Unused prescription drugs often find their way into the wrong hands and the results are dangerous and sometimes tragic. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Bringing unused and expired medications to a Drug Take Back Day collection site protects you, your family, and your community.  On April 27, Drug Take Back Day events will be held across Wisconsin, giving the public an opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs safely.&n ..read more

The last week of March is National Clutter Awareness Week. But to me that sounds a bit weak, like . . . “Yes, there is clutter in this room. I see it. Time for a snack.” This week needs to be about more than just noticing the clutter, it needs to be about actually getting rid of it. So, pull out your calendar now and mark the last week of the month Clutter Busting Week. As you dive into your project ask yourself some simple questions: Am I using this, or keeping it just in case? Am I going to use this in the next three years? Would someone else appreciate this more than me? If ..read more

The average length of stay for items in a storage unit is 14 months for residential customers. But many customers will keep a unit for many years, even decades. Baby boomers, a group with higher disposable incomes and more “stuff” they believe to be valuable, are using storage as a lifestyle management tool - putting off emotional decision making and renting a unit from month to month.   Let’s do a quick calculation. The cost of a 10 ft x 20 ft unit is $150 each month. You have the unit for three years. That’s $5,400 you could have used for something else – a vacation, to pay off a ..read more

February is Archive Your Files Month, and a perfect time to get organized for tax season. It's also an opportunity to review the papers you’ve kept and determine if they are needed, or if they can be recycled, tossed, or put through the shredder.   If just the idea of tackling your files sends you into a panic, follow these four simple steps: Step 1: Decide what can be tossed Let go of any documents that are outdated and just taking up space. Also, items such as manuals for products you no longer own, old magazines, catalogs and newspapers, coupons and old receipts, take-out me ..read more

January 8 is Clean Off Your Desk Day so let's talk about desk debris for a minute. If your desk is not currently an inviting place where you can organize your thoughts, generate million-dollar ideas, or plan your next adventure, then this article is for you.   Survey the area. Now look again. Take a deep breath, accept the situation, and dive in. Rough sort into the Big 3 – Keep, Toss and Elsewhere. Keep is obviously for the important papers and items you need. Toss can be subdivided into Recycle, Shred and Trash. Elsewhere is for items that should not be on your desk at all – items tha ..read more

The bathroom is one of the most used rooms in the house, so it tends to collect clutter. But because it’s (usually) small it can be decluttered fairly quickly. To get the bathroom back on track follow these seven simple steps: Empty all cabinets and drawers. Use a nearby bed, table, or floor for sorting items. Place a towel or some plastic underneath if you are concerned about leaking products. Sort into groups of similar items. Hair clips go together, all nail care items, all body soap, and more. As you sort, toss old makeup, nail polish, skin care and hair care products, as well as broken ..read more

Reader Question: Do you know any community resources or businesses that work with people with disabilities – helping to clean and organize? My Answer: Yes! I suggest starting with your local county aging and disability resource center. Here in Dane County the ADRC can be contacted at daneadrc.org or (608) 240-7400. Do you have a burning question you’ve always wanted to ask me? Email your question to melanie@resetorganizing.com for me to answer in a future edition of the Reset Gazette newsletter. I will answer a question each month of 2023. It can be about anything – paper clutter, kitchen org ..read more

Reader Question: My garage always seems to be a mess. How can I keep it organized? My Answer: A garage can easily become a catch-all for cardboard boxes, old furniture, broken toys, and much more. To control the chaos and make room for vehicles, snowblowers, lawn chairs, and all the things, follow these three simple steps: Start your garage organization project by getting rid of everything that you no longer need or want, and is just taking up valuable space. Recycle it, donate it, sell it, toss it. Just let it go. Anything you want to keep but belongs elsewhere, re-home it. What remains can ..read more

Summer is flying, right? I know I’m not alone in wondering how it’s August already. Everyone I know is busy with . . . life! All of this activity may leave you feeling like your home is a hot mess. Or at least not the relaxing space you desire. To get things back on track, start small. Let go of the little things that are taking up space. I’ve included a list of 20 things below to get you started. Whether you donate, repurpose, sell, recycle, or toss these items, I guarantee you won’t miss them. Cookbooks you do not use Manuals to items you no longer own Grocery store receipts Old markers, p ..read more

I will be speaking at various locations this summer - come see me! Organizing Basics presentation Madison Public Library July 19 6 - 7:30 pm More information Organizing Basics class Madison College August 9 & 16 6 - 8 pm More information Organizing Basics presentation Verona Public Library September 7 6:30 - 7:30 pm More information ..read more