The act of decluttering is far more than just having a clean space to live in: it contributes to one’s mental state, clarity, and happiness. This is something that New York City Declutterer Ruthie Kukoff is teaching people one mess at a time.
While decluttering is a new and popular concept thanks to Netflix exposing the masses to Marie Kondo’s “Magic of Tidying up,” Kukoff has been using her work as an interior designer to help better lives for years. Her inspiration stems from her childhood.
“Some of my early memories of my childhood is of my father cleaning out the junk drawer on an early Sunday morning. No one could pack a car trunk like him and our house was always in top shape,” Kukoff reminisced. “Everything had a place, and until he passed six months ago at almost 94, he always made sure everything we used went back where it belonged. My mom said he was ‘anal.’”
