HELPFUL TIPS (check in monthly for new tips)

  

Thinking Like A Professional Organizer

Sure I was born to be a little more naturally organized than the average person, but I also struggle with attention issues and a horrible memory (thanks to a high school car accident) .  This combination of things makes it even more important for me to stay on top of things and practice what I preach to clients every day.

 

Oh, and I forgot to mention that I lack any sort of patience when it comes to stuff.  Items in my home, office, and car must be easily and quickly accessible at all times or I lose my marbles.  And that's not a scene you want to witness...yikes!

 

Jessica Dolan, Bringer of Order

Become more organized by following some of the basic rules that professional organizers follow in their organizing businesses.  Here are a few to get you started.

1. Keep like items together. Put all the sporting equipment in one place and all the gardening supplies in another. When similar items are grouped together, it makes finding items much easier for everyone.

2. Pick a number. How many of a specific item does a person need to keep? Every person needs to determine what that particular number will be so they can account for the amount of space and storage in their house. When you pick a number, stick to it.  Give yourself strict parameters and stick to what you set!  This is perhaps my most favorite tip!

3. Baby steps. Tackling large projects works best by breaking them down into smaller, more manageable steps. Taking baby steps will make the project easier to handle and moving along to completion.  If you can't commit a big chunk of time to something, how about just 10-15 minutes a day?  You'd be surprised how even minutes a day can get a project done in no time.

4. Put it away.  Put everything away after you are done using it. This one is self-explanatory.  It takes just as much time to put something in the incorrect spot as it would to put it in the correct spot...once you've created homes that is.

5. A place for everything and everything in its place. Designate a particular spot for everything in your home. This means books on bookshelves, silverware in a drawer in the kitchen, etc. By communicating to all family members that they put things away where they belong, things will be easier for them to find and the house will be more tidy and clean.  Labeling areas is great too! 

6. Touch it once. This skill truly saves time. For everything you put off until later, you're touching it twice when it should be just once. You (or someone you live with) is procrastinating and putting things off until later. To save a couple of seconds today, you are wasting five minutes tomorrow. For example, you come home, throw the shirt on the bed because you are going to hang it up or throw it in the laundry basket later. Or you shove it on a shelf in the closet and will hang it later. Touch it once. The coffee cup goes in the dishwasher, not on the counter and into the dishwasher later. The mail coming in the house should be dealt with immediately; not put on a pile where you touch it more than once.

7. One in, one out. Oh, this is actually my personal favorite!  For every item you purchase and bring into the home (even if it is a used item but new to your home), one item already in your house must leave. This will maintain your belongings, keep them manageable and prevent chaos in the future.  To make things leave faster try One In, Two Out.

8. Keep items in the spot where you use them. Items should be stored near the place where they are used. This saves time and energy and makes finding the items much easier. For example, store your printer paper near your printer.

9. Store your most frequently used items in the most accessible places. Keep the things you use most often at eye level, store heavy items below waist level and infrequently used items on a high level and harder to access shelf or in another area of the house.

10. Declutter annually. Once a year, go through the house and gather up all the items that are no longer used, are duplicates or damaged, old clothes, furniture, appliances. If you do not want to do a garage sale, donate your items to charity.

11. Finish what you have first. You will see good sales throughout your life. That does not mean it is a good idea to purchase items now while they are on sale. Often they will go on sale again. Do not keep too many items on hand, even for replenishment of items you use regularly. Choose your bulk purchases carefully.

12. Use hangers to determine clothes usage. Place all of your hangers in the closet hanging in one direction. After you wear an item and hang it back up in the closet, place the hanger in the opposite direction. After a season, any hangers still hanging in the original position indicate clothing that was not worn. Consider donating, tossing or repairing these items of clothing.

13. Always have a plan. Knowing what you need to do and outlining a plan will prevent time problems. By setting goals and knowing how much time you need to accomplish these goals, you will be saving time throughout your daily routine.

14. Set a routine/schedule. Having a schedule will help you to stay organized. It will be easier for you to manage your time day to day. This will also help you handle unexpected events and interruptions. You will know what you need to do to get back on task.