Why It’s Important to Organize and How to Actually Do it!

It’s time for Spring Cleaning!!  Don’t worry, I’m not going to insist you read the “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” but I will encourage you to PURGE and let go of items you no longer need, use or want.  Why?  Making your life more tidy and efficient allows the dumb stuff (like laundry, paying bills, etc.) to get done quicker and easier, which leaves more time for the important stuff (like snuggling, relaxing and “me” time)!

Another reason to go through your items and get clutter-prone spaces like the kitchen, home office, and garage in order, is they take some of the functional stress off the rest of your home.  When those areas are organized, the other daily use areas, like the living room, family room and entry, can be left more open and pretty!!

To you help you out, here are my steps for organizing:

1.  Purge – Before you can organize anything you need to purge what you no longer need, use, or want.  Why try to organize items you no longer need lying around?  It’s a waste of your time and your space. Clearing out the clutter allows your space to function better and more efficiently.  Not to mention, there is a mental “thing” that happens and you will feel lighter and better in your space.
2. Group & Measure – Now that you have a good idea of what you have and how much you actually have to store, make a list of these items and physically measure the stacks/piles.  Taking the time to get exact measurements now will save lots of time shopping and returning items that don’t fit.

If you have a pile of blankets that don’t have a home and your solution to store them is a beautiful basket by your fireplace, then measure the stack of blankets.  Take note of the size and shape of that stack so when you are out shopping for a basket you get the right size!

If you’ve decided that all your pens need a pretty box to sit in on your desk, pile the pens up and measure all sides.  This way, you can be sure to purchase a box that will actually work!

3. Write down any info you need to keep in mind about the items you are organizing.  For example, I would write down how often I need to get to each item.  If it’s something I don’t need very often, then it can be stored in an area that is more out of the way so the areas that are easy to access can be reserved for the items I need more frequently.
4. Make your plan and implement.  Now that you have taken the time to really examine your needs, you can make a well-thought out organization plan and implement it!  Don’t be afraid to think outside the box when it comes to organizing.  If you work at your dining table and NEVER use your fine china than move the china out of your buffet and store office supplies there instead. 

PRO TIP: Don’t over organize.  You want to be organized, yes, but also easy to maintain.  Otherwise, you won’t stick with it.  For example, I have all my thank you cards, checks, envelopes, address labels and stamps in one big box.  This makes for easy card writing and bill paying.  If you have every little thing organized separately (i.e. envelopes in one box, cards in another, stamps in another) — forget it!  Staying organized becomes too cumbersome to put things away.  You can also think outside the box when organizing.  You are the master of your domain so organize however best makes sense to you.

Another example: in my kitchen I have coffee, tea, coffee cups, coffee-filters, tea spoons, Splenda, sugar, and honey all in one cabinet together.  I do this because these are the items I need when making tea or coffee and I don’t want to walk all over the kitchen every time I need to make coffee or reach to put things away.  Same with that previous example of writing thank you cards and checks.  I have them organized by use so it’s easier to get what I need done and put away in the most efficient way possible.

Have fun and let the organizational force be with you!

JESS’S FAV FINDS – APRIL EDITION