Organize Like the Pros
Many people want to know how does an organizer live? Is the home cold, sterile and empty? Is there any clutter? Do they really practice what they preach? How do they get and stay organized?
Organizers are just like you. They have stressful days, feel overwhelmed and deal with purging their belongings. The less unnecessary they have, being able to find what they are looking for, and having routines established help keep the stress and overwhelm down to a manageable level. Here are a few tips to think like the pros when organizing:
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Start with fresh eyes. When working with a professional organizer they will have fresh eyes with no attachment to the stuff they are purging and organizing. Try your best to detach from the emotional side of stuff.
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Have a goal in mind. Before you start any organizing project, envision how you want the space to look and feel. If you don’t have a vision of what you want, you will have a harder time to make the tough decisions to let the unnecessary go.
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Justin Case doesn’t live here anymore. Just in case is a reason we hold on to things. Don’t invite Justin Case in!
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Replacement value. What is the replacement value of an item? If you can easily replace the item, it may be time to let it go!
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Home sweet home. All items need a home. You have an address and can tell people how to get to your home, you need to do the same for the items in your home.
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OHIO – Only Handle It Once. Clutter tends to be postponed decisions. Make decisions and you will see how soon your clutter will disappear!
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Group like with like. Keep like items together. It makes it easier and more efficient to find things and put things away.
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Think like the ocean. For everything that comes in, things need to go out.
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Set routines. Routines help us take the mind work out of what needs to happen and when. This helps save time and money.
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Eat the frog. When you don’t want to do something you tend to procrastinate on it. If we choose to face the challenge (think of eating a frog), you will be one step closer to finishing the project. The funny thing is that once you get started, you have a tendency to get on a roll and get it done.
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Eat the elephant. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time! Don’t take on too much at once. Start out small. Break your large projects down into smaller projects. Then they don’t seem as overwhelming!
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Think eyes and arms. Keep what you use the most within eye level and arms reach. Use less frequently used items in harder to reach and see areas.
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Keep supplies where you use them. For example, if you make coffee in the morning, keep all the items you need to make a cup of coffee close to the coffee maker!
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Clean as you go. Cleaning up after yourself will make a big difference in the overwhelm of your home. Cleaning up after yourself as soon as you are finished will save you time in the long run.
