Page 69 - Flathead Living // Spring 2015

The pile of mail is my biggest hurdle. I have vowed to go through my mail right away, but it seems as though when I get home I have more important things happening and never seem to get to it right away. Therefore, I recommend when you come in the
door with a stack of mail, put it in a basket, box, or container. This will help eliminate the endless stacks of papers, magazines, etc. around the house.
someday, or you’re keeping the bread maker just because it was a gift, get rid of it. All your plastic storage items should have corresponding lids. If you don’t have one or the other, pitch it. And you know that plastic bag full of other plastic bags? Use the ones you have for trash can liners, or take them back to the grocery store for recycling. Keep canvas shopping bags in the car so you don’t accumulate more plastic bags. Cookbooks, my guilty plea- sure, unless you’re a collector or you have a lot of room, edit them. How often do you use the cookbook? If you’ve had it for years but it’s never gotten a single stain or burn from use, donate it. I mostly find my new recipes online. Print your favorites and keep them together in one place. Or save them to your phone, tablet or com- puter. Even better.
The pile of mail is my biggest hurdle. I have vowed to go through my mail right away, but it seems as though when I get home I have more important things hap- pening and never seem to get to it right away. Therefore, I recommend when you come in the door with a stack of mail, put it in a basket, box, or container. This will help eliminate the endless stacks of papers, magazines, etc. around the house. When you’re ready, and have some time, go through your mail basket. Do it all at once, or you’ll never get through it.
When considering bringing new things home, ask yourself if it’s going to serve a purpose or make you happy. Make sure you don’t already have the item, unless you’re planning on replac- ing it, and make sure you’re really going to enjoy it!
While shedding your belongings, it is important to realize that life isn’t going to slow down just because you’ve purged some possessions. We are still going to be
overwhelmed by everyday life. The demands of parenting, unreturned emails, the incessant posts of other people’s lives on Facebook, and the notion that we’ll be checking our phones every 15 minutes isn’t going away anytime in the near future. Also keep in mind that there was undoubtedly a lot of joy in acquiring the stuff that has turned into clutter. Getting rid of the stuff may not exude the same amount of joy, but hang in there, it will be worth it in the end.
The ultimate goal is to have your home or space feeling clean, organized and clutter free.
There will be less stuff and what’s left will be in order in ways that work with your space. Being organized isn’t about getting rid of everything you own or trying to become a minimalist. It’s about living in a manageable, systematized and stress free space. It’s all about that space. No clutter.
Meredith Coopman of Meredith Coopman Design Studio lives and works in the Flathead Valley. She has a background in interior design and architecture. You can reach her at meredith@ meredithcoopman.com. FL
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SPRING 2015 | FLATHEAD LIVING 67