If you’re like most people, you made a resolution for the year 2012. You probably also made one for 2011, 2010, 2009… going back as far as you can remember. You may have kept these resolutions and you may not have. Whatever your goals and your intentions, I have some quick helpful hints for organizing yourself that are so simple, yet so effective, you will be wishing that you made it your resolution.
You don’t need to tackle the whole house in one day. And if you’ve developed bad habits over time, you obviously won’t change in one day. If you start with these five small tasks (try 1 per week) you will see such a difference that you will be inspired to keep going all year long.
1. The kitchen junk drawer. Do you have a drawer in your kitchen that has so many tools, utensils, and gadgets that you don’t even open it anymore? Take all the tools out and put in a few drawer organizers. Since you know you haven’t used most of the things in this drawer sort out the stuff you use from the stuff you don’t. Put the most used items near the front and the least used items in back. If you really don’t use anything at all, get rid of it.
2. The Sock drawer. Just take it out and dump it. Throw away any socks with holes and any socks without partners. You can get clear plastic draw organizers very cheaply these days. I think these are great for socks, underwear and t-shirts. When you put your socks back in the drawer again put the most used socks in front and lesser used ones towards the back. It’s always easier to keep things organized when the things you reach for quickly are actually within reach. This is a technique you can use for all of your drawers, once you are inspired.
3. The dumping spot. Do you have a dumping spot where you put everything when you walk through the door. The keys, the mail, etc. Rather than have a dumping spot that accumulates clutter, create a station where you can keep your items. When you create this station look at where you naturally go when you come in the door, the station should be located within the path that you naturally follow when you come in the door. If you you have to go out of your way to use it, you won’t. Use a couple of hooks to keep your keys hanging and not lying on a surface where they will get moved around. Near the hooks keep a standing file or a magazine type of file where you can put your mail and other items. I actually have my entire station hanging on the wall where I can put my mail and keys all in one.
4. The puzzles. A while back, I wrote a blog entry about how to organize and store all the kids puzzles. Take the time now to get them organized and you’ll never have to do it again. At least not until you buy more puzzles.
5. Batteries. I hate batteries. They always create a mess. You can never find them when you need them. The best way to organize batteries is to put them in a battery organizer. There are some great ones out there that you can put in drawers or hang on the back of a door or a wall. I like this one. Since it has spots for specific types of batteries, it helps you know when you are almost out, so you won’t be stuck in an emergency without batteries. Don’t forget that old batteries have to get recycled and not thrown away.
Good luck. May the organizational ideas keep coming to you all year.
Related articles
- How to Organize a Junk Drawer (clean-home-healthy-home.com)
- Pondering a lost sock on Poetry Friday (writeontheworld.wordpress.com)
- Kitchen Resolution #1: Get Organized (casacheesewine.com)
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