Where Do I Start?

This is a question I hear all the time. I have found in working with people and their clutter, that the number one reason they can’t or don’t try to get organized, is because they really don’t know how. They don’t know where to start. They don’t know what to do once they get started. They don’t have a PLAN!

When you start any project, from organizing a closet to planning a party to writing a best-selling novel…you need a plan. A blueprint so-to-speak.

Here’s an article I put together that defines the process and breaks it down for you. (Some of this information was taken from the book “Mission: Organization”.) I’ll break it down into several different posts so that you are not too overwhelmed.

The Organizing Process

1) Sort – You need to know what you have, what’s worth keeping and what’s not.
2) Store – You need to store what you keep the right way. It is important to buy storage containers that are beautiful to you, match your existing decor and are efficient.
3) Stay Organized – Setting up systems that suit the way you think and live is very important. Also learn to manage your projects so clutter has no chance of accumulating.

Why Get Organized?

Here are just a few reasons why: saves you money, saves you time, it can actually improve your health, it can also improve your realtionships, alleviates stress, creates a sense of peace.

The Four Stages of Organizing Your Home

I. The Planning Stage
First decide on one area that needs to be organized. It may be one closet or your whole living room.

Make a list of the functions your organized space needs to serve.

For example – In your kitchen you need a space for serving breakfast and snacks as well as a place for the kids to do their homework. Or, in the living room you need a space for a dining area as well as a place for watching tv and storing videos and DVDs.

“True organization has no right rules. True organization means equipping and arranging a space in a manner that suits your needs and your lifestyle.” -Mission: Organization

Decide how you will get rid of garbage and donated items.

Gather supplies – large black garbage bags, cardboard boxes (for items to donate, sell, or move to another room of the house), latex gloves, notebook and pen (for taking inventory notes of your items), bottled water, upbeat music.

Next stage: The Sorting Process