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12 Simple Tips to Get You Organized
By Ranka Burzan
Have you ever heard this phrase or perhaps you say it yourself: I really have to get organized, one of these days. One of these days will never come. We are especially eager to change our situation as part of our New Year resolutions. For some of us making a resolution for the entire year becomes burden and not achievable. Instead make monthly resolutions: January, February etc. Every time you accomplish your monthly organizing goal, reward yourself.
SCHEDULE THE TIME. You have to schedule the specific date and time, Saturday at 11:00 -1:00 o'clock. Write down on your calendar to reinforce your commitment. You are not going to organize your house in one day, it takes a little bit longer than that. Ask your family and friends for help or hire a professional to teach you the basics of organizing.
ELIMINATE THE JUNK. Take a big, sturdy garbage bag and walk through your house. Throw in the bag anything that is rusty, broken, ripped or spoiled. Nobody needs these things. You can't organize your junk, you only should organize the things you need and use.
ESTABLISH GOALS. Your house is just too big of a job for one day; break it into few days or weeks. Choose your kitchen for your big goal. Then choose different parts of your kitchen for your mini goals.
Day 1: Organize two drawers in your kitchen. Throw away the widgets you can't identify, or what it belongs to, if you can't name it, trash it.
Day 2: Buy some drawer dividers to store the things you need and use. Batteries, matches, candles, paper clips, pens etc. These are small things that need to be visible and contained. Have one consistent home for your possessions.
Day 3: Sort and purge your cups. Keep two cups per a person in your family. Discard chipped and stained. Donate some to your favorite charity.
YOYO ORGANIZING. In order to organize your space, you have to focus on one corner of the room. Sort the things you are going to keep, purge the things you don't want or need. Separate the sentimental items and take the time to reminisce with your family over the weekend. Ask your extended family if they would like to have some of the things that have a meaning to you. Store your sentimental items in a beautiful treasure trunk or basket.
AVOID DISTRACTION. You can't afford to be distracted by your children, pets, telephone, or TV, especially if you're paying somebody to organize your home. Hire a babysitter or ask grandma to take your children for a few hours. Once you organize one room and see dramatic results, you will be motivated to continue organizing your entire house.
DONATION BOX. Keep a donation box handy. When you come across the items you don't use, or like, put them in the box. When the box is full donate to your favorite charity. You will feel great helping somebody in need.
PACK RATS. You can't keep everything. Instead of displaying everything you like at once, display a few of your favorites and keep the rest in the box. Every holiday put some of the things you already display in the box and take some out for display. Your home will always look fresh and tastefully decorated.
FIX IT OR GET RID OF IT. How many things do you have in your house that need fixing? You have every intention to fix them, but years went by and they are still in your home, broken. Schedule a date on your calendar and when the date rolls around fix them or trash them. Also ask yourself: is this worth fixing or keeping.?
THINK VERTICAL. If you lack horizontal space in your home, or office, think vertical. Consider installing shelves, pegboards and hooks. For your shelving unit, buy attractive containers, boxes or baskets to store books, videos, toys, documents. Label everything!
HIDDEN SPACES. Don't forget the space under your bed. Buy long plastic containers that will fit under your bed. Store in the box extra bedding, out of season clothes, shoes or books. To create more space under your bed, buy bed lifters, sold in major stores in Lower Mainland. Before you go shopping, measure the length, width and height, then measure again in the store.
IT TAKES ENERGY. Organizing your home will consume your time and energy. It is very important to know your peak energy level. If you are an early bird and you have abundance of energy, then schedule your sorting and purging in the morning. If you have more energy at night time, do your organizing then instead.
MOTIVATE YOURSELF. Many people need somebody to work with, to motivate or give them the encouragement they need. Upbeat music works well for some or taking before and after picture as you organize one room is helpful. Living in an organized and well maintained home will eliminate the stress from your life that clutter creates.
I wish you the best of luck keeping your home clean and tidy!
