TODAY:

IN THE CLOSET: A closet system, like this one from Organized Hawaii, make organization easy. Built-in shelving, drawers, shoe racks and hanging rods ensure that each accessory and item of clothing and has its place. Photo: Courtesy of Organized Hawaii

01 Get ready to de-clutter. Create a vision of how your organized home will look and feel. Identify problem areas and keep a mental list to help you develop an action plan.

02 Be decisive. When it comes to editing your belongings for optimal organization, the idea is to live with what you really want, not everything you own. “On average, we only wear 20 percent of the clothes we own,” says Carol Ai of Simply Organized, “but we wear that 20 percent 80 percent of the time.” If you can’t bear to get rid of something, Ai recommends putting it in a black garbage bag in an area far from your closet. If you don’t miss what’s in the bag by a month or two later, you can live without it. This is a strategy she uses herself.

03 Use the clock. Devoting a specific amount of time to your organizing tasks will help you get them done. The organization experts at Simply Organized are fans of the 20-minute rule. Give yourself just 20 minutes to work on organizing one thing. You’ll be amazed at how much you can get done in a short period of time, and once you’ve got the momentum, you may even be motivated to keep going. Time yourself today. Try organizing one area of your kitchen or closet for 20 minutes.

04 Start small. Biting off more than you can chew is likely to set you up for failure. Identify the areas of your home that cause you the most stress and tackle them one at a time.

05 Can it. Keep a garbage can in every room, so you can easily throw things out instead of letting them pile up.

06 Ask for help. Don’t go it alone. Ask family and friends to help you in your mission to create a more organized home. It’s easier to be decisive about what to toss and what to keep when you have a second opinion.

07 Compress what you can. One way to save on storage space is to use vacuum bags, which expel the air out of bulky clothes, linens and other items so they lay flat and take up less room. Find them at Simply Organized.

08 Create a launch pad. Brent Potter of Organized Hawaii recommends designating a space near your home’s main entry point with built-in storage for common family items, such as shoes, umbrellas and sports equipment. A garbage can near the door will also keep items such as junk mail from accumulating in the house.

“Have nothing in your house you do not
consider to be useful or beautiful.”
-William Morris

Page 1 of 3                                                                                                                          1 | 2 | 3 | Next >>