Getting Started

Originally posted on June 10, 2010

Getting organized can be a real struggle for a lot of people, even terrifying to some. But rest assured, I have tips to help make it easier than you think. Plus, it doesn't take a bunch of money or gadgets either. It does take time, patience, discipline, and FORGIVENESS! I feel guilty when I see how I have dropped the ball in some parts of my organizing. A lot of people have commented when they come to my place that it looks so organized. I laugh inside, but politely thank them. I think, "If only they looked in the closet under the stairs.... They'd see crates filled with papers and junk mail for the past 6 years that have waiting to be sorted, shredded, recycled, and/or filed. Plus a bunch of boxes of VHS tapes I promised my mom I would copy to DVD once I buy the machine to do it (which I still haven't). Or if they looked in my walk-in closet which is supposed to be my craft room, but as my husband refers to it as "the dungeon", they would see 2 black bags of soda bottles (from my husband who drinks them while on the computer in our bedroom) that have not made their way to the garage yet, a 75% finished closet remodel project that has sat that was since last February, and craft items that were brought out for the card classes I teach twice a month, and haven't put away yet. Why do I mention all this? Because I am human too and need to forgive myself of my short comings so I can move on and not be stagnantly stuck on guilt.

Alright, back to the lesson... The very first thing I do when I start to get organized, is have a vision of what I want it to look like in the end. It may not end up exactly as I picture, but getting is DONE is the point. After I have that picture in mind, I pick the area I want to tackle first. Now I know it can be extremely overwhelming when there is a whole room that needs to be done, especially for those who have the "pack rat" mentality. But you can do it too! It just takes some learning to let go. So in these circumstances, pick a corner, or stack, or buried piece of furniture to FOCUS on. It's so easy to get distracted. Get 3 boxes and a trash can. Now for those of you that have ever watched the show "Clean Sweep" my methods are along those lines, but you don't have anyone over your shoulder challenging your decision. Label one box "donate" another "keep" and the last "recycle." I am a big fan of reduce, reuse, recycle. It has been embedded in my brain since I was a small child. The trash is for everything else! Where ever you chose to start, remember these are your only options. If you can't decide to keep or donate, answer this question....Have I used this in the last 2 years? Will I HONESTLY use it in the next 3 months? If the answer is, "no" to both questions, it needs to go! Believe me, I know it's tough....but trust me. It is so liberating to let go of material things and have clean open spaces!

When we moved a year ago, I threw so much away that had been accumulating for something like 7 years. Granted, most of it was from my well meaning (pack rat) hubby, but most of it was honest to goodness junk. Come on, really.... do we really need to hold onto the broken brake pads that came off a car we don't even own anymore because they might be useful someday? Needless to say, a LOT of stuff disappeared and has not been missed this whole year!

So once the boxes are full or you finish your section, which ever comes first, take care of the boxes. Dump the recycle stuff in the recycle bin, put the donate stuff in your car, and get a new box for keep. This is because you will go through these boxes again later. Continue these steps until you are done with all the clutter. Then make sure you go to the local charity of your choice and drop it all off. Be sure to get a tax receipt!

Now it's time for the keep boxes. It's best, in my opinion, to wait a week at the earliest before going through the keep boxes (unless you're on a time crunch or need something in them). Just make sure you do get back to them. The reason for this is because you have now given yourself some "cool off" time from the stressed manic of sorting. As you go through the keep boxes, you may find yourself thinking..."When did I put this in there?" or "Why did I put this in there?" or "I don't remember having this!" If these are any thoughts that happen to you... let the object go. Put it in the donate box. This even further reduces the unnecessary clutter. When finished going through all the keep boxes, take a deep breath and say out loud, "I DID IT!" Now take the donate box to charity before you change your mind!

This whole process can be quite tiring and time consuming. Take a break as needed. Make sure you are drinking plenty of water and eat some snacks. Just make sure you return to the task after you finish your break. Half done tasks are just as frustrating as ones that never started!

Next week will be on what to do with the stuff you do keep, and keep from it building up again. GOOD LUCK!