| |
| |
|
Organizing Information |
|
|
|
The 4-Keys to Clutter Free Living - Design a Space that Nurtures Your Soul
Decluttering is a simple-to-learn process, once you break it down into manageable steps. Tackling too much at once, or underestimating the time and effort it will take to "get organized", can lead to frustration and a "throw in the towel" stance that will further add to your clutter and your anxiety. By following the 4 simple steps of the SHOO Away Clutter method, you will map out a plan for success. Having a clear vision of what you want (more time, more space, less clutter, fewer things) and applying these 4 simple steps will allow you to achieve your goal. Since there are a myriad of things that one could organize, we will follow the example of a bedroom clothes closet to illustrate the 4 steps to SHOO Away Clutter. The steps themselves are universal and can be applied to every situation and circumstance. Step 1 - SORT This can be the easiest and the hardest step at the same time.By breaking it down, however, the sort becomes simple and can proceed quicker than you might imagine. Have 4 large boxes or bags ready for your clothing. Label one box as Keep, one as Trash, one as Donate and one as Other Home. Use the "1-Touch Rule" - you touch it, you make a decision. The Keep items are those clothes you wear regularly, love and fit you properly. Don't be tempted to keep clothing because it might come back in style or because you may get back into them in the future. Keeping things that don't fit costs you space, effort and attention. If you do need a diet incentive, keep one spectacular item and consider donating the remainder. Think of the fun you can have shopping once you reach your goal! The things to Trash will be easy to identify - they are stained, ripped, or missing buttons, zips or closures. If you do a lot of craft work or painting, make sure you keep one set of "grubby clothes". Please don't make the mistake of saying "I'll fix it and can wear it again". If it's sitting in your closet and is missing items, you are likely not going to all of a sudden find the time to get it fixed. If you can commit to getting the repairs done within 1 week of your purge, great - go for it! But you must commit and give yourself a deadline. Items to Donate include anything that you haven't worn for the past 6 months (1 year for seasonal items like overcoats, winter boots, hats and gloves), anything that does not fit properly (too big or too small) or anything that you just plain don't like. Make sure that your donation items are in good repair. The Other Home items are things that don't, or shouldn't, reside in your closet. These can include sporting goods, children's items, kitchen items, etc.Put them all in a box or bag and distribute these items WHEN YOU ARE DONE. Resist the temptation to return things as you find them. Doing so takes your focus away from the task at hand. Step 2 - HEAVE/HELP Now that you have done your sorting, you can decide what to do with the items you have designated as Donations and Trash. Charities and "Dress for Success" programs are always on the look out for good used clothing. Women's shelters are another place where your donation items will do an immeasurable amount of good for those less fortunate. A quick look through the phone book or on the Internet will garner you a list of possible recipients. Some organizations offer to come to you home and pick up your items, so remember to ask if this service is available. This is also to time to bag up the Trash items to put at curb side on your regular collection day. If you don't have curb side collection, put the bagged items into your vehicle and plan to take them to your garbage depot on your next trip. STEP 3 - ORGANIZE Now is the time to determine your storage needs. Since you have eliminated your unwanted items, this leaves only the "keepers" that need to be organized. You can now estimate how many containers you will need and what sort of storage will best suit your items. To make the most of your closet, invest in a closet organizing system that will fit your space, or if you are handy, make one yourself. One of the tricks of organizing is to go up and make use of the wasted space at the top of a closet. Choose a system that supports double rods and offers full length storage. This maximizes your closet space. "Occasional use" items can be stored in either their original boxes or in clear containers on higher shelves.A picture on the front of the box will allow you to easily identify the contents. Clothing can be hung according to color and item (all shirts together with each color group together).Consider storing folded sweaters in a set of canvas hanging shelves. This prevents stretching. Again, organize by color. STEP 4 - OPTIMIZE This is the final step in the process. Live with your new "system" for a few weeks. See what is working and take note of what is not. Are your most frequently worn items easy to access? Do you need to rearrange some items? The optimize step is where you make the system work for you, individually. Tweak the system to eliminate any hassles. This makes the closet work best for the person who uses it most - YOU! Jill Chongva of Align Your Life Organizing - Lasting Solutions for Real Life© Jill Chongva is the owner of Align Your Life Organizing based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Her 15 years organizing experience, combined with her ability to multitask as the mother of 4 children under the age of 11, gives her a wide variety of skills, tips and tricks to offer her exclusive clientele.Jill offers a complete range of Organizing Services with a focus on home-based business and virtual assistance.
