JUNE 2021 • LONGISLANDPRESS.COM 61
INSIDE JOB
OUT WITH THE CLUTTER IN WITH ORDER
Courtesy Symmetry Closets.
Store
frequently
used items at
eye level
Baskets
add beauty
and utility to the
pantry
BY ARLENE GROSS
You look around your house and feel
overwhelmed by the piles of papers and
countless tchotchkes and simply don’t
know what to do.
It might be a good time to call a professional
organizer.
“Being organized and decluttering one’s
home results in people feeling better emotionally,
mentally, and physically,” says
Vinnie Giacalone of Massapequa, owner
of The Organized Guy, Inc. “It also makes
you more productive and saves time and
money.”
Giacalone says he starts by trying to get a
general understanding of people’s issues,
followed by an in-person or virtual tour
of the problem areas of the home. The
three-step process can be boiled down
to the A.C.E. mnemonic: Assess the situation;
Create the plan; Execute the plan.
Giacalone advises starting with smaller
projects or tasks. Even if your goal is to
organize the entire house, it’s better to
tackle one space or room at a time.
“It’s easier to measure progress and it’s a
great way to feel positive, productive, and
empowered,” he says.
Through the years, a person’s belongings
often gain sentimental value, so Giacalone
says he’s careful to respect people’s wishes.
“However, I will make suggestions and
recommendations that remain in line
with the vision we defined,” he says.
To achieve a more manageable space,
it’s not necessary to throw everything
out, but to remain true to the goals set
forth in the plan, advises Giacalone.
“If their goals were to clear out
stuff but instead they keep giving
me reasons to keep stuff, I will ask
if they’re changing the goals or altering
the plans. It’s always about
accountability.”
Basements, garages, attics, and closets
prove the most challenging spaces to
declutter because these are the places
where we typically stash things away.
“Over time, these spaces become
dumping areas for stuff that’s no
longer used or wanted,” says Giacalone,
who advises people to periodically
clean out and remove old,
unused, unwanted items from these
areas.
Bonnie Reich, president of Symmetry
Closets in Holbrook, suggests the
following tips for organizing/decluttering
closets and pantries:
• Take everything off the shelves
and place in groups of like items
• Separate into three piles: Keep;
Toss; Donate
• If you spend more than 3 seconds
choosing a pile for any item, place it in
a fourth pile: Maybe
• After sorting everything, return
to the Maybe pile and sort items into
first three piles
• Place seldom-used items on the top
and bottom shelves; frequently used
items at eye/hand level; heavy items
at the bottom
• Add Hafele hooks to hang mops,
dog leashes, reusable grocery bags
and more
• Add drawers or wire baskets to
organize smaller items, table linens,
cleaning supplies, and spices that
otherwise get lost on deep shelves
Once you’ve gotten things under control,
Giacalone recommends creating
a schedule and blocking out time so
you can maintain the order and basically
create new habits.
“We all have busy schedules, so if we
can find or make the time to do everything
else, then we need to do the
same for keeping our spaces as neat
and clutter free as possible,” he says,
adding that he shares his calendar
and reminders list to illustrate how
this can be accomplished. “But if they
have issues or challenges, I›m always
available to conduct a ‹maintenance›
session to get them back on track.”
And if you begin to feel defeated in
your quest to declutter, Giacalone
suggests an old and helpful joke:
Question: How do you eat an elephant?
Answer: One bite at a time!
Store
smaller
items in canvas
covered wire
baskets
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