Finances Rachel Fontaine Finances Rachel Fontaine

Streamlining Your Budget for Clarity and Savings

An organized budget gives you control over your money and peace of mind. When I get stressed about things outside of my control, I review and adjust my budget because it’s something that’s under my complete control, and it gives me a sense of power over the outcome. It’s like decluttering a chaotic room—every choice you make can lead to a calmer result. Whether you’re tackling credit card debt, student loans, or saving for the future, a streamlined budget is the first step to achieve your goals. Get started today and enjoy the clarity that comes with a clutter-free budget.

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Finances, Organizing, Productivity Rachel Fontaine Finances, Organizing, Productivity Rachel Fontaine

Taming Your Financial Clutter

Financial clutter can be just as overwhelming as an overflowing closet. Unfortunately, because discussing finances is often seen as taboo, many people were never taught how to manage their finances in an organized and clutter-free way. Having clear financial systems is important because it empowers individuals to take control of their money.

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Organizing, Productivity Rachel Fontaine Organizing, Productivity Rachel Fontaine

The Spring Seasonal Wardrobe Switch

Start your seasonal switch with a clear plan. Set aside a dedicated day or two to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Be careful not to get started too early in the season; April is too early, even if there are a few warm days. Mid to late May is best. Begin by emptying your closet and drawers completely—this gives you a blank slate to assess your wardrobe. Sort items into four piles: keep, donate, trash, and pack away.

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Rachel Fontaine Rachel Fontaine

Organizing Challenges of Old New England Homes

From tiny, odd-shaped closets to damp and moldy basements, the challenges of these spaces require creative solutions to make the best use of the storage without compromising the home’s charm.

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Organizing Rachel Fontaine Organizing Rachel Fontaine

The Illusion of Cleanliness: What Visitors Really See

So, what are my guests actually seeing? It’s the openness: the bare countertops, the spacious shelves, the floors that hold furniture and nothing else. They notice that the living room is a living room, not a storage unit or makeshift office. The kitchen is for cooking, not a dumping ground for mail and half-dead plants. This functional use of space creates a look that reads as “clean,” even if a close inspection might reveal some shepherd dust or drool.

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Julie Wolfert Julie Wolfert

Make the Most of Waiting Time: 4 Ways to Organize Your Tech

We’ve all been there: you’re waiting in line, at the doctor’s office, repair shop, or in the carpool pickup lane.  Instead of mindlessly scrolling social media or getting frustrated by the wait, why not seize the moment to declutter your technology? Here are four simple tasks you can tackle on your smartphone or tablet during those idle minutes—plus five potential benefits you’ll reap from organizing while you wait.

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Rachel Fontaine Rachel Fontaine

Get More Done With A Done List

It's a lot more satisfying at the end of the day to look at all of the many tasks I did get done, instead of only looking at how much more there is to do. Surprisingly, I've found that I get a significant amount more done each day because as the done list grows, so does my motivation to make it even longer.

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Julie Wolfert Julie Wolfert

9 Favorite Pieces of Advice From 2024

In 2024, we focused a lot on individuals' ability to take control of the stuff that fills their lives. We believe that no matter how bad clutter and disorganization are, people have the power to change. With that in mind, here are some reminders of the strength and power you can choose to bring forward into 2025, so you’ll have a great year of clearing clutter and getting your stuff in order.

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Rachel Fontaine Rachel Fontaine

Decluttering For The Holidays

You might be tempted to start stuffing items in closets and under beds. You may even be considering giving up and canceling the visits altogether. Before you take drastic measures, give my 4 step plan a try.

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Rachel Fontaine Rachel Fontaine

Create Decluttering Rules So Friends And Family Can Help

Do you have a huge, overwhelming decluttering project? Are you convinced that you need to do it all yourself because you have to be the one who decides everything? It doesn't have to be that way! There are ways to involve family and/or friends so that they make the same decisions you would have made.

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Rachel Fontaine Rachel Fontaine

Guidelines For Organizing: Where to Store Items

Every space is different and often professional organizers have to be creative in our solutions to disorganization, but there are often guidelines we use to make the storage and use of items easier for clients. If you're finding yourself stuck on figuring out where to create homes for your items, try following the guidelines the professionals use.

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Rachel Fontaine Rachel Fontaine

No, You Don't Have to Get Rid of Things

For some people, a major roadblock to seeking out an organizer is the fear that s/he will "make me get rid of everything". Let me set your mind at ease. It's not an organizer's job to "make" you do anything. We offer advice based on our expertise, but ultimately the decision about your stuff is yours alone.

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Rachel Fontaine Rachel Fontaine

The World's On Fire But You Can Save Your Own House

With cell phones in our pockets, news isn't confined to our morning or evening TV sessions or the radio during our commutes. Information comes every time we open our social media apps and alerts are constantly dinging on our phones. Like slot machines in our pockets, we won't turn it off or stop looking because the next alert might be "the big one".

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Rachel Fontaine Rachel Fontaine

Organizing On A Budget

Just because you don't have barrels of cash to throw at your clutter problem, doesn't mean that you can't improve your organization and cut the clutter. There are strategies for stretching your organizing budget, even if that budget is a big, fat zero.

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Rachel Fontaine Rachel Fontaine

Organized Summer Travels

Travel and summer adventures should be fun for the whole family. Don't let lack of preparedness and disorganization ruin your plans. Get organized before your trip, pack with intention, and ease back into your normal life. Bookend your trip with organization and planning and you won't have to dread the preparation for travel and return to real life.

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