MORE RESOURCES:
organizing - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Getting Organized For The New Year - Part 2 In part 1, we discussed a system you could use to organize your office. In this article we will discuss what material is needed to implement that system. Keep, Get Rid Of, Or Not Sure? Cleaning out can seem overwhelming -- especially if it's been a while since you've done it! But there is a very simple process you can follow that will A) help you sort and separate your belongings into manageable piles, and B) keep you from completely tearing up your house while you are cleaning out! When you begin clearing area, you should have three large boxes close at hand. One box is labeled "Keep" -- one is labeld "Get Rid Of" -- and one is called "Not Sure" (we'll talk about other possible sorting categories later on). Organizing - Time is of the Essence! What does "time" have to do with getting organized? Everything! Our society today keeps us running and constantly inhaling, seemingly never allowing us to stop and "exhale"!De-cluttering our workspaces, whether it is our office, our kitchen, or our garage, enables us to be more productive in our daily lives. Once we organize our physical environment, our minds naturally become clearer. The Psychology of Being Organized Individuals who are organized in their personal lives most generally constitute efficient and organized employees in their work environments, succeed in their personal endeavors and are, more often than not, financially secure.Once an organizational state of mind is established, your status of efficiency in all areas of your life will ultimately benefit. Organisation - Getting Back To Basics If you look at any major organisation, there is this trend for executives to use "palm pilots" in conjunction with software schedulers such as Microsoft Outlook.What's really interesting is even with all this technology (and many of these execs are fortunate to have personal assistants) they are still disorganised. Saying Goodbye to Stacks of Paper and Distractions A daily journal will save you time, reduce stress and make you more productive.Several months ago, I visited the office of a million dollar producer. Cleaning Out Your Closet Helping people clean out their closet is something I love to do. It helps me understand them by seeing what they have collected and what they hold on to. Declutter Your Home in 11 Easy Steps Feeling overwhelmed at the thought of organizing your home? Start on a smaller scale instead and it will be a whole lot easier.For example, instead of starting with the entire house, commit to starting with one room. 10 Minute Tricks to Help You Get Organized Whoever thought you'd be able to get organized in just 10 minutes?! Here are a few simple ideas.1. Spring Cleaning Spring is such a refreshing time- we are filled with the hope and promise of the seasons ahead. The flowers blossom, our spirits lift. The Organized Move: Packing Made Simple (This is the second in a series of three articles on "The Organized Move")Does the thought of packing all your belongings make you want to run for the hills? Homeowners who are moving on their own (as opposed to a corporate relocation where an employer is paying all the bills) find themselves with the dilemma of whether to do the packing themselves or contract out this huge task.A packing crew can be a good fit for an overscheduled family, a long-distance move where you may already be living in the destination city, or individuals with physical limitations. 35 Santity Savers - Get More Productive Use these 35 sanity savers this year to help you become more productive and get more done in less time, so you can get on with life!EmailOnly check your emails twice a day - don't respond each time you receive an email it wastes too much time! Set up folders for your inbox so you can 'electronically' file your emails when you have completed them. Set up rules within your email so messages are automatically filed for you to read later. Daily Systems Keep You Organized Ever wonder how they do it? How a short-order cook prepares tasty meals in a hectic, rush-rush environment, and does it all with a smile? The answer is simple: A system. The next time you are in a little diner for lunch purposefully sit in a place where you can see the short-order cook preparing the food. Spring Cleaning: Mission Garage Organization Spring is here and the garage door is open. This is a scary thought for Cindy. Organization and the Opposite Sex In many of the companies I have worked in, there is a very high proportion of male managers to females. This causes a major challenge in the work environment, (although many of them are unaware it is an important issue). Organized Living-Secrets About Your Lifes Hidden Power Revealed An organized living lifestyle can cause you to weed out those prolonged situations of failure.. What Momma Never Told Me About Housekeeping A lot of us grew up with Mom taking care of most everything. Now, we do things pretty much the way she did. Clutter-Clearing and Your Authentic Self Have you ever felt so discouraged, your life so out-of-control, the universe so unresponsive to your needs and desires, that you couldn't help it: you just had to clean up? By paying attention to these impulses we recognize the deep connection between our personal environment and our innermost selves. It's as though by shifting the arrangement of our belongings we hope to rearrange the molecules of our emotional lives as well. Organize Yourself Otherwise Your Work Could Kill You We are in a society where people are applauded for starting work early and finishing late.It's about time employers recognised that their people have a life and that working from dawn to dusk does not make them a happy and productive employee. Making Space - Letting Go of Clutter To make room for new things to come into you life, you have to create space for such things. If your environment or life is packed with things you no longer need or that no longer serve you, then you are holding yourself back.
|
| Article List | Index | Site Map |
|
All logos, trademarks and articles on this site are property and copyright of their respective owner(s).
The comments are property of their posters, all the rest is Copyright © 2006 CanadaSEEK.com - All Rights Reserved. |
