First, let's talk containers; tubs, baskets, boxes, crates, whatever it is you choose to sort and/or store your belongings.
Start out small. Tackle one shelf or one drawer per day. Try doing one room in one week. Set your goals and achieve them! Don't forget to reward yourself with every achievement.
- For short term storage, cardboard will work just fine.
- Plastic is the best choice when storing for the long term.
- clothes should not be stored in dry cleaning bags.
- storing precious photos in frames is a no-no.
- Label laundry baskets for presorting.
- Place a container in or near the most cluttered area of your house. Items that belong in other rooms go in this container. When you exit the room, take items (or entire basket) and deliver them to where they belong.
- Baskets placed on tables to hold assorted paraphernalia is always a good idea.
- pens, pencils, tape, remote, glasses...
- Turntables ("lazy susan") in kitchen cabinets will help keep things organized.
Start out small. Tackle one shelf or one drawer per day. Try doing one room in one week. Set your goals and achieve them! Don't forget to reward yourself with every achievement.
- If you have more than one of an item, keep the best; discard the rest.
- Weed out your photos by first sorting them by people, time frame, or event. Keep 10 to 15 of the best photos for each category. Throw away the remainder or give them away to someone.
- Select a few of your old cards and crafts. Find a way to honor and enyoy them. This is what scrapbooks were made for. Your kids might want to keep something they made for you when they were young. If not, you can toss the rest.
- If you add something new to your closet then get rid of something old and unused. Balance!
- Designate one day per month for organizing your home.
- Once a month evaluate your "someday" pile and fix it (pay to have fixed) or throw it away
- Make regular donations to charity.
- Set up areas for clutter producing activities like opening the mail.
- files labeled; 1) need action 2) to be filed 3) read later 4) outgoing
- Other clutter producing activities include; indoor gardening, crafts, paying bills, gift wrapping.
- proper tools for activity, trash can, stay current on tasks
REMEMBER!!!
Everythng you buy is an investment of not only your money but also your time.
- clothes must be laundered, dry cleaned, mended, donated
- knicknacks have to be arranged, dusted
- toys need to be picked up, stored, cleaned, fixed
While your shopping, mentally add this extra "cost" to the purchase price of the new item. You'll buy less and save money and time, lots of time.
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