This is the newest release (v45) of the “What’s Interesting?” feature, with my latest finds that inform, educate, and relate to organizing and life balance. These unique, inspiring clutter discoveries reflect this month’s blog theme.

You are an intelligent, generous, and engaged group. I am deeply grateful for your ongoing presence, positive energy, and contributions to this community. I look forward to your participation and additions to the collection I’ve sourced.

What do you find interesting?

What’s Interesting? – 5 Best Clutter Discoveries

1. Interesting Workshop – Overwhelming Clutter

Do you feel stuck and overwhelmed by emotional and physical clutter? If you answered “yes,” you’re not alone. Help is here!

Join me, Linda Samuels, Professional Organizer, for an empowering workshop – How to Let That Sh*t Go on Thursday, June 6th, from 7:00-8:00 pm EDT.

Together, we’ll unleash your superpower and learn to let go of thoughts, time, and things that no longer serve you.

This one-hour Zoom workshop will teach you transformative strategies to spark immediate positive changes. Release the clutter holding you back and say hello to a happier, more organized you. Reserve your spot now!

2. Interesting Product – Card Clutter

One of the questions clients frequently ask me is,

“What should I do with all the cards I have received?”

Card recipients often feel guilty for letting them go, so they hold onto them for years or decades. However, they feel distressed by card clutter and the space they take.

Some cards aren’t as treasured. However, many are sentimental and meaningful, received by loved ones here and gone. So, how do you decide what to do?

Card Decluttering Process: 

• Gather your cards

• Keep your favorites, which include cherished hand-written messages or ones you especially enjoy

• Recycle the rest

What can you do with the keepers? You can contain them in a box. Or, there’s another fun way to make them a usable keepsake. Transform them into an 8” x 8” custom hardcover book with Cards by Artkive.

Check out the video describing their process.

3. Interesting Read – Communication Clutter

Are you overwhelmed by email, text, and other communication clutter? This deluge creates mind clutter, too. There have never been this many ways to communicate, and it’s a lot to sift through.

Smart Brevity–The Power of Saying More with Less by the co-creators of Axios and Politico said, “Never in the history of humanity have we vomited more words in more places with more velocity.”

As a verbal processor, I am guilty of using lots of words. However, this book inspires me to think about the impact and stress this has on others. It includes specific techniques for creating shorter, more robust communication for email, meetings, speeches, presentations, social media, and more. “Smart Brevity is a new way to think about creating, sharing, and consuming information in our cluttered, clanging digital world.”

Authors Jim VandeHei, Mike Allen, and Roy Schwartz created a nifty AI-powered Smart Brevity® test. Enter your text, and the tool scores how “smart, clear, and effective it is.”

Declutter your communication. Stop overexplaining. “We make people deduce what we’re trying to say instead of just blurting it out. Don’t be fancy-be effective.”

“Remove clutter that’s distracting you.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP@

4. Interesting Resource – Textile Clutter

Do you have textile clutter and want to keep it out of the landfill? If so, you’re in luck. Retold Recycling has a solution for you. To date, they’ve diverted 150 tons of textiles from landfills.

Easy Recycling (Decluttering) Process:

• Gather your unwanted textiles, including fabric scraps, rags, stained, ripped, or unwanted clothing, linens, single socks, cotton face masks, and more.

• Do not include pillows or cushions.

• Order your Retold bag with a pre-paid label.

• Fill your bag and bring it to the post office.

• Retold will sort your goods and send them to thrift stores, donation centers, recyclers, resellers, and up-cyclers.

5. Interesting Thought – ‘Noise’ Clutter

When your spaces, calendars, and thoughts are filled with too much noise, it’s impossible to focus on what matters most. This is an excellent time of year to quiet things down. Remove clutter that’s distracting you. Let go of the unnecessary, and create space to invite in what you truly value.

Can you share one interesting, clutter-related discovery? Which of these resonates with you? I’d love to hear your thoughts and invite you to join the conversation.

Do you want help decluttering? If so, reach out anytime. Please email me, Linda, at linda@ohsorganized.com, call 914-271-5673, or schedule a Discovery Call. Letting go of clutter is possible, especially with support.

Geralin Thomas, Metropolitan OrganizingWe’ve had a tremendously positive response to our “Ask the Expert” feature on The Other Side of Organized blog. In February, John Ryan of The Life Change Network talked about change. In March, Yota Schneider of Open for Success spoke about next steps. This month, I’m excited to introduce you to the vivacious professional organizer, Geralin Thomas to share her wisdom with you about letting go.

Geralin is a wonderful friend and colleague with tremendous energy, style, and grace. My gratitude and thanks goes to her for taking the time to join us.

Geralin Thomas is a professional organizer that trains new professional organizers, provides residential organizing services, and works with hoarding clients. She is founder of Metropolitan Organizing and has been featured on A&E’s Hoarders, The Nate Berkus Show and Today. Geralin is a wife, mother, gardener, painter, documentary lover, and has a passion for fashion. You can connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, blog or website.

Linda:  You are a professional organizer helping clients transform their homes from chaos to calm. You also specialize in working with people that hoard. Why is letting go so challenging for some?

Geralin:  Some folks are sentimental savers. They might say, “Oh, my son made this macaroni necklace for me when he was in 1^st grade; I’ve gotta keep it.” Others are utilitarian savers. They could say, “The reason I hang onto all these old tuna cans is because I plan on welding them together to make a lamp for my dog’s house.” A person with a hoarding disorder has these same exact struggles, but they are much more intense. They over-accumulate and find it extremely difficult to let go of things they’ve acquired.

Linda:  If someone is struggling with letting go, what do you suggest?

Geralin: When someone is struggling with letting go, I encourage them to read a blog post I wrote related to this topic, “The 4 Personalities that Save Stuff.” It’s been useful for many of my clients. In addition, I’ve heard from several therapists and social workers that shared it with their clients say it was helpful for them as well.

Linda:  What has been your biggest personal challenge around letting go?

Geralin: Oh, I always dread this question because I’m not a sentimental person and our culture seems to believe that women are supposed to be sentimental.  For me, letting go isn’t a challenge. I don’t save cards, awards, certificates, photos, trophies  – none of that stuff matters to me; it’s just stuff.  Same for projects – I’m very aware of how much or little time I have for projects so typically, all those DIY projects look and sound great but at this point in my life, I don’t have time for them so I don’t accumulate a lot of task-related stuff.  I’d rather spend my time painting or gardening.

Linda:  Do you have a letting go philosophy?

Geralin: I ask someone struggling with clutter if they want to surround themselves with meaningful things. If they answer in the affirmative, I ask, “Is this [thing] beautiful? Useful? Helpful? Does it resonate with who you are right this moment?”  Sometimes people hang onto things that represent who they used to be. Examples include “special occasion” serving dishes or “trophy” sizes of clothes.

Linda:  Is there anything you’d like to share that I haven’t asked?

Geralin: How about I share one of my challenges?  We all have our challenges and mine is packing a suitcase. Let’s just say that if you are stuck on a runway for three hours, you want to sit next to me because I’ll have nuts, chocolates, reading material, manicure supplies, dental floss, tissues, etc.

Warmest thanks, Geralin for taking the time to share your insightful, clear thoughts about letting go. I invite all of you to join Geralin and me as we continue the conversation. What are your thoughts, experiences or questions about letting go?