You can get control over your surroundings. Start with Professional Organizer Sara Campana’s simple tips.

Why is it important to keep clutter to a minimum and your space well-organized?
More and more studies are being done that connect high levels of stress to how disorganized our surroundings are. The most recent study by UCLA showed increased cortisol levels, particularly in women, when homes were full of clutter. Cortisol is the hormone our body releases when we are in situations that cause the fight or flight feeling.

My clients often feel overwhelmed, anxious and helpless about their disorganized homes, but once we declutter and establish systems they are able to maintain, it gives them a feeling of control and calm. Getting organized not only benefits your physical environment, but your mental and emotional well-being.

What are some basic steps to get started?
One of the first things out of nearly all my clients’ mouths is that they don’t know where to start. I’m here to tell you that there is no perfect/right place to start. The important thing is to begin the decluttering process and stop putting it off. I recommend choosing an area of your home that has minimal sentimental items (save those for the end of your decluttering process) and will have a big impact on your day to day living. Decluttering your bathroom countertop/cabinets, your refrigerator, a single drawer in your kitchen, one dresser drawer in your bedroom, etc., will give you a feeling of success that will make you want to continue moving toward your goal of having an organized home.

When sorting your items establish five different categories:

• Keep
• Garbage/recycle
• Relocate
• Donate
• Sell

Be honest with yourself about the last time you used each item, how many duplicates you have and whether a different item could serve its purpose instead. Be realistic about selling items – ask yourself how much your time is worth and if you’d be better off taking the tax deduction for donating things.

What books, authors or experts do you turn to for inspiration?

Judith Kolberg is one of my favorite authors and has written two fantastic books for people struggling with chronic disorganization: ADD-Friendly Ways to Organize Your Life and Conquering Chronic Disorganization. I am currently reading her most recent book called Getting Organized in the Era of Endless which discusses how our access to endless information and things is making our everyday lives so much more complicated.

I would highly recommend Julie Morgenstern’s Organizing from the Inside Out as more of a comprehensive “how to” book. Julie also has excellent books on time management, organizing for teens and she has a new book out for parents called Time to Parent: Organizing Your Life to Bring Out the Best in Your Child and You.

If you are in the downsizing stage of life or have parents you will be assisting in this process, the book Age in Place by Lynda G. Shrager is a great reference. She is not only an organizer, but an Occupational Therapist (as am I!), so she not only covers how to declutter the home of an older adult, but also gives great tips for making the home as safe as possible in the process.

What are one or two things organized people do every day?

I think the number one thing that people can do to stay organized daily is to “close the loop.” This simply means that if you take something out, it goes back to where it came from when you’re done with it. If you take out a cup, it goes in the dishwasher when you’re done. If you bring in the mail, it gets recycled, shredded or paid as you open it instead of being put into a pile to be dealt with again later. The goal is to touch things as few times as possible to simplify how many steps you take to complete the loop.

My business is called 1 Touch Organizing because ideally it would take only one touch to get something out and one touch to put it back, saving you both time and energy as you deal with all the things in your life. Setting up systems/zones that are easy to follow and maintain is the best way to make your day-to-day life organized.

What part of your job may surprise people?
Maybe how much I absolutely love it? It is a privilege to be able to help people turn their houses and businesses from storage spaces for clutter, into places they can easily function in and enjoy. So many people struggle with managing their clutter and feel like they’re failing when all they need is a helping hand for a short period of time to get them set up for success.

Thanks Sara for sharing your organizing expertise! Sara will be a guest speaker at the library this fall, so be sure to check our website for a date and time if you'd like to learn more.

If you're searching for additional inspiration, try these books:

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese art of decluttering and organizing
by Marie Kondo
eBook and audiobook available on Overdrive
Spark Joy
by Marie Kondo
eBook and audiobook available on Overdrive
Clear the Clutter, Find Happiness
by Donna Smallin
eBook available on Overdrive
Outer Order, Inner Calm: Declutter and organize to make more room for happiness
by Gretchen Rubin
The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to free yourself and your family from a lifetime of clutter
by Margareta Magnusson