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January is a great month of the year to organize our closets and storage spaces. Typically, after the Christmas season, many of us feel the need to organize our homes. This process begins with putting away the Christmas decorations and finding areas in the home to store all the new items that we have received as Christmas gifts. Organized spaces can make us feel more in control of our lives, no matter what chaos may be occurring in our work and family life. Although organizing and de cluttering can be a very time consuming thing to do, you are rewarded tenfold in the time you save searching for lost items in messy closets and drawers and the peace of mind you gain. Breaking down organizing into manageable steps is the best way to tackle this momentous chore. There are many ways to begin the de cluttering process. The way each person begins will depend on what works best for them. Some people find that making a list helps them to mentally prepare for the process; others like to jump right in. For most people, the best way to go about organizing is to do one room or area at a time. This will keep you from getting overwhelmed and giving up. If you find you don’t have a lot of time to devote to the job, do a little bit at a time. Fifteen to thirty minutes a day can result in huge progress made by the end of the week. Removing as many things as you can from the area you are decluttering and piling them in three piles is the best way to visually assess the items you are trying to bring order to. The three piles are: one for items you are keeping, one for items to recycle and one for items you are undecided about. Hopefully, by the end of the process, your undecided pile isn't bigger than the others. Once all your items are sorted, begin to put the items back in the storage area or closet. Each plastic storage bin should have a very detailed label on the outside that lists the contents of the box. An alternative to labeling is to number each box and create a binder that contains corresponding numbered pages that list the exact contents of each box. Clear plastic storage bins are ideal because you can see what is inside without opening them. Sturdy wire shelving in large storage areas is a great way to hold all the bins. Labels can also be attached to linen and bedroom closet shelves to keep things neatly organized. Once you have completed the process of organizing each area in your house, it is important not to let it get out of control again. Many people schedule time once a month to tidy up areas and return things to their proper shelf or bin. The change of seasons also offers us a good opportunity to tune up storage areas, especially if we are putting away seasonal items. The key to maintaining a tidy house is to remain vigilant. You don’t have to be a neat freak to have a tidy house; you just have to remember to schedule a few minutes a day for organization.
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