1. Name the Space - "Kitchen" - so things that go into it are related to food (eating, cooking, storage of food) not dumping ground for paper or coat rack or toy room.
2. Plan the space in zones if the space is for more than one function. Keep the items closest to where they are used, and group like items together.
3. Plan a sorting process (keep in the room, keep elsewhere, sell, toss,)
4. Have an out box and take it out...all the way out when you are done!
5. Have an alarm set to giving yourself time after the purge to remove out boxes. Return items to other rooms, box up the give away, and take out the trash.
6. Purge and organize in small doses, one shelf or drawer at a time.
7. Do not organize until you purge first.
8. Do not keep broken or unwanted items.
9. Keep moving, do not dwell on found items.
10. Group like items together as you sort, takes less time to put away later.
11. Not sure to keep or not, take a picture of it, keep the memory and let it go.
12. Do not put everything in long term storage.
13. Save a few pieces of art work and school papers each school year, not each paper.
14. Don't keep things for your child. Let them pick things to keep them selves.
15. When space is tight live by the one in one out principle.
16. Organizing is messy it looks worse before it looks better.
17. If you are over whelmed, take it one item at a time.
18. Have someone without attachments to your stuff help you purge.
19. Find inspiration in a magazine or make a drawing. Seeing the end result will keep you motivated, as well as give you plan of action when buying any organizing bins, etc.
20. Don't let your organizing tools become more clutter. Don't buy mismatched bins or bins that won't fit the intended space. Don't buy a bin to store something in until you know how much of something you will keep. Make it beautiful and easily accessible.
21. Do not keep things just because someone gave it to you. They gave it to you to make you happy. If it is an heirloom and you do not want it, give it back to them or another family member. If you don't love it, and it doesn't make you feel good, you don't need it! Do not let others guilt you into keeping something you do not have room for. If they want it give it to them.
9/15/2007
9/13/2007
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