I Simply Organize

You might think eliminating the clutter in your home is going to hurt.

While there may be a little’ pain’ at the start of any organizing project, when you see the first sign of improvement (and it comes pretty quickly) the pain disappears and is replaced with excitement and a feeling of accomplishment.

Once you’ve made the decision to get organized, a few mental exercises can help get you started.  Try something like this:

Take a few minutes to imagine that a tornado hit your house and whisked everything away.  This might be a terrible thought but it puts things in perspective very quickly.  What would you really need to start over again?  What would you miss?  Would many of the things you had accumulated over the years suddenly seem unimportant? The answer to these questions will help make elimination decisions easier during the organizing process.

• Anything brought in to the house needs to have a “home” to go to. Avoid bringing something home and dropping it on the floor or on the table with no plan for where it goes.  Think about where it will go before you buy it.  This is especially true when shopping at store sales or garage sales.

• Don’t save for later.  Someday may seem around the corner, but you can make more of today by clearing away clutter that you’ve been saving for later.  Focus on the present and what you need for now.

• Don’t keep gifts you can’t use or don’t want.  The important thing to remember about gifts is “It’s the thought that counts.”  Remember someone’s thoughtfulness. Remembering doesn’t take up space in your home.  Whenever possible return gifts you can’t use.  Don’t let things you really don’t like-even if they come from people you love-take up prime real estate in your home.

• Souvenirs and mementos are another source of unnecessary clutter.  They’re meant to help remember a place or event but in many cases collect dust and serve no useful purpose.  On your next trip try skipping the souvenir shops and walk on the beach or take in a museum instead.  If you must bring back a souvenir, remember that you must know where it will go before you buy it.
• Clean up clutter as soon as you create it.  Spend 15 minutes at the end of each day putting things away so you can start fresh tomorrow.
• Set routines for yourself.  Go through closets once a year.  Clean out your garage every spring or fall.  Purge a few files every week.  The more routines you set the smoother and quicker the task will go. 

Getting organized is not about denying the traits that make us who we are; it’s simply about getting organized so you can enjoy your home, your office, your life.