Mommy probably threw it away!, the kids accuse whenever something goes missing in our house.
And I’ll admit it: I love to purge—it’s its own natural high. The problem is finding the time and motivation to do it. I feel like I’m forever throwing things away, yet more and more stuff accumulates. It’s a war on clutter, and I’m losing. Was it this way before we had children? Am I alone here? I think not.
When my kids were in preschool, I multitasked during parent-teacher conferences, separating their gigantic stacks of artwork into two piles. There was a dumpster at school near where we parked, and on the way out I would keep the handful of pieces I legitimately liked and then hoist the hundred other scribbles and dried-macaroni sculptures into the trash. (Fighting the battle on junk before it overran our doorstep far outweighed the guilt.)
Now the kids are old enough themselves to bring their projects home in vast piles; at the same time, the gadgets in their playroom have grown more unwieldy. I’m talking a standup punching bag, the 48-piece microscope set, and the Crayola crayon “maker.”
In this issue, we share secrets to purging, organizing, and even smelling fresh (yes, there is an ongoing fancy-soap boom). I don’t believe any mom will ever attain the neatness status she desires—personally, that’s what I’m saving old age for—but we all could use a little inspiration. I hope you find it in this issue.
Catherine Merrill Williams
President and Publisher
Since 2006, Catherine Merrill has served as CEO and Owner of Washingtonian Media, parent company of the flagship Washingtonian—the capital region’s leading magazine for nearly six decades, with more than 400,000 readers and five National Magazine Awards. She also oversees Washingtonian.com, which attracts over 3 million monthly page views, and the brand’s social platforms, reaching more than one million followers. Under her leadership, the company has expanded with Washingtonian Weddings, the Washingtonian Welcome Guide, Washingtonian Events—producer of nationally recognized, award-winning events—and Washingtonian Custom Media, a full-service content marketing agency. She is proud to be certified as a women-owned small business.
From 2002 to 2007, Ms. Merrill served as Director of Operations for Affiliated Computer Services (ACS), where she helped manage and collect 60 percent of the nation’s tolls—$2.7 billion a year—including the majority of the E-ZPass network. From 1995 to 2002, she was a partner in the worldwide management consulting firm Oliver Wyman.
Ms. Merrill is deeply engaged in the community and currently serves on the boards of Cornell University; Ford’s Theatre; the Board of Visitors for the School of Journalism at the University of Maryland, College Park; Cornell University’s College of Arts and Sciences; and The Merrill Family Foundation. She is a founding member and serves on the Board of Advisors of the Fallen Journalists Memorial Foundation, and sits on the National Advisory Council for the Trust for the National Mall.Her past board service includes roles as a trustee of the University of Maryland, College Park; the City and Regional Magazine Association; and the Greater Washington Board of Trade.
Ms. Merrill is a member and former chapter chair of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO), and remains active in the Economic Club of Washington and the Federal City Council.
Her media appearances include CNN, the Today show, FOX, MSNBC, and various Washington, D.C. area news outlets.
