Getting Organized
Getting organized? Trying to figure out where to start? Thinking about a plan of action?Cabinet? Drawer? Shelf? Pile? Stack? Closet? Corner? Room? Bedroom? Bathroom? Office? Garage? Kitchen? Basement? Laundry room? Big space? Small space? Awkward space? Kid's space? Space under the stairs? Art supplies? Shoes? Clothes? Pots? Pans? Files? Toiletries? Books? Toys? Office items? Electronics? Sewing supplies? Scrapbook items? Belts? Utensils? Movies? Games? CDs? Lots of questions, read on for the answer! Search Our Site Check out SmoothOrganizing.Com to learn more about the emotional approach to getting organized and how to "truly own" your things. 3 Fundamentals of Staying Organized 1. Do a little bit every day. It doesn't matter what it is - picking out 10 items to give away or tossing all of the expired edibles in the fridge or sorting a pile of papers - as long as you do a little organizing on a daily basis. Remember, slow and steady wins the race. 2. Everything needs a home, absolutely everything. Think logically about this one. Where do you use the item the most? Where would you think to look for it when you need it? What location makes sense to you? And the random things that you just don't know what to do with get a home too. Perhaps it's a container labeled "I Don't Know." 3. Organization does not equal perfection. This is a biggie. A lot of discouragement comes from the idea that being organized is the same as being flawless. Not so. Being organized means embracing our imperfections and creating solutions in conjunction with them. For example, every kitchen should have a junk drawer. It's the busiest room in the house and life happens, so create a space to catch all the random items that get dumped there. Everyone has their own way of doing things, but there is a general organizing procedure I follow when conquering almost any space or item... 1. PURGE and lastly, a continuous step if you will, is to maintain. Utilizing this process ensures you always have a place to start and breaks down the task into doable sections. 
PURGEThe first step in getting organized is to pare down. Trash or recycle items that are no longer usable (i.e. broken, worn, old), and donate things that you don't want anymore but are in working condition (i.e. gently worn clothing, functioning electronics). This part of the process can be tough as it involves making concrete decisions. Ask yourself a series of questions if you get stuck. They can vary according to what you are getting organized, but below are some general questions to get you started. • Do I still use it? • Have I ever used it? • Does it still work? • How often do I use it? • Is it still in style? • How many of this same item do I have? • Does it have sentimentality? • Is it something I need to refer to? • Can I access it elsewhere without keeping the item? Recycle: items no longer usable but can be recycled (i.e. electronics) Donate: items in good condition that others can use Distribute: items in good condition to be given to people you know Keep: items you still want/use Now that you have gotten rid of everything there is to get rid of, it's time to focus on what's left. Step two of getting organized is to sort your items using one of the basic organizing principles: like goes with like. This will show you how much of each type of item you have and help determine how to store your things (step three). If you can complete the organizing procedure in one session, then feel free to separate your items into piles. If not, then use labeled bins or boxes to create solid divisions. This will ensure your things stay organized until you complete step three. Optional: Between step two and three is the time to buy organizational products, as now you can see what and how much you have. Having sorted all of your items and possibly purchased organizing products, you can now move on to step three of getting organized! Store your items according to size and convenience. Keep in mind this doesn't necessarily mean things are going back to the same place. In fact, they almost never do! For example... If you are conquering a linen closet and have gotten rid of a variety of sheets and pillow cases with no matches, the linens may not need to go back on the shelf with the most vertical space. Instead, the bulkier towels are going to go there now. 
Congratulations! You have completed initial organization! Give yourself a pat on the back. This is a huge accomplishment and you should be proud. I am! This means that you have finished organizing whatever it is that needed organizing and all that's left is to maintain (which is SO much easier and less time consuming). Create habits for yourself, so that you can keep up with all the hard work you have accomplished. For instance, at the end of the work day, take 10 minutes to put away office supplies and to file papers in their corresponding file folders. These short, simple tasks will ensure you stay organized and take no time at all!
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