mbo-logo-1

mail

Good Organizing Is Not About Hiding

Does the bag, in this photo to the right, look familiar? I see so many bags like these in client’s homes that I have a name for them. I call them make-it-go-away bags. Mail and other junk tends to pile up on the dining table or on the kitchen counter and when company is coming over, this stuff is hastily swept into a bag, which is hidden in a closet, a cabinet, or a more remote room. While there is an impetus to create these make-it-go-away bags, there is no impetus to process them. The problem is, of course, these bags have a way of accumulating and important things can go missing.

2014-09-09T09:30:32-04:00September 9th, 2014|Clutter Control, Home page, Paper Management|
Read More

Organizing Fairy Dust

In my last blog post, I gave some examples of the science of organizing. I explained that what we do is not magic, it’s science. This time, I thought it would be fun to look at some of the magical ideas I have encountered over the years about organizing and professional organizers. I call these ideas organizing fairy dust.

2024-09-11T13:22:29-04:00March 10th, 2014|Clutter Control, Home page, Systems|
Read More

Inbox or Invitation to Disaster?

Beware the inbox. On the face of it, an inbox makes sense. It provides a single collection place for your unsorted items. The problem is that you gain a false sense of organization, because while there is an easy plan for entrance, there is no easy plan for exit. The best solution may be no inbox at all.

2023-10-21T02:19:23-04:00March 5th, 2013|Clutter Control, Home page, Paper Management, Systems|
Read More

Action Feeds on Clarity

Just as a doctor asks several key questions before making a diagnosis, so does a professional organizer. In a home office, one of those questions is “where is your trash?” If the client proudly points to a decorative little bin that is overflowing with paper, then I know we are looking at some easy structural solutions and some larger conceptual challenges.

2023-10-21T02:21:18-04:00January 28th, 2013|Home page, Systems|
Read More

Basket Case

I am actually making a case against baskets. I realize that for many with visions of a home beautifully organized into pretty little matching baskets that this is organizing heresy, but hear me out. More often than not, baskets are clutter traps. Items go in, but they don’t come out. We have a false sense of control because an ugly collection of items have been contained in a beautiful vessel. But

2023-10-21T02:28:33-04:00November 17th, 2012|Home page, Systems|
Read More

Post Post

The other day I rushed home from work and jumped straight on the computer. My wife walked by my office and said “Take off your coat and stay a while!” You might wonder what this fascinating story has to do with organizing. A while back I wrote a post called “Envel-nope”, about why un-shed envelopes have no place in the home.

2024-09-18T12:37:34-04:00March 13th, 2012|Paper Management|
Read More

Where Should I Put the Mail?

It’s a common question but it has an uncommon answer. Mail doesn’t go anywhere. That’s because it stops being mail the second it comes out of your mailbox. Bills-to-pay need a home, material-to-read need a home, and statements-to-file need a home, but it’s a mistake to allow the daily collection to take up residence ANYWHERE.

2025-01-14T17:05:15-05:00July 21st, 2010|Paper Management|
Read More
mbo-logo-1

Professional Organizer Matt Baier and his team declutter and organize homes and offices in Stamford. New Canaan, Greenwich, Westport, Darien, Norwalk, Fairfield, Westchester Country, and New York City.

Learn More >>
Useful Links
Locations We Serve
matt-baier-organizing-top-rated
connect with us
share
share
linkedin
Instagram

© Copyright 2004 - 2025 Matt Baier | All Rights Reserved | Privacy Statement | Terms Of Use

Go to Top