10
Ways to Organize Your Mess
 Is
one of your New Year’s resolutions to get organized?
We’ll help you achieve it with 10 timely tips!
January 1: The day countless people
make resolutions for the new year. How many of your
New Year’s resolutions have you kept over the
years? If organizing your home is one of 2007’s
resolutions, a recent Realty Times article can help!
1. Take advantage of the
timing. January is a great time to organize.
You’re motivated, the weather is crummy and you
want to clean up after the holidays. The National Association
of Professional Organizers has designated January as
“Get Organized Month,” and you will be able
to locate plenty of organizational tips from professionals
advertising their services and the media.
2. Know your limits. Understand that
your resolution will take some time. Organizing a 1,500,
2,000 or even 4,000-square-foot home will not be easy
and it won’t be quick. Don’t get discouraged
if it takes longer than you think.
3. Toss the excuses. Clutter piles
up because of excuses: “I might need it someday,”
or “If I get rid of it, I’ll miss it,”
or “It was a gift,” or “It was expensive.”
If you haven’t used the item in the past six months,
these are just excuses to put off getting rid of something
today rather than tomorrow. If you hate to waste something,
try to see if you can fix it up and give it as a gift
or donate it to a local charity.
4. Start small. Breaking tasks down
into manageable parts makes the entire job less daunting.
Try setting aside a small amount of time each day to
organize, such as half an hour. Or, think about the
small steps you can take to accomplish a large task
and work on those, one by one. You can also sign up
for free online help, such as “FlyLady”
Marla Cilley, whose site, flylady.net, offers small
“Daily Missions” in one of six “Home
Zones.”
5. Create a system. Instead of a mish-mash
of bins, baskets, shelves and drawers, consider investing
in a large, matching storage system. Use the system
to organize the most out-of-control room in your house,
such as the garage or the playroom.
6. Delegate. Involve the entire family
in organizing. Someone takes the kitchen, someone takes
the garage and give specific instructions, such as storing
wandering tools or sorting through mail.
7. Keep a plan at
hand. Don’t lose your head in the organizing
process. Take a few minutes each hour to relax, breathe
and enjoy a drink. While doing this, take stock of what
tasks have been accomplished and what is left to be
done.
8. Optimize your effort. Use all available
resources to gather tips and best practices. There are
countless online resources, such as onlineorganizing.com,
which offer plenty to help, on one organizing occasion
or year-round.
9. Put your unwanted junk to good use.
If you are reluctant about just tossing everything in
the garbage, consider selling your unwanted goods in
a garage sale, want ad or online. You may have a new
stereo, and someone else will be happy to pay for your
old one. Or, if you hate the idea of eBay or a garage
sale, there are always charities who are willing to
do free pick-ups of donations, including clothes, electronics,
books and even appliances and furniture.
10. Hire a professional. If you are
still at a loss about how to organize your home, or
even your life, consider hiring a professional organizer.
Visit the National Association of Professional Organizers
web site, napo.net, to locate one near you. As the NAPO
says, organization breeds efficiency, which will give
you control over your home, and your life.
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