Posts Tagged ‘Organizing Tools’

Do you wish you were more organized?

Do you wish you could get organized on your own?

Have you ever wondered why you cannot get organized on your own?

Well some people have the natural talent of getting and staying organized and some people do not have that natural talent.

The great news is that you can learn the skills it takes to get and stay organized.  It might mean working with a professional organizer for a period of  time. Below I am going to share with you the top 5 tips to getting and staying organized.

What area of your home is bugging you the most? Start with this area to de-clutter, purge and sort. Take 15 minutes and use these tips below to finally get organized and keep it that way!

Tip  #1: Purpose. Pick up one item and ask yourself this question ”what is the purpose of keeping this?”  If it is a teapot and you make and drink tea everyday then you know the purpose of keeping it.

If for example it is a T-shirt from high school all torn and the wrong size then what is the purpose of keeping it? I know what you are saying “well I loved high school, I had so much fun in high school…” Keep the memory and toss the T. (Take a photo of you wearing the T- shirt if you really must).

Tip #2: Value. What is the value of keeping that particular item?  Storage lockers are one of the fastest growing businesses in North America.

Do you have items in a storage locker?

Are the items taking on any value by being in there? Most people do not even know what is in their lockers. Yet they continue to pay the monthly bill.

Maybe it is time to sort through these items and ask yourself “what is the purpose and value of keeping them.” Once your locker is empty you could put that extra money towards a trip or home renovations.

Tip #3: Ruthless. It is so important to be ruthless while clearing the clutter and getting organized.

This is where lots of people get stuck, because everything you touch has a story attached to it. You have emotional attachment to your things. As a Professional Organizer I do not have the same attachment to your things. I have an attachment to the outcome. This is why I can support you in moving forward.

I know how much better you will feel once your home is organized. I know how much more time you will have. You’ll have less stress too!

Tip #4: Stop. This is where a new habit will be formed. You will need to stop bringing items into your home. Don’t buy items unless you really need them. Don’t buy because it is on sale. Or because you think you might need it “one day”.

Ask family and friends to please stop buying you things unless it is something you really need and will use.  The best gifts are consumable. Fancy teas, coffee, candles, spa packages, dinner gift certificates and so on. I made a deal with all of my friends and family members. We create memories together instead of buying things. It sure makes the Holiday season a lot less stressful.

Tip #5: Faith. Have faith in yourself. Have faith knowing that the things you need will always be around you when you need them. Have faith that if you pass something on you will not need it “someday”. Someday is not a day of the week.

It is so disempowering to think that you might need it, “what if I need it, maybe I will need it.” When you are clear on your future direction you will not want to live in the past.

Getting and staying organized takes time. The first time you start you might not be as ruthless as the second and third time. Remember, it took many years to get disorganized. It will not get organized overnight. It is like peeling back the layers of an onion. Each time you de-clutter you peel back another layer.

Please let me know how these tips worked for you below!

Below are the TOP 4 Simple Rules to Staying Organized. It is quick and easy for the whole family to follow.

I suggest you print them off and put them on the fridge. Hopefully there is room on your fridge to showcase these. If not, well that is a whole other newsletter!

Rule #1 If you take it out put it back.

How many of you live with teenagers? Do they ever leave the milk jug on the kitchen counter? This rule will help them to get that jug back in the fridge…hopefully!

Do you have a place for your scissors?  Are they always there when you need them?  This rule will help your family members to get the scissors back in the right place once they are finished using them.

Rule#2  If you open it close it.

How many times have you bumped your head on an open kitchen cabinet door? How many times have you tripped on an open drawer?

I travel with a very good girlfriend of mine. I love her to pieces however she has a habit of leaving her clothes drawer open. This is a real hazard especially in a hotel room.  Just make it a habit of closing anything you open.

Rule#3 If you throw it down pick it up.

How many towels are lying on your bathroom floor? How many pairs of dirty socks are lying on your kid’s floor?

Getting into the habit of picking up items makes for a much neater, organized home. Once your place is organized it simply takes a few minutes at the end of each day to go around and pick the items up.

Unfortunately not all family members are going to follow these rules. I wish I had a magic wand to grant you this wish. With time they will start to follow your lead. You need to be the one to set the example.

That all being said I take a few minutes at the end of each day and pick up the odd coffee mug laying around or the newspaper.

Rule#4 If you take it off hang it up.

“If you don’t do it right the first time when will you have time to do it again?” I love this saying.

A perfect example of this is when you get home and just toss your coat on the chair.

When will you get back to hanging it up?

If you simply hung it up as soon as you took it off you would not need to worry about it again that day. It takes mere seconds to do it right, once.

When you get undressed for the night simply hang up your clothes. Trust me, by the end of the week you will not feel like hanging up 7 days worth of clothes. Not to mention they would be all wrinkled.

I hope your family finds these 4 simple rules useful and joyfully follows them.

Please share your comments below on how your household did with these tips, I would love to hear from you!

Here’s to a clutter-free home!

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