poshed up: Operation OrGaNiZaTiOn! Part 3

Moving on..... it's officially time to tackle some of those pesky areas of your homes that are full of clutter and/or just a full-on disaster. You know, the ones you walk past every day and frown because you can't stand looking at it, but yet you don't really want to tackle it? Well it's time. It's time for...

OPERATION

O r G a N i Z a T i O n

Part 3

Before I start, a few basics I want to share that will be true for all of the areas we're going to tackle in the next few weeks as it relates to organization and de-cluttering. These are some VERY simple things that really make your job of getting and keeping an area tidy so much easier.

Rules of Organization:

1. Start with a list of what you want to tackle. Be specific. Spell out each drawer, closet, cabinet.

Here's my list...I have my work cut out for me.

I've made a little progress, but I need to finish a room before I move on.

2. Get comfortable with getting rid of things or you’ll end up on the show “Hoarders”. In order to organize your life, you need to minimize your stuff. Make 3 baskets- Keep, Throw Away, Donate. And only keep it if you’ve used it within the past year or if it’s truly sentimental. In that case, give it a home.

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3. Pick an area of focus and FOCUS on it. Don’t do half the job and expect it to stay neat. You really need to establish a nice, organized area so you’ll want to keep it that way. Half the battle is getting it to the state of order in the 1st place.

4. “A place for everything and everything in its place”….from the very wise Ben Franklin. Couldn’t be truer. If it doesn’t have a home, how do you know where to put it back? And share its home with ALL of the members of your family.

5. Never leave a room empty-handed. This is a BIGGEE. You really shouldn’t need to carry much if things are being put away, but we all know it happens. Resist the urge to put something down for LATER…it won’t happen.

Another idea along these lines if you live in a 2 story house and don't want to be up and down all day....baskets on the stairs either with someone's name (if you think they'll put things away) or with the name of a specific room on them. Then, when you go upstairs, take a basket each time and empty it!

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Or this idea from 'Lil Blue Boo' of keeping a "put away" basket in your highest traffic area and then tackling it once per day. The whole idea is to avoid running around all day putting things away. You'll make yourself crazy!