The 4 Basic Steps to Organizing Anything . . . . Sort – Weed/Purge – Contain – Label 1. Sort: In organizing anything – begin with sorting, the basic process for creating order. Things that are used together – belong together and should be stored together. Sort everything by how you use it. Group “like” items together. Begin with one drawer, closet, cupboard, room at a time. You might end up with a pile of “I don’t know what to do with it. I don’t really use it now but I’m not ready to let go of it now” items. Put them together in one well labeled container and store them for now. Those should be stored in an out of the way site like; garage (if there’s space), attic, shed, or storage unit, if you use one. Categories can be sooooo helpful here. For example, garage categories might include; garden/yard, automotive, sports, tools, camping, etc. 2. Weed/Purge: When you sort you should begin weeding. Let’s face it, you can’t have everything. Where would you keep it? Set up 3 big boxes labeled: Discard, Give Away, and Sell. Fill them as you sort. Books have been written about why we hold on to things and how to decide when to let go. In the interest of brevity let’s assume that whatever you can accomplish without counseling will be an improvement over where you’re beginning. 3. Contain: The right containers and tools help you keep track of things so you can find and use them easily. Once you’ve sorted the items you will be keeping you’ll be able to easily assess what size and type of container will work best for storing. Look at your available spaces and match the containers to them as well as your items. You might find it necessary to rearrange your spaces to fit your new organizing system. A room that once worked as an office might now better serve you as a craft room. Useful tools include drawer organizers, bike hooks, or garage organizing systems. First use what you already have . . . then GO SHOPPING! 4. Label: Labeling is essential to remembering what and where everything is once it is put away. Unlabeled items are likely to disappear from your radar screen. This could be as simple as using a marker or as advanced as making labels on your computer and attaching them to your container. I prefer using a non-permanent method so a container might be easily reused in the future. I recommend Label It Now, a stick on, clear envelope that you can slide your label into. They are rugged and could be reused for years. I also suggest you make a written or computerized list of where your containers are itemized with what is in each container. This can be easily referenced for quick finds. |
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Organized and Ready To Go
| Denise Hay, Professional Organizer Member: National Association of Professional Organizers Licensed & Insured |
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