Ask Jes Advice Column

Ask Jes (now called Order in the House) is an advice column that appears in the Spaces Section of the Sunday Albany Times Union.

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Marcy: To Sell or Not to Sell While Decluttering?

Dear Jes, I am working through decluttering my home. I seem to have no problem figuring out what to let go of, but I get stuck deciding if I should sell or donate my stuff. Many of my items are brand new with tags, and many were expensive items when I purchased them. I want to recoup some of this money, but my "sell" pile is snowballing. Do you have any advice about selling versus donating? Read more...

Marcy: Organizing means pushing through temporary chaos

Dear Jes, I decided to dive into decluttering, organizing, and deep cleaning my guest room/craft room/catch-all room last week, and it has made my house feel even crazier than it was before! I am knee-deep in everything, and there are piles everywhere. There is a lot in here that belongs to other people in my house, so I have a pile for each person. Additionally, I have the usual keep, toss, and donate piles, and I am trying to sort what I am keeping into categories. In short, there are piles EVERYWHERE. Read more...

Flex Spaces Can Boost Productivity This School Year

"I'm surprised how keeping my surfaces clean has helped manage our daily schedule and my stress level," Bosco says. "This year is mostly about how parents approach it. We are going in knowing we need to be flexible, and I'm trying to keep the house fun, relaxed, and inviting. It's really the only thing I can control right now." Read more...

Ask Jes: Are knick-knacks really clutter?

Dear Jes,

I collect knickknacks, everything from trip souvenirs to Precious Moments and other small collectibles. Friends and family also gift me cute little things for birthdays and holidays. My husband does not appreciate these items and complains that my collections are nothing but clutter. On the one hand, I feel like he does not understand how much I enjoy seeing them. But then I also wonder if maybe he is correct? Are my knickknacks nothing more than clutter? Am I just overthinking this? Can you help me figure this out? Read more...

Jes Marcy: Decluttering can be a battle through low self-esteem

Dear Jes, I have a unique issue with clutter, and I hope that you can help me. My problem is not only that I have a lot of clutter, but the clutter makes me feel really bad about myself. I think my clutter is actually contributing to my low self-esteem. Yes, the clutter itself is overwhelming. But worse than the clutter is that I beat myself up for letting it get so bad. I feel like I am a failure, which makes it even more challenging to begin to declutter. I feel trapped by my thoughts and my clutter. How do people declutter when the clutter makes you feel so bad about yourself? Read more...