Organize Your Attitude

There's certainly some talent in organizing a space. Spacial recognition, making square boxes fit into round spaces and being able to make sense of categories are all necessities for making a space work. But, that's really only part of the battle.

We don't all live in harmonious, lovely magazine page homes. In fact, I don't know anyone who does. We make choices on a daily basis on how to continue to create or change the space we call home. We choose to wash dishes and put away laundry. Or not. We choose to color code filing cabinets or shred all paper in sight. We choose to alphabetize books on the shelf or to stack them decoratively. We choose to make the bed or leave a pile of blankets. We choose.


Choice is a huge part of the organizing process. Choose what to keep. Choose what to donate. Choose what your priorities are for your space. My job is never to make those decisions for you. I'm here to guide you through that process such that you come out on the other end confident in your choices. I'm here to remind you of your priorities.

Sometimes, however, we have a hard time seeing the benefit in making choices - one way or the other. We grow negative, angry even, that we live in a space we don't love. Feeling helpless or overwhelmed, we choose to do nothing. We stay angry. We get angrier. More helpless. More overwhelmed. It's a vicious cycle.

Sometimes, we share our space with someone who doesn't share our same goals. Someone who might want the space to stay status quo, even when it's making life more difficult and uncomfortable. Or, we share our space with someone who needs the space to change when we're not quite ready.

What all of this does is create chaos, anger, sadness. The peace and calm that our homes should be easily slips away.

The first step in an organizing project is to make the choice that this is the best option for you at this time. Make the choice to believe that you are proactively creating a space you love. Be confident that you can complete this task. Know that brighter days are ahead, just around the organized corner.


How to Pick the Right Kind of Container

Recently, I was asked how to find the right kind of bin for storage. There are a couple things to keep in mind:

- What are you going to store? If the items are large or oddly shaped, you'll want to measure as best you can to know what the smallest size container you can fit the item in to. If it's something heavy, get the smallest size bin possible, so it's not impossible to move. If it's something you don't want damaged by moisture, make sure your container can be sealed; you may also want archival quality for special items.

- Where are you going to store it? On the floor? A shelf? Should it be long and flat to fit under a bed? If there is a particular area you'd like to keep the item(s), then measure that space as well. How much height between shelves and how deep from front to back will help determine the size of container you can easily use.
- What shape should you use? Sometimes items call for a particular shaped container - a hat in a hat box, for example. For general purpose storage, try to use containers with squared corners. Rounded edges leave small, unused spaces on the shelf. Use as much of that area as you can!

- Do you want to see what's in there? If so, purchase clear containers. Otherwise, there are tons of options available for colors, fabrics, and so on for any and all storage needs.

Now, get storing!

5 Things To Do in 5 Minutes

I realize that I'm in the minority when I say that I love organizing....everything. For most of us, organizing is another chore. Much like paying taxes or sweeping the floor. So, here are a few things to get you started. Take five minutes while dinner's cooking or a single commercial break during your nightly show. Baby steps in the right direction are still steps in the right direction!

1) Fold the laundry. Put it back in the basket, take it to the bedroom. At least get the clothes out of the basket in the proper room(s) and return the empty basket back near the laundry. If there's time, actually put the clothes away.

2) Open the mail. I'm not saying you have to pay all the bills or take any other actions. Start with opening it all. Recycle all the ads and stuffers immediately. Set aside anything that needs shredding. The rest goes to your action area. Hopefully, your stack is smaller and easier to make progress on.

3) Put away the dishes, if the dishwasher is clean and dry. If it's still in need of a wash, make sure it's full with anything left sitting out, and push start. If you don't have a dishwasher, wash through as much as possible in your five minutes. Leave the hard stuff to soak.

4) Toss all the toys left on the floor back into their containers. Either have the kids help do this, or make sure they're already in bed for the night!

5) All those things you've been piling on the stairs or the entry table to take some place should go to that some place else. Walk the items upstairs or downstairs. Put the returns in the car. The important thing is to get the items in the right room. Again - baby steps in the right direction.

Ready...Set... Go!

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