Okay, so you’ve made the decision to get organized and declutter your home or workspace. But where do you start? That thought alone just took you from feeling inspired and excited about this new project to overwhelmed and anxious. Don’t give up just yet! Tackle the project one space at a time and give yourself adequate time to complete each space or project by fitting it into your daily schedule.
A great resource for getting organized is The Container Store. They have lots of great information on their website and their staff is passionate about organization so they’re always happy to brainstorm with you and present solutions. The Container Store’s article “Our Top 12 Organization Tips” is a great starting point. Below are the top three tips from this article I live by when starting any organizational project:
Photo copyright The Container Store
1. Start in one place: This is key! Of course, we all want every project done today, but this mindset can also lead to frustration and throwing in the towel. As the article explains, pick just one key area and begin there. Simply prioritize the spaces that need to be organized and go from there.
2. Allow plenty of time: Again, we can’t just snap our fingers or wiggle our nose and find our project complete (if only). Give yourself a reasonable amount of time to work on each space. Some spaces are going to require more time and effort than others, be patient and squeeze in the project where you can.
3. Clean house: This is my favorite tip, but also the most challenging. It’s easy to toss something in a drawer or closet, close the door and not think about it again until you reopen the door. However, imagine sitting in your house or workspace and knowing behind every closed door is an organized and efficient system that you would be proud to show guests as opposed to being embarrassed. This is one of the best ways to simplify your life, improve efficiency and simply declutter. And I’m a firm believer that by decluttering your space, you declutter your mind!
4. Take inventory: Once you’ve minimized your inventory, take a close look and determine the best place for items. If it’s something you use regularly, make sure it’s easily accessible whether it’s in a closet or in a tote under the bed. However, if items are more seasonal then they don’t have to be easily accessible for daily use, but they should still be stored somewhere in a single place where you can take inventory and know where to find everything when the time comes. One of my personal pet peeves is attic storage. I’m a firm believer of using available space, but being smart about the space you’re using and attics are typically not easily accessible. Things often end up sitting in the attic for years, become damaged by extreme temperatures, and before you know it, you’ve lost track of what’s up there and it becomes another stockpile of items behind a closed door. If you have to use the attic due to storage space limitations, I get it, but set up a system to make items easily accessible.
Remember start small and take it one space at a time and before you know it your home or workspace will be organized and more efficient. Happy organizing!