It appears I’m not the only one thinking about clean and organized spaces. Which, in retrospect, really shouldn’t come as a big surprise to me since so many stores and magazines are promoting organizing supplies and beautifully organized spaces this time of year.
Still, I am more than a little surprised at how many of you are excited about my addition of a regular organizing feature here on the blog! In case you missed it, I mentioned it when I shared my tips for How to Organize Practically Everything. Thank you so much for your kind and encouraging comments. As a result, I am more excited than ever to get started on this journey with you!
When I first began gathering my thoughts about sharing my organization tips on the blog I knew that the hardest part for the majority of people — including myself — would be getting started. Even if you don’t have an entire house to get in order, even if it’s just a drawer, it can seem overwhelming and like pure drudgery. It’s often enough to prevent us from getting started.
Believe me, I get it. Even though I love organization, I can feel overwhelmed when I have big, cluttered areas. My home is far from perfect and I have spaces that need sprucing up. I don’t live in plastic wrap — I have kids, a husband and four pets! My life gets crazy and a little cluttered from time to time. Sometimes I just want to close the door on my less-than-perfect areas and pretend they don’t exist.
But, here’s my big secret for getting even those large, overwhelming tasks accomplished:
Even if you start with a small drawer, a cabinet, a counter top, a corner or a tiny closet, it is just starting that matters. When one space is clean, you will get encouraged to move on to the next area and then the next!
Here’s how I break it down in both big and small spaces:
- Take everything out of the drawer, cabinet, closet, etc.
- Separate things in to three piles:
- Throw away
- Keep
- Donate
- Clean out the space – vacuum, wipe down, dust
- Decide how to organize what I am keeping
- Divide the items in to categories
- Put them in to containers if necessary
- Arrange them using “easy in, easy out” (make sure the most used things are easiest to grab and put away)
You can use these same steps in large spaces in bite-sized chunks. To make the task less daunting in a garage, for example, you can clean out a single storage cabinet, then tackle the larger spaces one at a time until you are done.
Space by space, room by room, you’ll be more organized in no time. And, here’s the other benefit you should know if you don’t know it already; once that space is organized and in a good working system, it will be easier to maintain and keep organized. Now, what’s not great about that?
Wishing you a beauty-filled day,
You have made this girl get motivated!! I have such issues with getting started. I just look at it, then walk away. Your 4 steps have been what I was waiting for!!! I’ve read SO many organizing tips, some of them are just so far fetched it’s ridiculous!! I just want to say THANK YOU!!!!
Very smart tips, Julie! I heard a good quote from a young mother who actually gave lectures at a community college where I lived in OR many years ago. She said, “You can’t eat an elephant all at one time, you need to cut it up into small pieces and take slow, steady bites.” She was so much fun and so very energetic. Another quote of hers was, “By the yard is hard, by the inch is a cinch.” Those two quotes run through my head every time I begin any kind of project. So, bring it on, Julie; I, for one, am most eager!
Great ideas for getting started on my organization/de-cluttering projects….thanks for sharing! Looking forward to more posts and ideas.
Blessings to you!
Lanita
Great tips…I find that once I get started, it is motivating to keep going!….
It’s slow going here, but I’m getting started! Thanks for the encouragement!
This is exactly what I’ve been doing this week! Perfect timing Julie!