AMANDA WISS : SOLO SHOT COURTESY OFJULIE SUTTON AND GROUP COURTESY OF ERIN SILBER ; RICK DOLANSKY : PHOTO COURTESY OF MACKENZIE BELL

Amanda Wiss

Figuring out what to do first can be the hardest part . Amanda Wiss , a professional organizer and founder of Brooklyn-based URBAN CLARITY , who grew up in Maplewood and has clients in Millburn , says , “ People underestimate how long acleaning or organizing project will take . They set aside afew hours , but then they can ’ tcomplete the project . Halting half way through

Rick Dolansky

Some projects are too big and messy to handle alone . Think about hiring professionals todeep clean rugs ,

results in an even bigger mess .”

So what to do ? Rather than trying to get their entire homes organized in aday , Wiss advises clients to “ chunk it out ” into smaller projects . “ Focus on getting one room cleaned and organized from top to bottom ,” Wiss says . Once one room is completed , tackle another room another day . Wiss suggest clients make a checklist

CLUTTER

of jobs that need to be done every spring : Check smoke detectors , turn mattresses , wash comforters and clean out dryer vents . “ Focus on tasks such as cleaning outdoor furniture or sorting through sports equipment ,” says Wiss . Projects such as de-cluttering toiletries don ’ t need to be part of

NO MORE Amanda Wiss and her Urban Clarity team of organizers

spring-cleaning . Wiss encourages people to pretend they are moving or staging their home for potential buyers : “ If an item does not look good on the shelf or bring you joy , you should not keep it regardless of who gave it to you or what you paid .”

Employ aone in , one ( or two ) out rule . If you buy something new , get rid of something old , especially with children ’ s toys . “ Managing the outflow makes it easier for kids to really appreciate the toys that they have ,” Wiss says . ( urbanclarity . net )

OWNER , TIME TO CLEAN

re-seal decks and clean your windows . Millburn native Rick Dolansky ’ s company , TIME TO CLEAN ( www . timetoclean . com ), can help with power washing and rubbish removal . Dolansky recommends having the outside of your home and your patio power washed every year or two . Dolansky ’ steam also offers their services for garage and home overhauls . “ Whether you are moving or just want to de-clutter your living space , we can help you decide what items and furnishings you should keep , donate or sell ,” Dolansky says .“ Our trucks will pick up the items you are disposing of or donating , being sure to adhere to safety and recycling rules in town .”

Dolansky also owns the retail AVENUE SALVAGE COMPANY on Millburn Avenue and the store can turn items you thought were trash into treasures , “ We reclaim and repurpose a wide variety of items ,” Dolansky says . “ Pieces can be transformed

and sold in our shop for cash . It makes people feel better knowing that their valued items are being refurbished for someone else to use .” ( avenuesalvageco . com )