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How to Keep Only What’s Important

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Organizing tipKeep what’s important and let go of the rest. Keeping only what’s important will help us stay organized because we won’t be wasting our time with things that aren’t wanted, needed, or used.

Complete these 4 statements to focus on what’s important in life right now.

  1. I want this in my life now, because…
  2. This holds value and significance in my life now, because…
  3. This make me happy because…
  4. This is worth preserving and holding onto because…

Once the 4 statements are complete, take action to remove, recycle, or re-purpose what you can.

3D Character and question mark

Keep Criteria

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Organizing tipEstablish some keep criteria to use when making decisions on what to keep or not keep. Keep items that meet at least two of your criteria. If items don’t meet any of your established criteria let them go. Listed below are examples of my keep criteria.

  1. The item warms my heart and makes me feel special and loved.
  2. The item is displayed prominently so I can see it every day.
  3. The item is useful and makes my life easier in some way.
  4. The item fits my current lifestyle, decor, and values.
  5. The item is unique, one-of-a-kind, and irreplaceable.
clutter-free desk

Clutter-free Surfaces

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Organizing tipIf you took a photo of all the flat surfaces in your home right now what would they look like? Are they cluttered with a bunch of stuff? Can you prepare a meal on your kitchen counter? What would you have to clear off in order to eat dinner on your dinning room table? How many piles of paper do you have on your desk? Can you see the surface top of your bathroom vanity? Is there any available space on top of your dresser, coffee table, night stand, end table? Here are 5 tips to help you create and keep clutter-free surfaces.

  1. Scan and empty surface areas each day in order to prevent clutter build-up.
  2. Clutter-free means that there is some available, usable space. Therefore clear off an 18 x 18 inch area of space on your work desk each night.
  3. Uses these flat surfaces as temporary activity areas.
  4. Limit yourself to 3-5 permanent items per surface area.
  5. Don’t use surfaces as storage areas. Have a place for everything and put it in it’s place.

 

one dollar bills

Shop Less

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Organizing tipShop less and buy less. When we have less coming in we have less decisions to make, less to organize, act upon, and maintain. One thing that has helped me buy less is to think before I buy and ask myself gatekeeper questions.

one chair

Try Minimalism

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Organizing tipExperiment with minimalism. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live with less? Why not give it a try? Less stuff means you have less to organize and maintain. Here are 3 ideas for you to sample for the month or for two weeks.

  1. Purchase only food and absolute necessities, but nothing else. To make it more challenging don’t eat out, get take out, or go through a drive thru.
  2. Put 5 items into a donation box each day and schedule a donation pick up at the end of the month. Make sure you only put in items that belong to you. It is very easy to get rid of other peoples’ “junk”.
  3. Schedule 3 fun activities with family and friends that have nothing to do with bringing home material goods.