We can all be messy at times. It’s what makes us human. But we all have those areas in our homes that might need attention. Ones that (if we do not get them under control) make us a competitor for an episode of Hoarders. I know I do. My side table by my bed is a disaster 50% of the time. It’s my weakest spot because I go there at the end of the day when I’m tired and in no mood for cleaning.
Other common clutter traps are by the front door, the dining room table, that catch-all junk drawer in the kitchen, and the coffee table in the living room. If you struggle with organization, these few tips might help. Take a look…
Stop The Junk Mail
When it seems like you have to sort through a stack of mail before you can get to anything important, it’s time to start removing those snares at the source. Call those companies that send you that worthless junk mail and ask them to remove you from their list. If they don’t, report them. We don’t need to waste our valuable time with mail we did not request. Less mail means less to sort out and fewer items you’ll need to put in your recycle bin.
Get Rid of Unusable Items (I mean, toss them)
Getting rid of things can be difficult sometimes because of our emotional attachments, but what we need to do is really look at our stuff and decide if it is usable. Does it serve a purpose? Most of the clothes in our closets (like 50%) are things we don’t wear.
THE CLOSET
Ask yourself:
- Does this outfit flatter my body type?
- Have I worn it in the past year?
- Does it fit right?
- Is it in style?
- If I went to the store, would I buy it again?
- Does it need to be repaired? Will I fix it?
- If the answer is NO, it’s okay to remove it from your closet.
If you never use that old candle votive; donate it. The blender that needs a part — fix it or toss it. Keeping things that we might need someday, only means we have to store more stuff. A good rule to go by: If you haven’t used it in over a year, you most likely never will. Time for those unusable items to go bye-bye. You’ll feel much better once all those things are not weighing you down.
Use What You Have for Organizing Your Things
Instead of buying new things to get more organized, go through your items and see how you can incorporate them into your organizing goals. Old shoe boxes are great for tape, ribbon, and other miscellaneous items. Use old vases for zip-ties, shishkabob sticks, and other tall items. Old picnic baskets make great magazine holders. Get creative, and you’ll be saving money too.
Say NO to Free Things
If you neighbor is having a garage sale and he has a few items left over and brings them to you because he thinks you could use them; say no if they will do nothing but create more clutter. Free is not free. You will pay for it eventually… with your valued time.
Create An Active Space (just for you)
If clutter keeps you from having that home office, it’s time to clean out that clutter and create a space you can use. That spare bedroom can be rearranged to make room for sewing, crafts, yoga, or a painting area. Make your space work for you, not the other way around.
Tackle One Thing A Day
Even if you only have 15 minutes, dig out that drawer in the bathroom and toss what is unusable and keep what you want. Then tomorrow, tackle something else. By the end of the month, you might have one room done. The more those problem areas are addressed, the easier it will become to be more organized. Take those baby steps if you are not up for jogging a marathon. It’s okay to do things slowly. The key here is to keep moving, and then, you will eventually reach your destination.
