Organization - Getting started!!

BEFORE you actually get down and dirty with the task of organizing any area of your home, you must make notes (either mental or, preferably, actually to pen and paper). Note what your purpose of the space is and mandatory items that must be in the space. You'll need to know what kind of budget you have to work with, if any at all. And don't worry ... it's doable to reorganize without spending any money. It might not be the image you found on Pinterest, in a magazine, or saw at someone else's house. But that's okay. It has to work for YOU and your family. If it can do that, then you have succeeded. You'll need to list each space or each room that you have to organize on a separate list.

PREPARE by making signs and gathering trash bags/boxes/tubs. Yes. MAKING SIGNS. Keep. Garbage. Donate. Mending. When you're going to sit down and actually do the work you'll need these items. They can be handwritten on a piece of scratch paper or printed, whatever suits your fancy. You'll end up setting these side-by-side (or spaced out if you have a large space to go through) to make it easy to set/toss items into the appropriate category.

• KEEP. Things you LOVE. Things you use REGULARLY. Things you can't live without.
• GARBAGE. Torn clothing, broken toys. Anything that you won't use and won't benefit someone else by getting rid of it. Now additionally in this pile may be an actual TRASH and RECYCLING pile if you have recycling services available in your area. Of course, I highly recommend recycling whatever you can so nothing unnecessary ends up compounding to the waste in our landfills.
• DONATE. Things you like, but don't love. Things you use infrequently. Something that was handed down to you that you don't plan to keep (remember you always have the memories so you don't have to keep the actual item).
• MENDING. Those items that need the button fixed, screw tightened, etc. This can be done by you or sent out to the seamstress, whichever you prefer and are capable of. The important thing with this pile is to get it done quickly so things can be put in their proper place.

For your donate stash, I recommend boxes that you can close up and take straight to Goodwill or whatever agency you have determined will benefit from your no longer needed items. Why touch it twice when you can touch it once and be done with it?! I don't see the point in wasting time that you don't really have or would rather be doing something else instead. Likewise, use trash bags (full size for large spaces, recycled Walmart bags for small areas) for trash and once filled take it immediately to the garbage can so it's out of your way. This will instantly remove the clutter allowing your eyes to rest, and instill a sense of pride and accomplishment at what you are doing.

Determine how much time you have and schedule it. If you have 5 minutes, go through a kitchen or dresser drawer. If you have 15 minutes, tackle the medicine cabinet. Whatever amount of time you have, schedule it. WRITE IT DOWN. DO IT. If you work, do it after work when you can. Do it on a day off, during summer break. Whatever you can do. It will take time to work your way around your entire home, but it'll get done and you'll feel so much better. Keep in mind that you may schedule 15 minutes, but find it so intensely motivating that you end up spending more. That's awesome. Just keep up with your schedule and work your way through every space that you want to do. If possible, I would stick to one room at a time before moving on, but only to have the sense of accomplishment to be able to cross that room off your list (I read an article once that crossing items off your to-do list sends positive signals to your brain).

So ... are you ready to start here?? I'll be back next week with the next part. I'm going to work on one of my spaces and want to chronicle that so that I'm ready to help you with yours. Writing about this, talking about it - makes me want to jump right in and do it myself. And I still have plenty that I can do in organizing my home!!

See you next week.