Organize + Energize: A Beginner’s Guide to Organizing

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Tuesday, March 04, 2014

Kristin MacRae, GoLocalWorcester Organizing Expert

Think of this as a to-do list. If you want to get organized, you will need to start somewhere. You have to begin with a small project, especially if you have never tackled an organizing project. This is an easy to manage list that has very small and simple tasks to complete. Start with these small projects and make a mental note of how you feel after you have completed them. You will be motivated and energized to continue with larger projects in your home.

Here are 10 tips you can apply now!

Tackle your junk drawers.

Take it slow. Focus on the junk drawers in one room and then once one room is complete, move on to the next. Working with your hands for at least 10 minutes will help clear your mind. For more info, here are 7 easy steps to get your junk drawers organized.

Home office.

Take a look at the top of your desk. Remove and find a home for anything that you don’t use on a daily basis. Once you tackle the top of your desk, check out more info on helping you with the rest of the office.

Bedroom.

Don’t tear apart the entire bedroom. Start with one small project and then move on from there. Start with your drawers. Purchase drawer organizers for your underwear, socks, nylons, and bras.

Shoes.

Are your shoes in a pile on the floor? How long does it take you to find a match to a shoe? Organize your shoes on a shoe rack. There are numerous organizing products out there in a wide variety to contain your shoes. Declutter your shoes and then purchase a shoe rack that will fit the shoes that you own.

Keep a list.

Keep an ongoing list of toiletry items you need. Same goes for grocery items. Keep it in a place where everybody in the family knows where it is located. When you use the last of something or are close to the end, put it on the list. When it’s time for you to go to the store, you will have a full list and not have to wonder if you are forgetting anything.

Clean out your purse/wallet.

How much does your purse or wallet weigh? Do you really need everything in your purse? Empty out your purse. Itemize and categorize. Get in the routine of maintaining the organization in your purse or wallet. Take receipts out of your purse/wallet at the end of your shopping trip and file them away. Keep your makeup contained. Keep your credit cards and other important information organized and contained.

Give your kids a calendar.

If your kids know how to read and write, it’s time to give them a calendar. Let them keep track of school and sporting events, parties, or project due dates. This will get them started in the organizing process.

Find a designated spot for your keys.

This one is easy. Do you have a spot where you drop your keys when you walk into the house? Does everybody in the house know where that is? If you don’t have a designated spot, how many times have you searched aimlessly for them? It’s time to designate a spot for your keys.

Kitchen.

Start with a small project like organizing your spices. This should take no more than 10 minutes, depending on how many spices you have. Take all the spices out of the cabinet, check for expiration dates, and throw away any expired ones. Place them back in the cabinet organized according to the frequency of use. After you finish, if you are ready to move onto the rest of the kitchen, here are 10 steps to organize your pantry. 

Streamline.

Choose a task that you perform every day. How many steps does it take to get you where you need to complete the task? Think about streamlining that task. Once you stop to think about what you are doing, you may find that something that took you 10 steps to complete really only has to take 3 to complete.

 

Print this article and tackle this list. Take one tip a week or one tip a month. You can move at your own pace. You will be amazed at how you feel after these 10 tips are completed.

“Be as simple as you can be and you will be astonished at how uncomplicated and happy your life can become.” –Paramahansa Yogananda

 

Kristin Carcieri-MacRae, the founder and owner of Organizing in RI, has always enjoyed finding creative ways to streamline the environment around her. She has appeared on air on Patricia Raskin's Positive Business Radio and her articles have been published in the Rhode Island Small Business Journal and New England Home Life. Kristin's CD, Organizing Basics, is a 1-hour guide for the person who wants to get organized but doesn't know where to start. She is also available for organizing workshops. Tune into her weekly radio show, Organize, Energize! on Mondays at 8:30am on www.talkstreamradio.com.

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Related Slideshow: 5 Organizing Blunders

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