Raleigh Green Gables: Five tips to get organized in 2017

It's the New Year, and next to losing weight, getting organized is always at the top of the resolution list. So this week, I offer Five Organizing Tips to get you on track for 2017.

Clean lines are in and packed kitchen counters are out. If your counters are covered with small appliances, mail, cookie jars and more, it means you have too much stuff. Your kitchen items should fit in your drawers and cabinets.

Go through your kitchen spaces and get rid of any items you no longer use. Lots of us go crazy with that wedding registry gun, and, once we have kids, we realize we have no time to make pasta or orange juice in that amazing pasta maker and juicer we thought we needed.

When decluttering, just remember how much money you spent on those beautiful counters. Why are you covering them with junk?

I once had an eye infection, and the doctor asked me how old my mascara was. She said mascara grows all sorts of gross stuff the older it is. Yuck!

I know you have old makeup. It's hard to throw it out because makeup is expensive, and you just can't bring yourself to get rid of it.

It's time to throw it out. 1. Old makeup is unsafe to put on your skin and around your eyes. 2. Unless you are professional model, you don't need 8 million cases of makeup. 3. It will be easier and faster to get ready in the mornings the less stuff you have in your bathroom drawers.

I am starting a conscious clothing movement, where I am teaching consumers to be more mindful of how much clothing they buy.

My mission at Raleigh Green Gables is for you to buy quality items that last. Yes, it will be more expensive, but I like that. You can save up and research what you really want. And it means you will leave the store with only one or two items, instead of 50. You don't wear half of what's in your closet anyway - more than half if it's shoved full of clothes you can't see and don't even know that you own. It's time to stop buying clothes in bulk.

I request you make 2017 the year of saying no.

It's hard to say no because we worry what others will think of us if we turn down the volunteer job or the china from mom we don't want.

But we must learn to take a stand. Live your life for you and not for them. Yes, I am talking about all those volunteer jobs they ask you to do and that you don't want to do. But I am also talking about saying no to stuff.

I am at the age where so many of my friend's parents are downsizing and bringing them boxes and boxes of stuff. It's OK to politely decline Grandma's 200-piece china set.

And if your mom throws a temper tantrum, that's about her, not about you. Plus, if she doesn't want it in her house, why do you have to have it in yours?

As I tell clients, it's OK to get rid of Grandma's china if you don't want it. You are not throwing out Grandma, just her china.

Did you basement flood during Hurricane Matthew? That is a sign from the universe to clean it out. I encourage everyone to have nothing in their basements or attics. And garages are for cars. Period.

There is very little chance you are going to go down to the dark basement or climb up the rickety ladder to the attic to get anything on a regular basis. So why are you storing anything up there? Plus, when you leave things in the basement, they tend to grow mold.

Winter is attic and garage season, so it's a good time to clean it out. As I tell clients, empty spaces invite opportunities. Do you want a new car? Clean out the garage. Tell the universe you are ready.