Tag Archive for: Organizing habits

Monthly de-cluttering challenge

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Organizing tipAs we start the new year, (Happy 2021!) I’d like to invite you to participate in my monthly de-cluttering challenge. For the month of January, remove 10 things that you have in your home as a result of an impulsive purchase. Some examples of impulse buys are gifts that we never gave, cute items that have no purpose, and sale items we don’t use.

Please share your items with me, and I’ll add you to the Monthly de-cluttering challenge email list. You’ll get an email on the fist of every month prompting you to get rid of something from your home. At the end of 2021 your home will be more organized and less cluttered.

 

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10 Not Scary Things to Toss

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What can you get rid of?
That is the question I asked myself after reading the article 10Things You Can Toss Without Thinking Twice by Lauren Piro from Good Housekeeping. I realized I thought of a whole list of things to toss without thinking twice. I also realized I wanted to share that list with you.
Does that question scare you?
I’d like to reassure you that the list of things that I came up with isn’t scary. It’s a list of things

Read more
scary pumpkin

Organizing Tricks and Treats

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In the spirit of October and Halloween I thought it would be fun to share some organizing tricks and treats. Are you wondering what I mean by that? It means I’ll be sharing some organizing tricks I personally use to help me stay organized on a daily basis, and I’ll be sharing the treats (benefits) I receive from staying organized. Here goes.

Tricks:

  • Have a “do it now” attitude. I don’t let things pile up and get out of control. I keep on top of clutter and mess. I do this by reclaiming order often. When I feel the need to reduce and de-clutter I tackle it quickly and thoroughly. It’s also crucial to have a place for things. If there is no designated spot to put things there is no way to establish and maintain order.
  • Look for simple solutions. I create as much order as I’m willing to maintain. For example I don’t color code* my clothes. To me that’s too much fuss. However, I group my clothing into categories and store them together. For example I hang all my tops together in this order, sleeveless, short sleeved,  3/4 length sleeves, and long sleeved tops.
  • Reduce down to manageable amounts. I constantly evaluate the usefulness of my belongings. We all have a tendency to keep things and come up with excuses for doing so, but I challenge myself to weed out the unused, unwanted, unneeded as often as I can.
  • Take time to plan. Have you heard the phrase, those who fail to plan, plan to fail. Planning takes practice and discipline, but I work at it everyday. I plan daily tasks, my work week, my outfits, meals, shopping lists, exercise, and most importantly time for myself. This helps me get things done and prevents me from over-scheduling myself.

Treats:

  • Life without clutter. Don’t get me wrong, I have my piles and messes just like everyone else. However, I keep them to a manageable amount.
  • Less stress in my life because I’m organized. I can find what I want when I need it. Isn’t this what organizing is all about?
  • Ready for guests with just 15 minutes notice. When you have a home for things and don’t let the clutter get our of control it’s easy to pick up quickly.
  • An environment that is calm and peaceful.

*Color coding works great for some people, especially kids, but it’s one more additional step that I’m not willing to do.

©October 2020  Janine Cavanaugh, Certified Professional Organizer®   All rights reserved.

 

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Conjure the organizing spirit

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Organizing tipWhen do you feel the most energized and awake? Is it in the morning, afternoon, or evening? That answer is when you’ll conjure the most organizing spirit, so use that time to plan your most difficult organizing tasks. Match your tasks to your energy level. By doing this your likelihood of success increases.

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Experiment with New Habits

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Organizing tipSet up a new habit as an experiment. This allows you to view the process as fun rather than a chore. New habits with a focus on maintaining order are always helpful. Here are two examples of experiments you can try.

  1. Experiment with collecting the mail daily and seeing how much you can immediately recycle without opening. Set a goal for yourself to recycle at least 10 pieces of mail a week. Keep a tally sheet on the fridge and get the whole family involved. Reward yourself with a family bonfire at the end of the month.
  2. Experiment with tossing one item a day from your junk drawer (or closet, dresser, medicine cabinet, or toiletries stash). Take a before photo. Do this for one month and take an after photo. How does it look? How much more functional is the drawer? How do you feel about your tossed items? Reward yourself with something fun and please share your before and after photos with me.