There are many reasons to admire “Fixer Upper’s” Joanna Gaines. But her honesty is what I love most. I ran across an article in the Magnolia Journal where she admits she has a dirty little secret–something we can all relate to. It seems that when she goes to her living room hutch or jewelry drawer, they are so jam-packed that she can’t find what she’s looking for.

Joanna confesses to wearing the same jewelry over and over because, she says, “Sticking with what I already have on keeps me from having to rummage through that mess of a drawer. And don’t even get me started on our closet!”

Now that’s a woman to love!

Spring is here and I don’t have to remind you what comes with it. Like squirrels hoarding their nuts, we’ve been stockpiling clutter all winter. Stashing it here and there. It’s time for a seasonal clear-out.

But, unlike Marie Kondo’s magic tidying method, I can’t manage a total decluttering overhaul all at once. I prefer to do a little at a time. So I’m starting with my cosmetic drawer. Yes, I know. I wrote a blog about that a couple of years ago. But, that’s the thing about organizing…if you don’t keep it up, it just becomes a mess again. (Remember my interview with professional organizer Lita Daniel?)

Rather than spending a week decluttering every closet, I prefer a method I learned years ago. It’s called the Swiss Cheese Method.

Many people–like me–put off complex tasks, hoping to have more time for them at some later date. But with the Swiss Cheese Method, you begin one small job (like organizing a drawer), chipping away at it in the increment of time you have available. Once you finish that small task, you move on to another. The completion of each small task motivates you to push on to the next, until eventually you have accomplished everything you set out to do. (Eating the cheese, one bite at a time.)

So for now, I’ll just begin with this cosmetic drawer…again.

If Joanna can be totally transparent, so can I. Here’s my drawer:

And here’s some additional motivation. During the six weeks before Easter, many people have latched on to this wonderful idea for Lent:

I’m actually a little late with this idea since Lent began on February 14th. But with organizing, it’s always better LATE than NEVER!

Right, Joanna?