Many studies have conclusively found that being disorganized can lead to weight gain. How? See if any of the following sound familiar.

• Your exercise equipment is no longer used for exercise.
• You can’t find your gym membership card.
• Your tennis shoes are hidden under a pile of clothes.
• Car keys missing again?
• Are your kitchen cabinets overstuffed with never used items and outdated food?

Most people do not connect clutter and weight gain. It is hard to get motivated to get anything accomplished in the midst of chaos, so nothing gets done.

One of my favorite professional organizers Peter Walsh has written a book Does This Clutter Make my Butt Look Fat? In his book he discusses how the stuff in our homes becomes too much to deal with, but we keep shopping. Similarly, the increasing weight of our bodies becomes more than we are able to handle, but we keep indulging. They’re not very different — clutter and fat. I see it. I want it. I’ll have it. In our society, consumption is king.

Where do you begin? Start in the kitchen.

• Remove all items that you no longer use and are taking up valuable space in your kitchen. Do you really need three ice cream scoops?
• Clean out your pantry. Donate food that was bought and never used to a local food pantry and dispose of food that is expired.
• CLEAR OFF YOUR COUNTERTOPS. Counter tops are for preparing food not for stacks of unopened mail.
• Clean out your refrigerator.
• Plan your meals and shop for them weekly. It prevents overbuying.

Start clearing the clutter in your home and you will notice how you begin to clear the clutter in your life.

*Excerpted from Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat? By Peter Walsh.

The most common question I am asked whether I am working or even lunching with girlfriends is “what do I do with all of my photos”. Most people have photos scattered throughout their homes in drawers and closets. 

It can becoming so overwhelming and that’s why people do not want to tackle this project. Here are three easy steps to help you deal with photo clutter.

• Gather all of your photos and put them in one location.
• Separate pictures into categories ex: birthdays, vacations, holidays and special events. Use acid free envelopes to help preserve as well as organize the photos before putting them in photo boxes.
• Label the outside of each box with the event and date.

Storing your photos is very important if you want to keep them around for a long time. According to the National Archives you should store your photographs in the coolest and driest spot in your home that stays that way year round.

Photo clutter has become such a problem for so many people that The Association of Professional Photo Organizers was founded. Their services range from simply helping you with a system to sort and organize your photos to taking on large projects that involve a life’s-worth of photos. How much they are involved is up to you! They can provide you with systems and solutions for you to do it yourself, work alongside you or completely take over and do it all for you.

Once you have accomplished this very time consuming project you will no longer have to spend countless hours looking for the that one special picture you wanted to share with someone.

The younger generation won’t know this problem until they inherit all of the photos from the non digital generations. Do them, and yourself, a favor by getting your photos in order to leave lasting memories for future generations.

Photo Boxes
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