You probably don’t have time to do a major overhaul of your home or office today. But you can put into effect quick, do-able tasks that will lead to finding solutions in your closet, cabinets, garden and around your home or office.
Ask yourself these Clutter-free & Organized questions for…
RESHAPING THE CLOSET
Do I like the color?
Is it comfortable?
When I look in the mirror, does it fit?
Does it make me feel good?
The tie breaker question, Would I buy it if I saw it in a store today?
Find happy homes for those items that no longer work for you.
No guilt clothes allowed! You know the ones: wrong size, your Aunt Betty gave it to you, or you bought it on impulse and it isn’t you! Resolve to keep in your closet items that you love and that make you look fabulous!
Short on time? Tackle your closet one section at a time.
Make instant rod space by removing all the empty hangers. Place a bag on the floor of the closet. When you decide an item doesn’t work for you immediately drop it in the bag. When the bag is full, take the bag and drop it off to donate.
Marry items that work together in your closet to avoid last minute indecisions when dressing.
Are you short on space? Move seasonal and dressy clothes, including shoes and purses, to another closet.
MORE CLOSET TIPS:
At the start of a new season, take things out of your closet section by section.
When you just slide things around, it’s too easy to say, “Oh, I think I’ll keep this”. Put back only what really fits, suits the season and gets a lot of use.
Result: You’ll avoid having to rifle through a closet stuffed with “nothing to wear.”
IN THE KITCHEN CABINETS
Does it work?
How often do I use it?
Do I like it?
To make sure you’re using space wisely, go through each cabinet, making sure it only contains what is really important to your family.
The kitchen is a big guilt area. We keep stuff in the cabinets because we think we should have it, or our parents did it that way, or we used to do it, but it may not reflect our lives now.
AROUND THE GARDEN:
How much water does this plant need?
Does it like sun or shade?
Do I have the energy to visit every plant for its water needs?
Regroup plants in your garden according to their water needs. Put all your thirsty plants together, closest to the water source.
Bonus tips:
• Realize that traditional methods of organizing don’t work for everyone.
• Don’t tackle too big of a job. Start organizing your shoes, instead of the entire bedroom closet.
• Organize mail and excess paperwork while standing.
• Get rid of clutter by asking, Does it pull at my heartstrings? If not, donate it or throw it away.
• Get rid of the things that no longer contribute to the fullness of your life. You are organized when you like all the things you have and they work for you.
• Give away items that are still good but you don’t need to local charities, friends, family and neighbors.
• Put prime items in prime space and group like items together.
• Clutter is postponed decisions, so quit procrastinating.
• Organizing can be discouraging because it takes many steps to accomplish your goal. Motivate yourself by hanging up this “Wow! Count Today an Organizing Success” poster.