Successful Resolutions – Part I

Was ‘Getting Organized’ your New Year’s Resolution for 2012?  If so, I applaud you for wanting to get your home, office, or life in better order.  Being organized can bring you peace of mind, time to spend on something you enjoy, a feeling of lightness, and many other positive things that make it well worth the effort.  Being disorganized can be overwhelming, and the decision to ‘get organized’ can create additional anxiety if you don’t know where to start or what steps you intend to take.

You need to SIMPLIFY the process by breaking it into manageable pieces.  If your goal is to organize your whole house this year, divide that objective into smaller projects and assign a timeframe to each.  Work through one room or area at a time.  Perhaps you want to start by getting your kitchen in order.  Set a date range to accomplish this component of the larger project, such as the first two weeks in February.  Spread the work into multiple days over the assigned period of time, remembering that some tasks are more time intensive than others.

List a series of small steps you can take to organize the kitchen:  1) gather things I don’t use/need/like for donation 2) move rarely used items to less accessible storage  3) sort and organize pantry  4) clean out and organize ‘junk’ drawer  5) sort and organize storage containers and lids; purge ones that are worn, torn or missing lids  6) empty, clean and rearrange contents of refrigerator and freezer....etc.

Repeat this process for each area you plan to organize.  Feel good about the progress you are making each day and let it motivate you to continue on your quest.  Treat yourself to small rewards for work well done (purchase a great serving piece after you have finished the kitchen and dining areas, a beautiful storage basket when you complete the family room, etc.).  Invite someone over to share your accomplishments.  Getting organized is contagious.  The more you do, the more you WANT to do.  So enjoy the process!

What are YOUR resolutions for 2012?  For success, remember to SIMPLIFY them with small, defined steps!

Quick and Easy Order

Do you have rooms where the small items tend to get jumbled together, leaving you unable to find what you are looking for?  Here is a quick, easy solution that works for any space that has a door.  Shop for an over-door shoe organizer that suites the area you want to organize.  Most are made to hold 10 or 12 pairs of shoes, and come with clear pockets, as well as a variety of colors and patterns.  Hang one over the back of the door and fill with small items that get lost easily.  The clear ones work particularly well for things that are too little to be visible over the top of the pocket.  The organizing options are endless, but some suggestions are:

Mud room – for gloves, hats, goggles, sunglasses, dog leashes

Bathroom – for toiletries, hair brushes, hair clips, rolled hand towels

Kitchen pantry – for utensils, spices, seasoning packets, cookie cutters

Arts & Crafts Studio – for scissors, markers, scrapbook supplies, paints, brushes

Kids’ room – for Barbie dolls, action figures, small stuffed animals, games, toys

Laundry room – for cleaning supplies, hand tools, extension cords, flashlights

Bedroom – for scarves, belts, accessories, even shoes!

Obviously shoe organizers are not just for shoes anymore!

They can be found at Bed, Bath & Beyond, Home Goods, Target, Wal-Mart and many other stores that sell household products.

Below is a picture of one I use in my Simpler Life Solutions office:

And a link to a version with clear pockets from Bed, Bath & Beyond:

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=10207649

With a little imagination and a short amount of time, you can take a painless step toward being more organized!

Finding Inspiration

Perhaps your whole house looks like a hurricane blew through, leaving things displaced, disorganized, and disastrous.   You feel like you are constantly moving piles or searching through the rubble.  Or maybe what aggravates you is a specific area….your drawer of tangled jewelry, or the pantry where everything is shoved randomly on the shelves.  Whether the organizing project you face is small or all-encompassing, you could probably use a little inspiration to get you moving in the right direction. 

Take a look at this cool website where people pin pictures of their favorite things.  Try searching for ‘organized rooms’, ‘organizing products’, ‘organize jewelry’, or whatever keywords might best identify the project you want to tackle.  Pages will pop up filled with interesting, colorful and fun ideas on the subject.  You might find exactly the look, suggestion or product that you had in mind.  It’s a great way to see that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and to create a sense of excitement for getting started!

http://pinterest.com/

Have fun with it!