| Conquer Common Organizing Gremlins
The air is getting warmer, the days are longer, and we feel more energized and alive. Yup, spring is here. We all know that along with these great benefits of warmer weather comes a task or two we may dread but nevertheless have to do. That's right, the good old spring cleaning. There is always a choice to organize and clean your house now and have an easy, breezy summer or wait and do your chores in July while everyone is going to beach.
When it comes to organizing many of us, even the pros, will make mistakes and procrastinate to save time and speed up the organizing process. But the reality is, we have to do things in a certain order for organizing to last.
Here are five very common mistakes we make when organizing our space.
Mistake #1: Temporary Storage or "I'll put it here for now"
It's easy to put things wherever they fit but it's hard to find them when you need them. The famous places for temporary storage are kitchen tables, coffee tables, dressers or anything horizontal.
SOS Solution: Assign a permanent home for all the items in your home that you like and need. Group similar items together, contain and label. Hair products and accessories go together under your bathroom sink and nowhere else.
Mistake #2: Miscellanies or junk drawer
Everybody, even the most organized people, have and need a junk drawer. This is the place where we keep small items such as working batteries, matches, candles, stamps or anything else you might need or just in case. But if we just throw things haphazardly in the drawer the items become junk and lost.
SOS Solution: Use plastic drawer dividers available in major stores to contain only the items you need and use, the rest is garbage. These containers could be used in the kitchen, bathroom, kids' rooms and your garage.
Mistake #3: Items not accessible
Many people store their frequently used items too high or too low and then struggle to get them out or put them away. If things are too hard put back they stay out and about, most likely on your kitchen counter.
SOS Solution: Decide what items you need handy and every day. Store them in accessible storage spots, such as top drawers and shelves located between your hips and shoulders. Always put items frequently used in front of less frequently used items. Store the things you use once or twice per year in less accessible places such as top shelves in your garage or basement.
Mistake #4: Too Many Multiples Most people have too many duplicates especially in the kitchen. How many plastic containers do we really need?
SOS Solution: Set reasonable limits on extras in your kitchen, bathroom or closet. If you keep things because you paid good money for them, keep them somewhere else as a part of your supply system, in other words, create your own store. Keep extra cleaning supplies, extra canned food, extra dog food, you get the idea, in a common area away from your day to day items.
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In this issue:
• Targeting Organizational Gremlins
• Featured Business
• Free Support Group Details
• Now Hiring: Residential Cleaners
Always keep a box handy where you can put things you don't want or need; when the box is full simply donate it to people who can use the contents. This works really well with young children's clothing. Keep a box where you fold clothes, as you come across something your child has outgrown toss it in the box. When the box is full, close it, seal it and put it at the door for your next trip out to your vehicle and drop it in the many clothing bins we drive by on a daily basis.
Mistake #5: Containers: Too many and too soon.
Let's face it, some of us, including myself, have a fascination with containers and beautiful baskets. But if we rush to stores to buy containers without thinking what kind, what size and how many, we will be going back and forth returning them and wasting our time.
SOS Solution: There is no other way to organize without sorting and purging the items you don't like or use. The next step to successful organizing is to measure the space or shelves where you are planning to store the things you are keeping. Take the measuring tape with you and measure baskets and bins. Always buy the same size and in pairs so you could stack them up.
Your Home: Is it Your Haven?
Imagine the feeling you will get when:
• Your kitchen is so well organized that you enjoy cooking for your family and friends again.
• Your closets are functional and only contain the items that you love and wear.
• Your bedroom is a harmonious retreat from the stress of daily life.
• Your family room is tidy and easily maintained by all family members (Yes, even the kids!)
• Your office makes sense to you and is organized to maximize your creativity and efficiency.
Taking the time to spring clean means you will have a harmonious home and time to enjoy the warmer weather. Organizing your home into a haven means less time spent cleaning. But spring cleaning is a waste of time if you don't create a system that everyone can follow.
Are you tired of spending days cleaning only to have children (big and small) come in and destroy everything in minutes? Solve this problem by involving everyone in the cleaning and setting up the system that works for your home. Not only does this promote pride in accomplishment (and you would be surprised what a child can accomplish), but they'll be less likely to destroy all their hard work.
For great tips and tools please see my book "Kick the Clutter, Get Organized" |
