In a gift giving situation, I do my best to give a gift that will not add to someone’s clutter. I call these gifts, organizer friendly gifts. I give intangible things, like tickets to events, memberships to museums, gift certificates to restaurants, and gifts of time. Another option is to give things that get used up, like bath and beauty products, food baskets, and liquid refreshment.
Give yourself 5 minutes, when you return home, to take care of anything you brought home with you. I mean anything. Put your keys and handbag in a specific spot. Put away your coat and shoes. Take care of receipts, mail, and other papers. Find a home for new purchases or other stuff. Do this every time you enter your home so it becomes a habit. This helps prevent piles of clutter from growing, and helps you stay organized.
Give yourself permission to throw away anything that is broken, damaged, rusty, bug-infested, mildewed, torn, stained, or incomplete. Toss these items without hesitation. You’ll get rid of clutter and free up some space.
Situational disorganization is when our organizational systems are temporarily derailed, or when we’re temporarily overwhelmed by life. A few examples are when one has to downsize in less than 3 months, when one has to clean out the family home to prepare for a sale, or when one inherits a mass quantity of things all at once. In these situations I’d recommend asking for help from a Professional Organizer.
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