A Spring Hang-Up

Spring has sprung, and we all know what that means. It’s time for spring cleaning--the closet, the desk and anything else that has languished all winter collecting clutter. What you may not know is that L.A. is the unofficial birthplace of the business of organizing. The nonprofit National Assn. of Professional Organizers started here in 1985. Local chapter president Amy Sui believes the business began here because “the city has a lot of people with busy lives who are not afraid to ask for help.” We’re not afraid to ask for some spring cleaning help from Sui, who also runs an organizing business called SOS--Simply Organized Solutions.

Question: The perennial spring cleaning target is the closet. But I have twin sweater sets strewn here and there and hangers sticking out like weapons. How do I start?

Answer: I like to empty things out and sort through them. Ask yourself a series of questions to help decide what to discard, donate or give to friends: Do I really need this? If I do, then under what circumstances? Is it possible to get the benefits of this from somewhere else? What’s the worst thing that can happen if I don’t have this?

Only keep clothes you feel fabulous in. We wear 20% of our clothes 80% of the time. There are a lot of great places to donate to, and if you can think about someone else getting joy out of an item, sometimes it’s easier to release.

If there are things you are not willing to get rid of yet, use a transition box or bag. Label it with the date for it to be discarded. If you don’t see a sweater for three months, it gets out of your consciousness. If you don’t look for the sweater in the three months, you’ll know it’s time for it to go.

Q: OK, I’ve discarded two Benetton sweaters, three pairs of acid-washed jeans and my Nancy Reagan red power suit. How do I arrange what’s left?

A: If you have the luxury of more than one closet, have one for your winter wardrobe and one for your summer wardrobe. Put like things with like, sleeveless shirts with other sleeveless shirts. If you hang your short things together, it gives you extra space underneath.

Q: With so many lists and catalogs, paper is enemy No. 1. How can I organize it all?

A: If you make a decision right away, you save time later. For example, you might come across a flier for a play that looks interesting. You put the flier aside, but when you come across it again it’s over. You would have saved time (and seen the play) by making a decision right away, whether it’s a play you’d like to go to, a party you’re considering attending or a dress you might order from J. Crew.

Q: Well at least I can save room by throwing away my paid bills and bank statements, right?

A: You need to keep documentation of paid bills for five to seven years, but you don’t need to keep it in your primary space. Archive it in a closet or storage space. Be sure to label what’s in the box with the date. If you are not keeping good paper trails this year, you may be in deep trouble, depending on how bad Y2K really is.

For information about the L.A. Chapter of the National Assn. of Professional Organizers or for a referral to a professional organizer, call (213) 486-4477.