1. Write down your intentions before you organize a space.
Especially when you’re tackling an entire room! You MUST have a clear vision BEFORE you begin tossing and sorting. If you don’t have one, it is easy to get sidetracked and start other organizing projects simultaneously (which never ends well) AND your end goal will get muddled midway through the project.
2. Don’t cling to a system that doesn’t work.
Find the BEST system that WILL work for you & your family! Do not feel pressured to cave into what may seem “normal,” if it requires intense training and time commitments to get the fam to understand & follow. Take the entry way for example…it doesn’t help to have a fancy shoe shelf in the entry closet, if it takes a parent and a stool just for your children to be able place there shoes inside. Instead, find a storage ottoman that can serve as a bench AND shoe storage…your children can slip their shoes off place them inside the ottoman (all on their own)!
3. A system with too many steps won’t work.
Simply put…if your process is too complex, it WILL fail! As difficult as it may be…you MUST avoid the urge to place stuff in individually wrapped baggies, in dividers, which are in smaller boxes that are placed inside larger boxes, that are hidden in rubbermaid containers – that are all the way in the basement…you get the point!
4. Sometimes you need a better process, not another storage bin.
Take the laundry process for example…you could have a laundry room system that includes several sorting bins and baskets, but they would take up too much space, Instead, work out a routine that minimizes large loads and takes a forgiving approach toward endless sorting.
5. Organizing isn’t expensive — clutter is.
People often think organizing is too expensive. But really, the actual ACT of organizing is FREE (old rubbermaids, milk crates & shoeboxes are great for storage)! Are you spending money on a storage space to keep things you will NEVER look at or use, or that you will one day wonder why on earth you kept them? Are you spending too much valuable time searching for things that you have no clue where you stashed them? Think about it, and you might be surprised!
6. In a small space, go vertical.
Bookcases are great pieces of furniture for organizing and decorating,..they offer a ton of storage where there was once just an empty wall, and they are helpful for holding everything from clothes…to bins…to games,..to vases…to candles…to well, BOOKS!
7. Don’t forget about the backs of doors.
Backs of cabinets and doors are a great place to get creative! You can add a hook or a basket to gain instant (and often hidden!) storage space.
8. Clear out an entire space before you do a big organizing overhaul.
Start with a blank slate, from scratch. Remove EVERYTHING from the space prior to organizing…it forces you to be very selective about what gets put back into the room/drawer/space.
9. Make your bins and boxes look pretty.
Cover boxes with contact or wrapping paper in pretty patterns…the decorative element acts as extra motivation for staying organized.
10. Tackle problems that influence your daily life first.
Think about the rooms/drawers/spaces that you use on a daily basis (and that you tend to have trouble locating what you are looking for). A cluttered storage room is a pain in the back side, but it probably doesn’t affect your everyday routine, Organize your most-used spaces first! Focus on what’s eating
up most of your energy, and find solutions to those first!
NOW…go organize!!