Clutter often takes many years to accumulate and will take some time to eliminate. Just remember that de-cluttering is an ongoing lifestyle not a finite project. Many people feel overwhelmed and fear just the thought of de-cluttering the home. It doesn’t have to be that excruciating, there are actually some creative ways to get started. Getting started can be the hardest part. You have to begin your war against clutter one draw or cabinet at a time. Just pick one area of the house and focus on that. It is best to start a de-cluttering session by designating one hour a day to it. If that still seems over whelming for you, start with five minutes a day. You will be surprised what you can accomplish in the clutter war in just five minutes. Remember that any type of progress is better than none. The important thing is to make sure to stick with it each day, or even every other day. Avoid planning an all day de-cluttering session that involves your whole house, as you will never get around to it. Donate or dispose of items you no longer have any use for. Look at items that you feel an attachment to and ask yourself the following three questions: Do I love it? Will I have a need for it again within 3 months? Will I miss it if I throw it away? If you answered no to the questions then you can safely dispose of the item. If you answered a definite yes to these questions, take those items and put them into an organizational bin. Once the bin is full place it in an out of way place in your home and revisit it in about 6 months. If you were able to go that long without needing anything from the bin, chances are it is time to donate or dispose of the items. Don’t forget charitable donations to the Salvation Army and Goodwill, etc. are tax deductible. Probably one of the best ways to let your junk go is to watch an episode of Hoarders on television.]]>
Conquer the Organization Problem
Organization Tips
Ever feel like things pile up in your home? Maybe on the kitchen table or counter, your dresser, or nightstand? Well a little organization can turn your home from full of clutter to nice and neat without having to throw everything away. Here are a few things to keep in mind when improving the organization of your home.
- Everything needs a place – if every item in your home has a place to be stored, you are less likely to just drop it anywhere. If an item shouldn’t be sitting on your counter top, then it should have a home.
- Maximize your storage space – If you feel like you are lacking storage space, think again. A closet with no shelves can’t store as much, and those spaces you aren’t using, like under your bed, can be transformed into storage places too. Setting up the places that you have to store items so they can be fully used is key to making sure everything can be stored.
- Label – If you can find where something goes, you are more likely to put it there. Having boxes stacked into a closet, and not knowing what’s in there, doesn’t help you organize. But having storage containers, shelves, drawers, etc that are labeled for easy finding does.
- Shelves and containers – Having the right assortment of storage is key. Not everything is stored well on a shelf and the same goes for in a container. Make sure you have a variety of what you need; everything from small to large containers, baskets, drawers, shelves and hooks. You want to make sure that where you are putting something can be easily found and accessed.
- Get into the routine – Old habits die hard so when you first organize you might find you still leave things hanging around. Getting into the new habit of putting things away can take time but an easy way to start is to set aside 10-15 minutes at the end of each day to put everything where it belongs. Before you know it, you will be doing it throughout the day!