and relaxation.

6. To reduce arguments between couples

If you share your bedroom with a significant other, setting up separate and organized storage areas for each person’s belongings can prevent disagreements about who is responsible for each space and arguments when something is misplaced.

7. To save time cleaning

If your bedroom has less clutter,  there will be less time spent clearing the floors, dressers and bed before cleaning. Creating a place for everything makes chores such as putting away clean clothes, changing linens and vacuuming easier.

8. To streamline swapping out seasonal clothes

If your clothes are better organized, the process of switching out clothing as the seasons change will be much easier.

9. To create a more peaceful space

Cluttered spaces often cause anxiety.  A decluttered bedroom will help to create a more calm and peaceful feeling.  You may find it easier to sleep in this space.

10. For a healthier sleeping space

When a space is decluttered, it is easier to clean, and will result is less dust and bacteria in your sleeping space.  This can relieve allergies and give you a healthier sleeping environment.

11. To increase productivity

By spending less time getting ready and doing chores, as well as getting better sleep, your overall productivity will increase.

12. To feel pride in your space

An organized and clean bedroom will help you have feel pride in your space resulting in improved self esteem.

If you live in the Raleigh, North Carolina area and need hands-on organizing assistance or want a do-it-yourself plan, please contact On Task Organizing.  If you live elsewhere, On Task Organizing offers virtual organizing services via FaceTime and Skype to help you with any organizing project.  Contact us for a free phone consultation to get started.

8 Reasons to Organize Your Guest Bedroom

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8 Reasons to Organize Your Guest Bedroom title
If have a guest room or spare bedroom in your home, odds are that it serves many other purposes.  Guest bedrooms are often likely to become disorganized and cluttered when you don’t have visitors regularly.  Here are 8 reasons to declutter and organize your guest room.

1. The Ability to Socialize More

If your guest bedroom is always organized, you will be able to host overnight guests at any time, giving you the ability to socialize more.

2. To Save Friends & Family Money

By creating a welcoming place to stay for visiting friends and family, you save them on hotel costs.

3. To Finally Have the Room Serve a Purpose

Each room in your home should have an intended purpose. By better organizing this room, you will be able to use it as a guest bedroom, or for dual purposes such as a home office area or storage space.

4. To Eliminate the Catch-all Room Once and For All

Guest bedrooms are sometimes treated as a “catch-all” for everything.  By decluttering it, finding homes for the miscellaneous items, and setting up an organized guest bedroom, you will eliminate the overwhelming “catch-all” room.

5. To Create Better Indoor Climate Controlled Storage

Often, the guest bedroom closet is a great place to hold keepsakes or other items that should not be in an attic, basement or garage.  Since it is inside, climate controlled, and free from pests, you may find this an excellent extra storage space.

6. To Spend Less Time Cleaning

With less clutter, it will be quicker and easier to keep up with chores in this room, such as dusting, vacuuming and sweeping.

7. To Redecorate Easily

Once your guest bedroom is decluttered, it will be easier to redesign the room, including repainting, and changing floor coverings, bedding and accessories.

8. To Increase Your Income

You may intend to rent your guest room thorough a service such as Airbnb.  Having your guest room always clean and organized can help you to earn money this way.

10 Tips to Organize Children’s Clothes

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10 Tips to Organize Children's Clothes title
Organizing children’s clothes can sometimes be a challenge because kids are rapidly changing sizes.  Many parents are unsure of what to do with outgrown clothing, or where to store clothes the child has not yet grown into yet.  Setting up an organized system makes it easier to managing hand-me-downs, and have access to clothing that currently fits your child.

10 Tips to Organize Children’s Clothes

1.Sort through closets and dressers to declutter at least every 6 months or seasonally, or after a significant growth spurt.

2. Determine which clothing should be kept for hand-me-downs (if needed) or what should be sold, consigned, donated to charity, or given to a friend or family member.

3. For the clothing that you are keeping, store hand-me-down clothing in lidded bins in a climate controlled area, such as the top shelf of a child’s closet, or in an extra closet inside your home.

4. Label all hand-me-down bins by size and gender.

5. Create additional containers for “too big” clothing, and store those in a separate labeled container in your child’s room, an upper closet shelf or under the bed box.

6. Wash, dry and price the items you’d like to sell on consignment.  If you are participating in a consignment sale, schedule a time on your calendar well before the sale to prepare the clothing items.

7. If you are holding onto clothing indefinitely for sentimental reasons, please store those in labeled acid-free boxes in a climate controlled area.  Try to limit the amount of sentimental clothing you save to the number of items that will reasonably fit in the storage area you’ve chosen.

8. If you have multiple children, you may want to add labeled tags, or symbols for each child on the tag such as a colored dot, initials, or embroidered thread to signify which child the item belongs to.  For example, for a family with 3 children, the parents may use 1 dot on a clothing tag for the oldest, 2 dots for the middle child, and 3 dots to represent that the youngest child is now wearing that clothing item.

9. If you have children sharing a closet or would like to sort hanging clothing by size, I suggest using closet rod dividers.

10. Store clothing items that currently fit your child within easy reach.  Once your child is old enough to get dressed on his or her own, it is helpful if clothing is stored low enough for the child to reach.  If possible, place currently worn clothing in lower drawers, shelves, or cubbies, or add a low closet rod for your child’s items.

On Task Organizing, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com

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