Wednesday, March 27, 2024

The Mindset of Decluttering – Interview with Decluttering Expert Marla Stone

Do you want to declutter your life? Do you want to declutter your home? If you want a clutter free life and a clutter free home, then you need to read the new book by Marla Stone.

If the idea of decluttering and re-organizing your home causes you anxiety, then you are not alone. Buying stuff and hording stuff is so easy, but when it comes to decluttering your stuff and becoming more organized then that is where the problems begin.

Our lives have become so busy with personal and work life and finding the time and energy and the commitment can be a huge struggle. What people need is the guidance to achieve the goal of decluttering their home and life, and that guidance comes from The Clutter Remedy: A Guide To Getting Organized For Those Who Love Their Stuff, which is available on Amazon.

The book was written by Marla Stone, but who is Marla Stone and how has she become an expert in decluttering.

Marla Stone is a decluttering and lifestyle expert who is the founder of I-Deal Lifestyle an author. She has helped millions of people to declutter their lives and homes through her book and has helped more than 4000 people to get organized through your company.

I decided to sit down with Marla Stone and learn more about the woman who is on a mission to declutter the world and find out what makes her tick.

What is your favorite thing about being a Decluttering expert? Helping people is something that comes naturally to me. It’s the human element that I like.  When people want change whether it’s a new relationship or new pillows, I can be an assistant to the transformation. Aside from being a change agent, I love to teach people new tricks on staying organized and increasing productivity.

This might sound strange, but do you have a favorite area that you like to organize? I love to organize all aspects of homes and businesses. I will admit though, that I love garages and pantries the best. Garages and pantries are areas people are in every day. It can be difficult to manage regularly when these areas have not been set up properly. My book The Clutter Remedy: A Guide To Getting Organized For Those Who Love Their Stuff goes into detail about specific rooms, and seasonal organizing. The book explains how we clear each of these areas completely, removing everything from the shelves, cabinets, and floor. Then we categorize everything into broad categories, helping clients make good decisions about what to keep or sell or donate, and then we fine tune all their categories. After that we contain every single category into bins. Then we put things back based on how often something is used. Nothing ever goes directly onto shelves. This is how people will remain organized for good.

What habits have helped you to be more organized? Changing how I speak to myself was a turning point, for me personally. I realized I was using the word “need,” instead of the word “will,” when I wanted to accomplish something. So instead of saying I “need” to do laundry, and put things back into their home, I will myself now. So, saying “I will,” instead of “I need” is essential for long term organization. Also, I stopped using indecisive language, such as “I’ll try,” and instead say “I will.” I believe how we speak will either create procrastination and unfulfilled dreams or an ideal lifestyle filled with success and fulfillment.

marla stone decluttering expertSo, as a professional organizer and declutter expert, does that mean your home and life is perfect? Absolutely not. My life is not perfect, yet I strive to always achieve my dreams and goals regularly. I have the will to write books, public speak and raise my consciousness. I’m always challenging myself to improve. My home is categorized, so it’s easy to clean up when I do make messes. I cook and make a mess, papers stack up, and I have clothes pile up, yet I “will” myself to clean up and put things back into their homes, in a timely manner.

You run a successful Decluttering business called I-Deal-Lifestyle, why did you decide to set up the business? I had been a social worker and psychotherapist for 17 years and had helped a lot of people reinvent themselves. I wanted a new career where I could use my mental health background. I wanted change in my life too. I started law school, and realized that was too much sitting, and intensely exhausting. I wanted to do something creative, and where I could move around. Professional organizing was so perfect for me. I’m able to stay in shape, and I get to help people, and decorate.   It’s extremely fulfilling.

 

What has been the biggest challenge you have faced in setting up your Decluttering business? Setting up the guidelines took some time, but the guidelines help the projects go smoothly and efficiently. I also realized that the organizing techniques, at the time I started I-Deal-Lifestyle were not working for me, so I created the proprietary clutter remedy strategies for Decluttering quickly and efficiently.

 

When you go to a client’s home to organize their life, what essentials are in your organizing bag? I always have a measuring tape, dust masks, gloves to protect hands, box cutter, scissors, shelf liner, and lots and lots of bins, baskets, and containers to do the categorizing and containing.

 

What satisfaction do you get helping a client to organize their life? I love to see people’s homes; businesses and their lives heal from clutter and emotional clutter. I feel optimistic in each and every situation that I will help clients make a big change, not only in how they will stay organized but in how they will live their life happily, and with great excitement about their future. I love to help people figure out their ideal lifestyle.

 

What is the nicest thing a client has said to you when you have finished organizing their home or business?  That I helped them, with not only getting organized but that I gave them a system to remain organized, permanently. I love when a client expresses that they’re grateful for me showing them the way to keep up with future clutter. 

tips to declutter a roomWho would be your ideal client? I like to work with people that want significant change in their lives, and that have lost their way in their cluttered spaces. I love it when the client allows me to get them categorized, and then decorated. I love when they allow me to move furniture around to create more space, as well. I love to create aesthetically pleasing and functional rooms, closets, and design decor on bookshelves. I’m ecstatic to shop for my clients in order to beautify their dwellings, and to create good energy and flow in each project I do.

 

What are your top tips for organizing the home? The top tips are to not think about getting rid of stuff prior to, or during the first part of your project. The first part of your organizing project is simply to categorize everything you own. While categorizing everything that is coming out of every drawer, cabinet, shelf, and every part of your space, do not ponder or get stuck thinking about your stuff. Just get it all out and categorized first. Next use my Clear and Concise Criteria to make decisions about what to keep or discard. The criteria are Will You Use It? Does It Serve a Purpose? Is It Sentimental? Do You Love It?  Focus on what you’re keeping instead of focusing on getting rid of stuff. It’s a way to have a “no regret policy,” at the end of your project. My greatest tip though, is to read The Clutter Remedy: A Guide To Getting Organized For Those Who Love Their Stuff and become your own professional organizer. Also, be sure to get someone to help you, especially when climbing ladders and carrying heavy items.

To learn more about Marla Stone, please visit https://www.i-deal-lifestyle.com

Check out her new book The Clutter Remedy: A Guide To Getting Organized For Those Who Love Their Stuff:

https://www.amazon.com/Clutter-Remedy-Guide-Getting-Organized/dp/1608686299

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