Thinking about decluttering? Start small to build your confidence

Professional organizer Cris Sgrott-Wheedleton joined The Washington Post staff writer Jura Koncius recently on the newspapers Home Front online chat. Here is an edited excerpt:

Q. What is the best room of the house to start with when trying to declutter?

A. I always recommend starting with a smaller area (coat closet, pantry or linen closet). It will make you feel like you've accomplished something and will also help you build confidence! Most people get discouraged because they start with larger projects and tend to lose steam after having to make decisions when encountering all of the stuff. By starting small, you avoid the decision fatigue, and it sets you up to feel good about your project and organizing in general.

Q. I am pretty good at decluttering, but I often struggle to find places to funnel the items to. I have a couple of dressers that I need to donate. Any ideas on where I can bring them?

A. Large organizations such as Goodwill (and) Salvation Army would be glad to take those from you. Give them a call to schedule.

Q. I have a 3-year-old and a 1½-year-old who love to color but cannot do it unsupervised. (The dog - and the 1½-year-old - will eat the crayons!) How can I store these items so that my kids can see them (such as in a transparent container) but only I can actually open the container? I've tried using zippered mesh bags and GladWare, but the kids can open those by themselves.

A. Can you add a vertical storage solution that hangs on the wall? That would prevent your kids from easily getting to them. I think the small, clear shoe bins are the best solution for small toys and crayons. The only issue is keeping them out of reach.

Q. Are you opposed to filing cabinets? I know they tend to fill up with useless paper.

A. I'm not opposed to filing cabinets as long as they are used properly. People tend to keep paperwork they no longer want or need. I am a fan of always evaluating what you have and keeping only what you really need. Keeping paperwork for the sake of keeping paperwork is where we get into trouble. Take some time to weed out the old and think about organizing what's important. Organizing paperwork takes time and dedication. Set a timer for an hour a day until you've sorted through everything and decided what is important or not. Start with your old paperwork. It will be easier to purge things, and you'll start to feel more confident moving forward.

Q. What is the best way to store shoes in a closet?

A. It depends on the closet. If you have floor space, you can use a shoe rack. There are also over-the-door shoe organizers. If you have shelves, you can put them in containers and stack them. Always use your vertical space to maximize storage in any closet.

Q. Is there any real substitute for getting everything out of the cupboards (under the sink, closet, kitchen cabinets, etc.) and onto the floor when it comes to organizing? Most of the time, I really don't want to make that much of a mess just to have less of a mess six to eight hours later. It seems to me that real organizing requires emptying the entire area, sorting out what is no longer needed, prioritizing what you are keeping and then reloading. Easy enough to do with a single junk drawer, but a much bigger deal when you are tackling an entire closet or all the food cabinets in the kitchen.

A. That's how everyone gets lost in organizing. I sometimes decide to organize my own closet, and then four hours later, I have stuff everywhere and I'm wondering what happened! Now I look at every shelf as a single project. I take everything out, evaluate what I have, what fits and what doesn't, organize that shelf, bag the donations, and then evaluate my time again to see about starting another shelf (project). The secret to success is breaking down every project into smaller projects and taking each one to completion. These small wins will build your confidence and keep you motivated to continue organizing.

Q. What is the best way to keep track of all the bills, insurance papers, etc., that we deal with on a daily basis? We want to make sure they are paid on time.

A. We recommend to our clients that they put their bills in a safe place, such as a basket, bin or drawer. The important part here is to not throw anything else in that safe place. Bills only! When everything has its own place, it becomes easier to pay your bills. If automatic bill pay is an option, that will take one more thing off your plate.

Q. How do you corral kids' things in a way that is not so plastic and primary colors? I have twin toddlers, so anything that is climbable is problematic. Thoughts?

A. Because safety is the main concern, using wicker baskets on wall-mounted shelving units or lined up along the floor may be an option. Storage benches are good, but like any piece of furniture (dresser, shelves, desks or anything else that is climbable), always anchor them to a stud in the wall.

Q. I feel like I come out of the holidays overwhelmed, behind on everything and unable to catch up (until, say, March). How do I keep myself from feeling so out of control during the holidays? Are there key things I can organize to make it easier?

A. The best way to stay organized during the holidays is to do a little organizing every day. Take 10 to 15 minutes to do one or two tasks each day, and you won't feel so far behind as time goes on.