Getting
Organized 101 (January 2013 article published in neighborhood newsletter)
Of all of the resolutions that people make each
year, there are always a few that stand out above the rest. According to a recent
study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology (University of
Scranton), the top resolutions included losing weight and getting organized along
with spending less money and saving more money. The study also showed the likelihood
of resolutions being met each year and continuing past six months is only 45%.
But, don’t let those numbers discourage you!
According to this study, getting organized is listed
as a separate resolution. But, did you know that getting organized can actually
help you meet your other resolutions? For example, if your pantry and
refrigerator are organized you will spend less money on groceries because you
won’t buy duplicates. You will use what you have. You may even be tempted to
plan a weekly menu and save money on the occasional drive through meal which
will in turn help with the losing weight resolution.
It is important to realize in the beginning of this
process that becoming organized does not need to be an added stressor to your
life. Tackle only ONE space at a time. If you try to tackle the whole house at
once, you will tend to be overwhelmed and give up. In the end, you should have
a home that works best for YOU and have more time to do things that matter most
like spending time with family or exercising.
Here
are some general guidelines on getting organized and being persistent:
Recognize
your trouble spots. This is where you play detective. Ask
your family to help with this step. Look around your home and see where the
major clutter collecting areas are located. Usually these areas include the
entryway, the kitchen counter or dining table, the desk in the office, the
closets, and the kids’ areas (we will save the garage for later). Make a list
and expected completion date for organizing each space.
Find
a place for every item. We have all heard the adage “A
Place for Everything and Everything in its place.” This rings very true for
getting and staying organized. Each space should be clearly defined for its
purpose and only items needed in the space should be stored there. For example,
items needed before you leave home such as keys and sunglasses should be stored
in your entryway- not backpacks, athletic equipment or piles of junk mail.
Use what you already have to help organize these
spaces. Small bowls or trays can be used inside pieces of entryway furniture to
separate small items. Dog leashes can be hung on a decorative hook behind the
door. A pretty gardening pot may be used to hold umbrellas.
The DIYers may even like to cover heavy duty boxes in
pretty fabric or recycle cans to hold small items in drawers or on desks. (As a
new mom I can say that diaper boxes and formula cans work great for recycled
storage)
Purge.
As
you organize each area, see what you no longer need to keep. The less you have
to store, the more organized you can be. This is especially important in the closet,
kitchen and kids’ zones. Just like you can purchase food that is a duplicate, you
can also spend money on unnecessary clothing. Also, clear the junk mail as it
comes into the home.
Stay
on top of things. Spending entire days or weeks cleaning
before company comes is not how any of us would like to spend our time. Once
your top clutter spots are organized and working for your family, you must put
steps in place to keep them that way. Cleaning clutter a little at a time makes
this possible.
For younger children, pictures of toys/items can be
added on the front of a bucket or other container to help them stay organized
(this also helps with the skill of categorizing for younger children). For two
story homes, a basket or bag at the end of the stairs can be a great solution.
When items are brought down during the day, place them in the container as you
are finished with them. Then, at night, carry the container upstairs and
replace items all at once.
Create
a home binder(s). Pretty home binders and folders are all
the rage right now. You can pull up information on creating them with a simple
Google or Pinterest search. But, they aren’t just pretty- they actually work.
You can have as many binders as you want, but make sure they are labeled and
organized. Having too many could be overwhelming. Making them too “pretty” can
also take time and money.
The following general categories can be added into
one binder or several:
1. Contact
List: Neighbors/friends, family, doctors, dentist, vet,
insurance, schools, work, home (gas, electric, etc.) (this can also help keep
the fridge clear of business cards)
2. Weekly
Menu: menu for the week, grocery list for the week,
recipes for week’s meals, coupons
3. Cleaning
Checklist: You may think this is a little OCD, but this will
help you with your daily scheduling and save time and money (repairs from lack
of maintenance). Add a category for daily, weekly, monthly and annual lists of
items that need to be completed. A Weekly Schedule might include washing linens
on Saturday and cleaning the kitchen on Tuesday. A Monthly Schedule might
include vacuuming the blinds or cleaning the carpets. This section could also
include kids’ chore chart(s).
4. Home
Maintenance: phone numbers or business cards for
trusted repair, schedules of routine home maintenance such as air conditioning filter
changes, appliance checkups or cleanings, manuals for appliances
5. Auto
Maintenance: Phone numbers, type of oil or other
fluids used, maintenance checklist with dates
6. Kids:
(useful for babysitters) medical information, infant and child CPR information,
doctor’s information, schedules for school and extracurricular activities,
newsletters from school or teachers
7. Pets:
Veterinarian
information, pet sitter notes, allergies, medications
8. Other
categories you might want to add: calendar with
birthdays/anniversaries, inventory sheets for pantry/freezer/fridge, gift wish lists
(holiday/birthday), natural cleaning tips
Getting organized will take time, but in the end it’s
worth it. Staying organized will take effort, but will save you time in the
long run. You will also feel less stressed because you will have time to spend
on other activities that you enjoy more than cleaning house. If you get
organized now and make an effort to stay that way, you will quickly realize
that you aren’t as busy with housework and chores as you used to be.
