| Rules for Step-by-Step Home Organization | | | | - If you use the item infrequently or seasonally then |
| First take a deep breath. Relax and slowdown for a | | | | it can be stored somewhere that is harder to get to |
| few minutes. No matter how big the project you will | | | | like on a top shelf or bottom drawer. |
| be tackling, it is solvable and most likely won't be | | | | Know what the section that you are working on is |
| resolved in one day. Think baby steps and that | | | | best used for. For example, the top desk drawer |
| everything is do-able. Then take out a piece of paper | | | | may be best for writing utensils, while stamps and |
| and start with step one below. | | | | envelopes may be best for the second drawer; the |
| 1 - Start with a Goal | | | | hanging space in the middle of your closet may be |
| Develop your home organization goals and then | | | | best for items you wear most often, while the |
| prioritize these goals. | | | | hanging space in the corners of the closet may be |
| Put down all the rooms you want to organize then | | | | best used for seasonal items; and the shelves in the |
| prioritize which ones are most important for you to | | | | middle of your pantry may be best used for your |
| get organized. The reason one room may be more | | | | favorite canned goods, while the bottom shelf is left |
| of a priority compared to another room could be | | | | for small kitchen appliances. |
| because it is a room most used, a room seen first by | | | | 4 - Lighten the Load |
| guest to the house, or it is a room that you feel | | | | Temporarily get rid of all items that don't belong in |
| would make the biggest difference to your own | | | | the section you are working on. |
| happiness. Write down the appropriate numbers next | | | | If you have items it the 'trash' pile, put it in the trash. |
| to the rooms by priority. | | | | If you have items in the 'goes somewhere else' pile, |
| Now, on a separate sheet of paper put down your | | | | get it away from your section (this includes items |
| first room. Write down all the sections of the room | | | | that only need to go in a drawer below). Now you |
| that need to be worked on. This should be in baby | | | | are left only with items that go into the section you |
| steps; small projects. For example, good projects for | | | | are working on.. |
| a room could be: under the bed, desk top, first | | | | 5 - Create the Right System |
| drawer of dresser, and so on. As you complete | | | | Prepare a system for the section you are working |
| these tasks, you will be able to check off these | | | | on. |
| individual baby steps or projects. | | | | The section you are working on needs to have a |
| Just remember that none of the goals need to be | | | | system in place that works for you. If it is a drawer, |
| done in a day or even a week. Just focus on one | | | | dividers with labels may be the system that works |
| project at a time. Even one project per day would | | | | for you. If it is a shelf, dividers with labels might |
| be a great road to home organization. | | | | work, and so on. (Note the dividers and labels |
| 2 - Clear the Clutter | | | | theme). |
| Clear everything out of the project area. | | | | You want a system that you will feel comfortable |
| If your first project area is the top drawer of your | | | | using; a system that screams, "You put this in the |
| home office desk, then this step simply asks you to | | | | wrong place!" or "This doesn't go here!". If you get a |
| take everything out of that drawer. That's it. | | | | office drawer divider, each divided section needs to |
| 3 - Sort Things Out | | | | be a home to something that belongs in that drawer. |
| Separate items from this section (in this case the | | | | 6 - Put Things Away |
| desk drawer). | | | | Now you need to put everything that goes in that |
| Create separate piles for 'trash', 'goes somewhere | | | | area, back into the area, using the system you put in |
| else', and 'goes here'. Keep the following in mind: | | | | place. |
| - If an item hasn't been used by you in six months, | | | | You can now check this section off your list and |
| put it in the trash pile | | | | either continue with another section or wait until the |
| - If you use the item frequently, you need to keep it | | | | next day to do the next section........just don't wait |
| closest to you. | | | | until the next week. |