If you have clutter and find your home unorganized, follow these 7 top organizing tips and you’ll be on your way to having a peaceful and orderly home.
#1: Focus on ONE small area and finish it before going on to another
The first thing a client usually says when I go to their home is that they are overwhelmed and don’t know where to start. Don’t look at the big picture, instead focus on one small area that you would like to declutter and organize. For example, start with your kitchen counter or one corner of your storage room.
#2: Keep, toss, sell, or donate
Go through each item and decide whether you want to keep it, sell it, donate it or put it in the garbage/recycling. If you can’t decide what to do with an item, ask yourself, “Would I buy this today? Have I used it in the last year?” If the answer is no, it may be time to get rid of it.
When selling items, keep in mind how much money you are going to get for it versus the time it takes you to try to sell it. You may find it easier to donate the items to a charity.
If you are keeping items for family members, ask them if they want those items. Often, they don’t and you find yourself keeping them for no reason. If they do want the items, have them come and pick them up as soon as possible.
#3: Take away items that do not belong
When going through your belongings, if you come across items that do not belong in that space or room, put them in boxes and bring them to the proper room – but don’t put them away. Instead, go right back to the room you started organizing. When you are done organizing the area you are working on, then consider organizing the items that didn’t belong in the room.
#4: Start organizing
You should now be left with only items that belong in the space you are working in. Time to organize! Categorize your items by putting like items together. For example, put pens with pencils, books with magazines, and make sure all your everyday dishes are together.
#5: Use organizing products
I love organizing products. You can get really nice and functional products that do not cost a lot of money, such as expandable kitchen shelves, which are perfect for kitchen and bathroom cupboards. You’ll find them at most big box stores, including Canadian Tire, Walmart and Bed Bath & Beyond.
Another one of my favourites is drawer organizers. They are ideal for all drawer types, including kitchen and dresser drawers. And finally, clear plastic containers and bins. Love them. Even though they are clear, labelling them is best.
#6: 20 minutes a day
Once you are all organized, take 20 minutes a day to tidy up and put things in their right homes. I would suggest doing this before you go to bed so that everything will be in the right places when you wake up. Make sure there are no items on your stairs or kitchen counters. Tidy up your desk area so only the essentials are left on it.
#7: Ask for help
If you find it hard to keep up with these top organizing tips, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Can your spouse help you? Are your children old enough to do chores? If you find you still can’t keep up, consider hiring an organizer. We would be more than happy to help so that you can have the peace of mind and order that you deserve.
