Are you organized at home? If you are continually looking for things, check out the tips below.
Today, I am going to share with you tips on organizing your home and freeing it up from clutter. I know, I know, you don’t have time. Would it help if I told you:
- You will save time – after all, who hasn’t spent time looking for something.
- You will be in a better emotional state with more balance, sense of peace and energy
- You will save money when you aren’t buying duplicates of the same stuff
- You have more space for living, and it looks better after spending time organizing
From The Daily Herald: The benefits of clutter-free living
Here are 10 steps to help you on your journey.
1. Gather three or four cardboard boxes to use as sorting containers. Then, grab a pen and paper and do a walkthrough of your home.
2. Focus on one room at a time. Right now, don’t concern yourself with the entire house – just the place you’re in.
3. Make notes. As you look around the room, make notes about areas needing better organization. You’re compiling a task list. For example, maybe you have clothing and books piled on a chair and want the chair to be clear of all items. Record this in your notebook.
Hint: If you feel overwhelmed by the prospect of straightening the entire room, focus on just one wall or corner of the room. Confidently tell yourself you’ll eventually get through the whole room. Right now, though, you only have to think about this wall or corner.
4. When can you start? Determine when you can begin the de-cluttering and re-organizing process. Ideally, start as soon as you complete your list. If that doesn’t fit with your schedule, find a block of time each day to tackle listed tasks.
For example, if you have an extra thirty minutes before leaving for work, make that time count by completing one or two tasks on your task list.
5. Plan your process. Once you’ve scheduled the time to take action, you can decide how to go about organizing the room.
Here are two suggestions for getting it done:
1. The first method is to follow your list from top to bottom to feel more organized. Begin with the first item you noted and work on that particular task.
Using the piled chair example, remove items and put them away until the chair is clear. Hang up clothes or place them in the laundry bin or drawers. Put books on shelves or your desk. Then, go to the next item on the list.
2. The second method is to prioritize the areas to be organized and tasks you listed by numbering them in the order of importance. Start your work with the job you prioritized as #1 and continue down the list.
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- Regardless of the method selected, take a garbage can or bag into the room before you start. You’ll no doubt find items you no longer need and wish to discard.
- Complete your listed tasks one by one. Don’t start on the next job until you’ve finished the one you’re on.
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6. Keep at it. Don’t give up – you can do it!! If you think you’ll become distracted, set a timer (on your watch or cell phone) and vow to continue organizing the room until the timer sounds.
“Clearing clutter—be it physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual—brings about ease and inspires a sense of peace, calm, and tranquility.” ― Laurie Buchanan, PhD
7. A place for everything. You might notice some items that don’t have a specific storage spot. Designated storage places are essential to be organized. Knowing the location of something is far more efficient than having to look all over the house or in every drawer.
Hint: Place items without a designated space in a cardboard box labeled “Need a storage place.” You’ll get to these items later.
8. Label your boxes and begin sorting.
- Label one box “Donate” for items you want to give to your local charity.
- Designate another box “Unsure” for items you aren’t sure you want to keep. Use these boxes to organize and dispose of belongings you no longer want.
9. When you’ve completed all the listed tasks, the room is organized. It’s time to find storage solutions and space for the items in your “Need a storage place” box.
Hints:
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Store similar items together.
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Feel free to place items no longer wanted into your “Donate” box.
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Throw away belongings you no longer need if they can’t be donated.
10. Follow through with every room. Now that you’ve organized the first room of the house apply these steps for each room one at a time. Your goal is to find a place for all belongings and donate or throw away items you don’t want to keep.
- When your “Donate” box is full, take it to a local charity.
The path toward organizing your home leads you through many challenges. Following these steps will help you achieve your goal of having a clutter-free and organized home. When you’re done, you can relax and bask in the sanctuary you’ve created!
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