Truth be told: there are way too many over-inflated articles on organizing these days… “Conquer Your Clutter,” “How To Declutter,”yadda yadda yadda.
Who has time for that?! Let’s keep it simple. Life is stressful enough! An organized space not only elevates your mood, it contributes to your overall well-being and peace of mind.
Approach your home organizing in a small-scale way: taking 30-60 minutes a day is an attainable goal and will make you feel in control.
Decide which room or space gives you the most anxiety and start there – it’s all about taking baby steps. You will reach that end goal.
· Closets: Peter Walsh says it best: “Opening up your closet should be like arriving at a really good party where everyone you see you like.”
To obtain this, you have to be honest with yourself. How much do you actually wear and more importantly how much actually fits? It’s depressing to open your drawer and see things that don’t fit.
To transform your life, start by transforming your wardrobe.
First, pare down (sort-donate-toss). Then, analyze the space available to you in your closet and drawers – think of it as real estate.
Location, location, location is considered prime real estate that should be used wisely: this is where your “go-to’s” belong. Next separate blacks, whites, colors. Use matching hangers. Pick a shelf on your closet to display your favorite pair of shoes or bags.
· Office: Papers seem to multiply! Papers in piles are a “no-no”… they’re impossible to see or sort.
Instead, use plain or colored file folders to help organize your papers into categories. Treat yourself to a simple two-drawer file cabinet if necessary.
· Memorabilia: Don’t let memorabilia take up the ideal real estate. If you simply must have a reminder that this stuff was part of your life – take a photo and then let it go.
You can either hang the photo in a place where you will see it and smile, or if you must keep the actual piece of memorabilia, place it in a suitcase you no longer use and keep it in one place with easy accessibility.
Here are some of our organizing pearls of wisdom:
· Buying organizing containers doesn’t make you organized… it gets expensive and it appears generic. Instead, repurpose, repurpose, repurpose. Use funky shoe boxes to organize your bras and panties. Use your grandmother’s favorite crystal glass to hang your earrings. Use a see-through hanging shoe bag in either your pantry for odds-and-ends or in your child’s playroom for arts and crafts supplies – actually, the uses are endless….scarves, leggings, office supplies. Egg cartons are another useful organizing tool.
Remember, you space should be easy to navigate and items will be even easier to put away and keep organized. If you must buy organizing containers this should be the very last step in the process, absolutely not the first step!!
· If you can’t see it, why have it? Your home is not a storage space. Minimalism is not about having less, it is about making room for what matters. Your things should reflect your personality and you should be able to enjoy them.
· You have to make it fun. Have your best friend or favorite family member over for a fashion show to help you sort-toss-donate. Do this with music and a glass of wine to up the ante.
· Want to elevate your boring bookcase to something special- arrange your books in rainbow order (ROYGBIV – Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet) and arrange some books vertically, then some horizontally you can even place interesting, eclectic pieces on the books – use your tchotchkes!
In the end, be realistic. Don’t compare your space to what you see in the magazines- remember, those spaces are “staged.”
Surround yourself with the things you truly love and reflect who you are – that’s the key to achieving an organized space and one that is most likely sustainable.
