You can feel it in the air. Spring is coming! The flowers are starting to bloom, the days are getting longer, and the weather is just a little warmer. What great inspiration this slightly warmer weather gives us to work on those projects we have procrastinated on… No more excuses! Now is the time!
We all have heard the expression, “Spring Cleaning”, and organizing is usually a big piece in this master task list!
Here are a few simple tips on how to get your “Spring Organizing” into action!
1) Make a List – Go through your home with clipboard in hand, and write down all of the projects you are interested in working on this spring. Once you have gone room to room, now prioritize the projects. You can either decide to do the easiest ones first, or maybe the ones, which bother you the most. Whatever you feel is best. The most important thing is you know what to work on first! Do not try to work on several projects at once. Start with one and finish it to completion.
2) Make it Fun! – Make organizing a fun project. Open the windows and play your favorite music. Get your family involved. Hold a contest between family members, whoever gets done first, gets to pick out dinner that night. It can be simple, fun, and motivating all at the same time.
3) Limit your Distractions – Multi-tasking and organizing do not go hand in hand. Try to eliminate any distractions you may have during your organizing sessions. Turn off the TV and the phone and don’t check your email. If you have young children, make sure to arrange daycare for the time you are working. Set this time aside to just do your projects. You will be more effective and see faster results.
4) Clear Your Clutter- Now that you know what areas you are going to work on, start clearing the excess clutter. Look and touch everything! If you don’t need it, haven’t used it, or just plain do not like it anymore- donate! Reclaim your space – only leave items that bring you joy, love and peace in your life.
5) For everything there is a place- This is my motto and I talked about it often with clients. Everything in your home- clothes, paper, paperclips, it doesn’t matter what it is, everything in your home needs to have a place to live. You will be more organized if you have assigned homes for all of your belongings. There is no more guessing of where something goes. If it has a home to be taken from, it has a home to put back in!
6) Seasonal Clothing Switch- I love the change of seasons, it’s a fantastic time to go through your closet and dresser drawers and clear out what is no longer needed. If you have a lot of clothes, this is the time to switch out the bulky sweaters for more lightweight attire! Remember to do this for your kids too. This is a great time to find out what they will need for the warmer months and do a quick inventory before buying anything new.
7) Clean out the Garage- This part of our home can be a real dumping ground during the winter months. Now is the time, especially while the weather is not too hot or too cold, to start tackling this project. To make the project seem less daunting, break it into small sessions rather than trying to organize the whole garage in a day. Start sorting and making piles for items to stay and items to be donated. Try to get donation items out immediately. Even if you are not finished with the garage. Make it priority. Continue to work in sessions until the garage is complete.
Happy Organizing!
Nikki Kinzer is a professional organizer and owner of Take Control Organizing, and proud mother of two. She helps individuals and families build new habits and discover the benefits of organized living. You can follow her on Twitter and find her fanpage on Facebook.
