Let´s Get Organized!

Stuff, stuff, stuff and more stuff. We all (myself included) accumulate an incalculable amount of stuff. All kinds of stuff--clothes, shoes, bags (both paper and plastic), electronic devices, outdated documents, old greeting cards, failed art projects, books and magazines. You name it I've collected it. 

Over the years I have collected so much stuff it´s maddening. It´s gotten so bad that I have run out of places to store the clutter. I can´t tell you just how depressing it is to  wake up each morning tripping over that paperwork I brought to my home a few weeks back. Fed up, my partner keeps telling me to clean up my act and get organized. 

Getting organized sounds great. Right? But how do you get started? It sounds so simple but it ain't easy. First of all, if you´re anything like me you can´t bear to part with the items that you have collected over the years (like that watch that your dad gave you after you graduated from high school or that casserole dish your mom gave you on your wedding day). Second, how do you go about decluttering and organizing your space? Allow me to share a few tips that made my recent Fall cleaning a success. Okay, let´s get organized! 

Gather your supplies. Plenty of trash bags, plastic bins (of various sizes), labels and markers (to designate items inside bags and bins) and a shredder to destroy confidential paperwork. You can find these items and others to help you get organized at Loews, Home Depot, Target, Best Buy or Staples.

Time yourself. How long will decluttering your space take? Set a date and time when you have to devote to trashing items items you no longer want to hold onto and organizing those items you want to keep. Chart the time it takes you to throw away and organize your items. This will help you be productive during the decluttering process. 

Pace yourself. Don´t forget to pace yourself. You have spent months (sometimes years) accumulating odds and ends in your home or office. You can´t expect to straighten it all out in one session. You´ll want to schedule more sessions when you can return and pick up where you left off. Pacing yourself makes the process of decluttering more manageable and less tedious.                                                                                                                                                                                                   Figure out what to keep and what to trasb. As you go through your closets, drawers and desks etc. consider which your belongings you can still make use of and which no longer serve. Clothes that no longer fit, broken electronics and old papers are just taking up space. Get rid of it. Keep belongings like photo albums, heirloom jewelry and other items that hold fond memories and put a smile on your face.  

Make the best use of the space you have. When organizing your home or office make sure to economize the space you have available. Dividers and racks can be used to separate and organize various items on your on your desk or table. Dividers can also be useful for organizing socks and other accessories in drawers. Items can be packed inside flat plastic bins and stored underneath various pieces of furniture. Shelves can be installed along the walls of your space. You can then get books and other odds off the floor and onto the shelves. 

Sell or donate unused items.  Finally, make a little dinero and put a smile on someone´s face while getting your home or office in tip top condition. Gently worn pants, shirts, sweaters, coats, shoes, hats and various other accessories can be sold at garage sales, online or to consignment shops at discounted prices. You can even help those less fortunate by donating these items to local homeless shelters.                                                                                                                                                                

In short, organizing your space has many benefits. First, an organized home or office provides you with clarity and peace of mind knowing that you can find what you need when you need it. Second, an organized space is easy to navigate. Third, you can even earn a few bucks selling items you barely use. Finally, by donating your gently worn clothes and accessories you can bring a bit of joy and warmth to those of us who are less fortunate. I said it before and I´ll say it again: Let´s get organized! It will do us all a world of good.