Organization at Home Tops New Year's Resolutions
Getting organized is one of the top five New Year’s resolutions people make. A LIFE/AOL Coaches poll conducted November 20-December 3, 2006, indicated that filing or tossing out old paperwork topped the list (41%) of household chores people want to tackle, followed by: cleaning out the garage (21%), bringing old clothes to Goodwill (20%), and organizing family photos (18%).
Dawn McCloskey of Ultra Organized, offers the following suggestions:
Filing or Tossing Old Paperwork
Have a central mail station for incoming mail. When you walk in the door, after getting the mail, immediately sort it next to a trash can. Do not be afraid to throw something away! Ask yourself, “What will happen if I throw this away?” Each family member can have an “in-out” box (an empty file folder box, dish pan, a drawer.) As mail or kids’ school work comes into the house, it should be sorted to the appropriate family member’s in-out box. Having a tickler file system in the mail station makes it easier to pay bills – as bills and other time-sensitive documents come into the house, sort them by their due date and file them in the tickler file. Most importantly: don’t let your kitchen counters or table top become a catch-all for incoming mail, newspapers, or kids’ papers.
Cleaning the Garage
Tasks that you procrastinate about performing or you dislike doing, tend to be done poorly. Getting organized is much more fun and easier to do when you are not doing it alone. Get the family involved and consider doing it in several sessions, rather than in one whole day.
If the entire garage is full of stuff, except for the car, tackle a small portion at a time. Start with the area that would bring you the most joy: the workbench, or a small area around the door.
Have some boxes and trash cans available. Start by sorting and discarding items that aren’t needed. You might consider putting three boxes outside in the driveway – one for items that don’t belong in the garage (they would be better in the basement or house), one box for items to be given away or sold, and one box for things that you’re not sure about. This last box should be labeled with the date and placed in a very inconvenient place. If nothing is retrieved from this last box within three months, GET RID OF THE ENTIRE BOX! As you work, ask yourself: Do I need this; how long since I used it; do I need so many?
After the initial sorting and purging, sort items by category. You can use various cardboard boxes for all the items that will be kept in the garage. Label each box with a category and start sorting. Once sorted, you may realize you have six Phillips head screwdrivers and can easily get rid of four. After categorizing, put the items away.
Lawn tools can be hung on a peg board or on an organizing system purchased from a hardware store. They can also be stored on the floor in a galvanized garbage can and secured to the wall to prevent tipping. Glass baby food jars with their lids nailed to a board and hung from the ceiling or the bottom of a shelf can be used for storing hardware. Bicycle racks can be used on the floor or a ceiling mounted unit can be installed. Sports equipment and children’s toys can be kept in clean garbage cans, plastic laundry baskets or hampers, or milk crates, stored on open shelves. . Dish pans, cardboard boxes, plastic containers or fancier storage products can be used for other garaged items. There are many storage products on the market.
“Organize Your Garage…In No Time” by Barry Izsak is an excellent resource for more detailed information about organizing a garage.
Donating Clothes to Goodwill (or Another Charity)
Schedule two “working” sessions on your calendar every April and October. (Putting the “appointment” on your calendar will remind you to do this activity.) Take an inventory of your and your children’s clothing. Have heavy-duty trash bags available. Get rid of all the clothing that: doesn’t fit, you don’t like, you haven’t worn in a year, or is out of style. Place these usable items in the trash bags and, within a week, give them away to a charity, consignment shop or friends who might appreciate the hand-me-downs. For items that are damaged or stained, consider making rags or using the buttons, snaps, and fabric to make crafts with the kids.
Organizing Family Photos
Organizing a large amount of family photos can be a daunting task. The initial task is time-consuming, but with regular maintenance, your collection of photos will bring a lifetime of enjoyment to you and your loved ones.
The first step is gathering all the photos that may be scattered around the house in files, attics, closets, etc. Ideally, find a work place that will not be disturbed as it may take several sessions to go through the sorting process. If having an “undisturbed place” to leave the project for several days is not feasible, use plastic storage containers with lids, 9x13 baking pans, shoe boxes, dish pans, or baskets to enable you to sort and hide when needed.
Sorting photos will take the longest amount of time. The most common way to sort is chronologically by year and then by month, or by themes (weddings, vacations, birthdays, etc.) Using any of the sorting objects listed above, quickly sort through the photos. Have a separate container for duplicate photos that can be given to others. Give yourself permission to toss any photos that are out of focus, too dark, or that you just don’t like.
Once the photos are sorted, use an acid-free, photo-safe pencil or pen to label the backs of your photos with: names, dates and occasion. The photos can then be stored in decorative photo boxes, used in scrapbooks, put in accordion file boxes or any other product that is archival, acid-free, lignin-free, and PVC-free. These products will not damage photos and can be purchased from craft or office supply stores. Store photos away from light, heat and humidity.
Going forward, maintain your system by sorting, labeling, and storing your photos as soon as they enter your home. Remember: 25-50 years from now, what will those photos mean to you or others if they are not labeled?
Having an organized home means you will save time and money by not needing to look for possessions. By starting small and getting everyone involved, you will see immediate results. You will become more productive and have time to enjoy the things that mean the most to you.
Copyright © 2008 Ultra Organized, LLC