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sbolan@yrmg.com Doll houses, old computer com- ponents, long-forgotten about toys and garbage layered the floor of the Dekker family's play room. ' “1 just said enough, it's got to go," Mrs Dekker said. To help clean the room up, Mrs. Dekker hired Jaclyn the Clutter Wrangler. “I have (cleaned) it several times, but not to the went ofladyn (Ray). Whensheoonmmshemeansbusi- Hess,” theStouflvilleiesident said of the area she wanted to transform fiomRomperRoomtomediaroom HARD DECISIONS “A lot of organizing is just hav- ing the courage to make those hard decisions,” Ms Ray said. “They’re hard decisions, but when you have a third-party present, who’s not part of the family, it puts you in check a little bit." Although the kids, now aged 15, 13 and ll,didn’tseemto mind the mess, motherSusandid The first thing Mrs Dekker and Ms Ray did was purge. What wasn’t destined for the trash heap was divided into three other piles: recy- cle, donate and sell. Clutter expert straightens family out BY SANDRA BOLAN ,: Post-holiday house cleaning, anyone? Mrs. Dekker unearthed 40 items, including book cases, Christmas decorations, as well as computer equipment. to sell. “(The computer equipment) had been replaced, but my husband was keeping them, thinking they would gethookeduptothekids’com- puter,” Mrs. Dekker explained. “If you want a book. we’re not going to be bringing them in. Go to the library." she said, noting there will also be no eating or drinking allowed in the room. Now that the once cluttered playroom has become a highly organized and clean media room. Mrs. Dekker has instituted a few rules forits users “They have to learn better to clean up after themselves. If they leave a mess, it'll be going out and they won't see it next time,” Mrs. Dekker said. The Dekkers are not alone when it comes to accumulating clutter. In fact, nearly 80 per cent of Canadi- ans, according to a study commis- sioned by Kijiji Canada, are clutter collectors. Why do Canadians accumulate so much stufl? According to the sur- vey, it’s either because getting rid of the unwanted items is too much of a hassle or it just takes too much time to de-clutter. “There’s a feeling of being overâ€" whelmed and ‘I don’t know what to do with it,” Ms Ray said. “It's not the funnest thing to do on your day 011'.” What exactly is clutter? “Any- thing that is in your home you wish would disappear," Ms Ray said. “If you’ve gone through all 12 months. all four seasons and every holiday” without using it, then it’s clutter. While it might sound like a good idea to deâ€"clutter your home in a weekend, Ms Ray advises against it. DON'T JUST HIDE fl “It's so easy to burn out," she “It’s all about time management Just like cleaning the house weekly," Ms Ray said “If you did that to organizing. you would never have the backlog." Instead, de-clutter a couple of hoursa week. Be warned, putting things away in containers and stacking them neatly against the wall, is not de- cluttering. “Don'i hide it in a bin for 10 years in your basement; it’s still clutter,” Ms Ray said. STOUFFVIUE MUSTANGS REP TEAM MOMS 2010 SEASON Parents 8. Players please note Try-om Registration forms will be available on the days above and must be completed prior to the player taking pan. There is a $5 tryout fee pet player per sesséon payable at the 600! upon entry Please bring shin guards and indoor running shoes U12 BOYSU998) u12 GIRLSUWBM u13 GIRLS (1997) U14 BOYSU996) AGE Sbuflvifle High School Gym Stouflville High School Gym Svouflville High School Gym [OCATION Jan.l7 Jan.24 Jon.17 Jon.24 Jon.17 TRYOUT DATES 12483 nun um N. so: 1427 UAW. Phone. 9056401800 Fax: 9066407275 E-mol: mm Web: m,chMo Sunday Sunday DAY Jmk Cam Sell Auto- Parts. Trump medlnew. Simian! Mo Wreckers. 415m $18M. Natural supplies, excellem quality. Insured. bonded. (647)402-0550 Womgom Wservioefxpe Mud, Mable, at- tordable. Kris (64m W 3 .m m m “Warm acne-time those areas totyouicalmns- Cbmhauclem- ELITE Handyman Services Inc; Smal to medium motion projects. hard- wood n00! Watson and general home mime moon and repair. Seniors Mount Avaflabie. Ph: mm. «nail; ehsi Om u.blackborry.net, mfioflnndyman Ween) 21015] Can Wanted LIE Haudypmon 4 6pm TIME 6:30 - 7:30pm