NEAT
to have
Written by Kim Hashemi & Kat Pettey
It’s already that time of year again. The weather has warmed up—giving me an opportunity to open the windows, swap out my cold-weather coats for some lightweight pieces, and give my space a much-needed makeover. As I walked through my home, I immediately felt overwhelmed by the amount of work that needed to be put in into organizing. Naturally, I reached out to Kat Pettey, expert organizer and owner of NEAT Method Santa Barbara, to guide me through the process of purging my home, and gained valuable information along the way. Spring cleaning (or as I like to say “spring organizing”), might seem like a daunting task. Here are some tips and tricks I learned to help make the process a little less overwhelming.
1. Start Small. Getting started is half the battle. Spring
organizing doesn’t mean you need to go off the grid and disappear into a cleaning and organizing frenzy. If de-cluttering your kitchen is much needed, start with the pantry and tell yourself that just purging expired items is enough of an accomplishment for one day. I promise just this small step will feel so good that it will be the catalyst to the large-scale change(s) you are looking for. Before you know it, organizing your drawers, cabinets and counters will be getting checked off the list!
2. Purge Before You Purchase. Before you go buying every cute storage basket within a 20 mile radius, take a look at what you have. Do you love it? If not, toss it. Whether it’s your collection of bags or serving platters, what’s leftover should be your favorite pieces, and nothing more. THEN, you can map out your organizing system and shop!
3. Donate. Find a place that inspires you to eliminate items from your home. For example, donate to a women’s shelter or your local school library. You’ll feel better knowing that you’re contributing to a good cause. 44 | MAY/JUNE 2018
4. Enlist The Help Of Others. If you have children, encourage them to help with the process. They’ll have fun sorting their toys or checking for expiration dates—they’re natural born helpers! 5. Hire Someone To Do It For You. If organizing just isn’t your thing, or you don’t have the time, call in the professionals! NEAT Method will get you organized and on your way in no time.
