Organizing the Keep Items

September 2022

For the past few issues of Aim 4 Order’s Tips & Tricks, we’ve been talking about the common roadblocks in organizing your home. We addressed where to start and what to do with the things you don’t want. This month, we will discuss where to store the things you DO want.

It’s fairly common for people to begin the organizing process by running to Target, Walmart or Container Store and buying a bunch of products that look good. My experience (having done this in my own home back in the day) is that the products you rush out to buy do not always work — they may be too small or too big for the space, they my not hold the required quantities you need and/or they may be made of inferior quality and break quickly. As tempting as it is to BUY organizing products, my recommendation is to wait to buy until you’ve decided what’s going where, which is the theme of this little article today.

Golden rule of organizing: the things you use the most should go in the most convenient, best places. Put on an objective hat and pretend you are in someone else’s home. Open the kitchen cabinet that’s easiest to reach and see. What’s in there? Do you have items in there that are rarely or never used? Do you have 16 dinner plates but usually only use three or four because you wash your dishes regularly?

Go in your bedroom closet. Are the clothes in the most convenient places the ones you wear? (Many folks have their current clothes on the floor, on chairs and/or anywhere but the closet because there’s no room.) Are there unmarked boxes and bags taking up space on your shelves and instead, you could have current items easy to see and reach?

It might be less overwhelming to identify your ”must have handy” items in each room first. And then, once you get so excited at the prospect of accessing your items easier, you may be more willing to part with the old and/or unused to make way for the necessities. Of course, if you have mass quantities of bulk products, you may have to have an overflow area in another location in the house, so your immediate area isn’t overburdened.

The next rule of organizing (and probably as important as the first rule): store like things together. Imagine a closet where all your shirts are together, all your pants, all your shoes, all your boots. not only will things be easier to find, it will be easier t o let go of the excess when you see just how many similar items you have.

This process can be overwhelming if your volume is great and/or if you have physical limitations. think about who can assist you, and if you come up dry, consider contacting us to help.

In the meantime, be as honest with yourself as possible, so you can truly identify what’s used and what’s not. Happy organizing!

Declutter Challenge Club – Join the Fun in 2022!

We are a small and cozy community where you can get a healthy dose of support, understanding, guidance and laughter, too.

The Declutter Club is a cost effective way to deal with your ‘stuff’ in a fun and welcoming setting. The daily emails are short and sweet and the twice monthly Zoom calls are on Monday evenings at 7:30 pm for an hour.
Membership is open to all, you can start today or whenever you want. Would love to see you there!
If you’re ready to join the Club, sign up HERE. 
Please email me if you have any questions or need additional information.

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“Helping Baby Boomers and their Parents Lighten their Loads”

If you are feeling overwhelmed by the amount of stuff in your home, contact me. Together, we can transform your home into a happy, tidy place where you can feel at peace. We can also get you ready for your next move… more enjoyably, faster and easier. We specialize in senior moves and helping families find new homes for the things they no longer have room to keep. We can also take care of clearing out homes that need to be listed quickly for resale. Contact me to schedule an appointment.