How to Start Organizing Your Space

Words of Wisdom: Having countless containers does not make you organized. A system is needed and most often a behavioral change is needed. The following will help you organize any space in your home. So many people want to get organized but they are just unable to get started. Whether it is paper clutter or just plain clutter everywhere, it is overwhelming for most individuals.

The first thing to do when you organize is to choose one area. I tell my clients to start in the room that they spend the most time or the room they would like to spend the most time in if it were clutter free. Do you feel overwhelmed, because the space is too large? Let’s break the room down into parts. Maybe if you have a square room, split into four areas. If the room is part office, part sitting room, break it down into 2 different rooms to organize. Then making paperwork one job and the office space another will break it down even more and be less stressful.

After you have chosen the space decide how many hours a day, week, or month you can devote to organize. Right now most of my clients work fulltime outside the home and choose their best time to work with me. Make sure the blocks are in increments of at least 3 hours. Anything less will not get enough accomplished for you to see the results and keep you going. Stick to a certain time and day if that is easier for you. Put it on your calendar or in your day planner to really make sure you stick to it.

Buy large yard trash bags for trash and items you will be donating. The large bags are great because they are strong and hold a large quantity. Do not buy storage containers until you have finished the room. I find that most of my clients have enough container bins but they are filled with too much or the wrong thing. Once you empty and condense your current containers, you will find you have enough storage for the items you are keeping. Many clients ask about cardboard boxes versus plastic bins. Plastic bins are always the better choice because they keep out moisture and critters. If the item you are storing is fabric, make sure it is in a plastic bin. Critters love fabric.

Now that we have broken your space into a manageable size, allotted the time, it is time to ask yourself some hard questions. Have 3 piles labeled keep, donate and toss and be sure to take the trash and donate items out frequently so you can see your progress sooner.

This is where it gets hard. Deciding what to keep, donate or trash is the next step in the process. Have you missed the item? If not, donate or toss it. If you decide to keep it, sure it is something make the person you are saving it for will want it. We seem to save many items because we assume that person will someday want it. Think if your parent had saved that particular item or group of items, would you want it or move with it? I think it is important to really ask some serious questions when going through items. Can you take a picture and still have the same feeling. This is especially pertinent to children’s art work and school work. The older they get, the bigger the items get.

Take pictures with the child and the project then toss the project. Getting rid of the clutter will make your space bigger and your life less stressful. I recommend having someone there to help you. You need a second pair of hands, a second opinion that is not emotionally attached to your items. DO NOT ask your mother or sister to help. You need someone who you know, but is not your best friend.

I have had clients you have told me countless times, “my sister said she would help and we worked together a few times, but it we never got any farther than this or it always ended up back in the same mess.” It will take time, but it is possible and rewarding to finally get that space organized.