Tara Bremer, a professional home organizer in Birmingham, Ala., stays in business because of big messes — cluttered kitchens, garages with no room for cars. But tiny projects sometimes get the best reactions. She recently tamed a teenager’s overflowing perfume collection, as part of a larger bedroom reorganization. The girl and her mother “kept coming back and looking at the under-sink area,” she said. “They were so happy.”
This type of mini-overhaul may be enough to give many of us what we seek when we think about organizing: a mental load lightened, a before-and-after to relish. “Sometimes you need a small measure of control in a world that feels chaotic,” Ms. Bremer said. “If it’s one junk drawer, be the boss of the junk drawer.”
It’s tempting, of course, to turn this type of manageable task into an existential undertaking. “Instead of thinking, I’m going to spend an hour this week on paperwork, it becomes, I’m going to be an organized person,” said Stephanie Preston, a professor of psychology at the University of Michigan. She emphasized that for some people, “rage cleaning” every room over a long weekend works. Certain personalities are wired for that kind of stimulation, in the same way that some people like the cold-turkey challenge of Dry January to jump-start healthier drinking habits.
But what if you crave a softer, Damp January approach to decluttering? There is satisfaction in small projects, whether it’s clearing a dining room table so you can host a dinner party or sorting through toys just enough to make the room easier to vacuum. Here’s how to start.
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