Get Organized

Warm weather kindles thoughts of gardening, playing outside -- and jettisoning the junk that's in the way. Easier said than done, which is why Nick Friedman is ready to help with the heavy lifting. Friedman, 24, first turned dejunking into a summer job in 2003 -- and then, after his partner won the 2004 Rothschild Entrepreneurship Competition, into a business plan.

"After graduating, we got corporate jobs but quickly grew tired of the 9-to-5 world, so we took the business plan off the shelf," says Friedman. Last year, the District denizen launched College Hunks Hauling Junk (800-586-5872, http://www.1800junkusa.com/ ) to remove just about everything from homes and businesses. Since then, Washington residents' demand for expelling excess has funded a 20 "hunk" staff, a four-truck fleet and a new office in Kensington.

Here, Friedman, along with several other professional organizers, delivers a truckload of clutter-busting tips.

1. Start smart. Envision your ideal space, then set realistic short- and long-term goals for how to get there, suggests Friedman. Rather than tackling the whole house, Joyce Hedgepath of Bowie-based Back to Order (240-731-3285, http://www.backtoorder.com/ ) recommends starting on one trouble spot: the disaster zone that was your desk, the cluttered kitchen counter that spoils the joy of cooking, the jumbled closet that makes you late for work. Short on time? Break the job into daily 15-minute chunks.

2 . Label, label, label. Group similar items, such as winter hats and scarves, then place them in clear plastic containers and label them, says Germantown-based professional organizer Cheryl Larson (301-916-9022, http://www.cherylsorganizing.com/ ). Color-coding your labels or adding photos will help. Don't overstuff containers and drawers -- it'll make it hard to find things and actually may deter you from putting stuff away.

3. Declutter closets and the kitchen. Remove everything from closets, cabinets and the fridge, then put back only those items you really use. For closets, Larson hangs hangers in backwards initially -- it's easy to spot what doesn't get worn, and you can then get rid of those ill-fitting pants and bargains that never met their match. Start kitchen-pitchin', says Hedgepath, by clearing the counters, moving the trash can into position and emptying the sink for quick access to the garbage disposal. Then purge that fridge: Organize by grouping like items, storing fragile and heavy things on lower shelves, and moving the items you use frequently within easy reach. Use see-through, stackable containers that can go from storage to oven. Repeat with cabinets.

4. Get your garage and basement in order. It's a perfect day to plant flowers or play ball -- but the garden tools are wedged behind winter whatnot, and the sports equipment's MIA. The solution: "Go vertical," says Kim Oser, owner of Gaithersburg-based Put It Away! (240-350-9091, http://www.putitaway.net/ ). "Hang lawn and garden utensils, snow shovels, skis, bikes, baseball bats and tennis rackets from the walls or ceiling." This clears floor space for your lawn mower (and car).

5. Use it or lose it. To avoid being overrun by surplus stuff, Friedman suggests setting up three piles -- "keep," "give away" and "throw away" -- in a closet, basement, attic or apartment building storage area. Review the "keep" pile periodically and discard items you haven't used. As for the "give away" and "throw away" piles? You know what to do.

6. Recycle and regift. "Sixty percent of everything we haul is recycled," estimates Friedman, who uses facilities in Rockville and Fairfax County. To find out where and how you can recycle on your own, check out Earth 911 (877-327-8491, http://www.earth911.org/ ). Your municipal waste department can explain how to dispose of car batteries, oil, paint, chemicals, electronic components and other hazardous items. Many items can be picked up by nonprofits such as Amvets or dropped off at charity thrift shops. Call first to confirm what stores accept.

7. Involve the kids. "Too many things in a room is overstimulating and makes it hard to go to sleep," says Hedgepath. So team up with your kids to streamline their spaces: Take a photo of those dust-catching, space-eating trophies, then frame it with the placards. Go through art projects, toys and books together, and ask your children what they most want to save. Follow a job well-done with a treat of the non-material kind.

8. Don't become a junk junkie. Kick the habit of impulse buying and recreational shopping sprees. Use your local library instead of stockpiling books and videos. For every new item you bring home, get rid of one -- or better yet, two. Fight affluenza by checking out Juliet B. Schor's "The Overspent American" (Harper, 1999) or Donna Smallin's "Unclutter Your Home" (Storey Publishing, 1999). "Window-shop instead of buy," suggests Friedman. After all, you can enjoy a museum without taking home the art.

-- Robin Tierney