Some research states that your home is 40-80% easier to clean if it’s organized and uncluttered. Well, let’s get organized! Take a tour with me…
In the bathroom put hair and other product bottles into the medicine cabinet or into baskets or bins. Use up the last little bit in each bottle so you can recycle it. Keep only one conditioner and one shampoo in the shower at a time. Consider buying a bundle of washcloths so you can use a fresh one each day.
Kitchens are places of constant action. If you don’t have enough cupboard space for all your dishes and groceries it could be time to let go of some of the never-used dishes, serving items, and small appliances. Challenge yourself to use up the groceries you have in stock before you shop for more. It could save you at least a week’s worth of meals.
It’s nice to keep the living room ready for guests. Reduce the look of clutter by clustering all like items together. Keep books with books, music with music, magazines with magazines and so on. Grab a laundry basket and pick up items that don’t below there and have a ‘reverse treasure hunt’ finding where they do belong. I keep a small basket by the recliner with a variety of frequently used items: remote controls, pens, scissors, nail file, lotion, lip balm.
I love my bedroom! The best habit I have is making my bed (almost) every day. It makes the room look more spacious and ready for a good night’s sleep. If you’re like just about everybody else, you have too many clothes in your closet that you don’t wear. One trick to help you distinguish favorites from others is to hang all the hangers backwards. When you wear an item and wash it put it back on a hanger the regular way. Over time the hangers that are still backwards let you know that you haven’t worn those clothes in a long time. Maybe it’s time to drop them off at the thrift store.
Storage closets can be dark and scary places. Be brave! Get in there and ask yourself if you’ve used those things recently or will need them soon. Box similar items together: electronics, cleaning supplies, holiday decorations can each have their own box. Be ruthless about things you don’t need, love or are beautiful or special. Let someone else enjoy that clock radio that you haven’t used in years.
Mail and papers are the hardest area to organize. Let’s save that topic for another post. Enjoy your home. Let it be your oasis. Keep it organized and you’ll feel like a giant weight has been lifted.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Does "getting and staying organized" sound overwhelming? Start practicing just a few new habits and the rewards will amaze you...
1. Read with a pen: Tired of re-reading material over and over again to find the essential information you need? Frustrated that the details you wanted to remember in the article you just read are nowhere to be found the second time you look at it? Go back to those studious habits of reading with a pen! Circle the dates, amount due, and all key information so the next time you pick up that piece of paper, the critical information will jump out at you.
2. Right hand corner reminder: Are you a member of the "I Hate to File" club? Take care of the toughest task the first time you touch any document by writing down the subject of the information or action you need to take in the upper right-hand corner (e.g. 'Bank-privacy info' or 'RSVP by 12 Oct'.
3. Box your "to-do's": Simply make a check box in front of any action item you write. It will stand out from the other writing on the page and you'll feel great when you can check it off.
1. Read with a pen: Tired of re-reading material over and over again to find the essential information you need? Frustrated that the details you wanted to remember in the article you just read are nowhere to be found the second time you look at it? Go back to those studious habits of reading with a pen! Circle the dates, amount due, and all key information so the next time you pick up that piece of paper, the critical information will jump out at you.
2. Right hand corner reminder: Are you a member of the "I Hate to File" club? Take care of the toughest task the first time you touch any document by writing down the subject of the information or action you need to take in the upper right-hand corner (e.g. 'Bank-privacy info' or 'RSVP by 12 Oct'.
3. Box your "to-do's": Simply make a check box in front of any action item you write. It will stand out from the other writing on the page and you'll feel great when you can check it off.
Launching new e-newsletter!
Since my last blog post was a year ago I'm thinking that maybe I'm not the 'blogging kind'. So clearly it's time for another mode of communication. I'm preparing to launch my first e-newsletter. It'll have tips and tricks to help you get organized, stay organized and have fun in the process. Yes, organizing can be fun!
What would you like to read about in relation to organizing? Do you have specific questions you'd like to pose to a professional organizer for her opinion? Do you want particular topics covered such as organizing your child's artwork or keeping an entryway clear for traffic? Is there some area in your home or office that simply does not respond to typical organizing methods? I love a challenge! And I'm a creative 'think outside of the box' problem solver.
Let me know if you have any comments or suggestions. I'll incorporate them into upcoming e-newsletters for the world to see. (Okay, maybe not the whole world.)
If you'd like to subscribe to my e-newsletter please send me an email at maureen@sendinmaureen.com and soon you'll be receiving the solutions you crave.
In the meantime, remember to Keep It Simple Sweetheart!
Maureen
What would you like to read about in relation to organizing? Do you have specific questions you'd like to pose to a professional organizer for her opinion? Do you want particular topics covered such as organizing your child's artwork or keeping an entryway clear for traffic? Is there some area in your home or office that simply does not respond to typical organizing methods? I love a challenge! And I'm a creative 'think outside of the box' problem solver.
Let me know if you have any comments or suggestions. I'll incorporate them into upcoming e-newsletters for the world to see. (Okay, maybe not the whole world.)
If you'd like to subscribe to my e-newsletter please send me an email at maureen@sendinmaureen.com and soon you'll be receiving the solutions you crave.
In the meantime, remember to Keep It Simple Sweetheart!
Maureen
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