Recently, I had a week with no organizing/decluttering jobs. What do professional organizers do when they aren’t busy? I looked around my own house and decided to tackle some areas that I hadn’t addressed in a long while.

I started in the basement where we store many unused, “maybe we will use them later” items. We have narrowed it down over the years, but there are still many items that could be dealt with. What does one do with unused parts to appliances like a stove and refrigerator that we still use, in case we need them? I have never had to use any of them yet.

As a grandparent of two adorable grandsons, I have started accumulating awesome toys from my neighbor kids who have outgrown them. Even though they live in Texas, I love to have these fun toys for them when I see them, and when we drive, how fun it is to bring them “new” toys. Not only do I collect toys for now, but when they get older, as well. We grandmothers like to be prepared. What I decided I needed to do was to get rid of some of our old stuff to make room for the new stuff. Did I do it with my free week? No, I haven’t dealt with that yet.

Sometimes I just look at my basement shelves and don’t find the desire to do some jobs that aren’t fun, like going through old paint. Nothing makes me want to deal with it, except the shelf space would be nice.

Another area in our basement I have problems with is old hockey skates and equipment, because when my grown sons come home in the winter, they love to skate, so the many totes are for that once a year, if the ice is frozen, and if they find the time to skate. If I get rid of all of it, this winter will be the time they would want it, right?

I could go on and on, but as many of us know, sometimes it’s easier to ignore what we don’t want to deal with. I can easily donate my own clothes that I no longer wear, but don’t make me decide on stuff in the basement that others might use (or not).

How about you? Are there areas that you find harder to deal with than others?

I just want to get busy outside of my own home so I don’t have to deal with these areas in my own home. I’ll come to your homes and help you make these decisions. That’s much easier than decluttering my own house.

Doris Puls, of D & O Decluttering and Organizing, is a professional organizer whose mission is to make a difference in the lives of the people she works with in homes and businesses. Contact her at organizealpena@gmail.com or at 989-356-9545.