Let’s Get Organized! - Easy and Simple Strategies to Getting (and Staying) Organized.

Table of Contents:

Introduction...5
Remembering to Organize...6
Say Good-bye to Clutter...8
Best Secrets to Getting and Staying Organized...9
The Emotional Toll of CLUTTER...10
Turn Clutter into Harmony...12
An Orderly Life...13
Let Good Order Reign!...15
Getting Rid of “Stuff”...16
The Art of Organization...18
A Few Good Organizing Tips and Tricks...19
Determining your Home-Style...20
Clever Home and Family Management...22
Have Time on your Side...23
Organize a Bit at a Time...25
Organize your junk drawer...25
Organize your laundry room...26
Organize your children...27
Organize your garage...29
Organize your child’s study habits...30
Organize your kitchen...32
Put the Word “Organize” Back into your Life...33
Timesaving Tips...34
12 Simple Ways to Organize...35
C.O.P.E....36
Organize your Move...38
Organize your Home Office...38
Organize your Workspace...42
Hire an Organizer...43
Take Control of Chronic Disorganization...44
Smart Time Management Just for Moms...46
A Final Home Organizing...50
The Benefits of Being Organized...52


Say Good-bye to Clutter
Now that you have a good system to remember your tasks at hand, the next big step will
be to get rid of clutter. Clutter diminishes a smile, dampens the spirit, and so should not
be tolerated.
It is very easy to find any given room in a cluttered mess, but it takes some hard work to
de-clutter and organize.
Many people say that one of their favorite things to do when stressed out is to clean!
Hard to imagine, right? Well, it is true. Cleaning gives order and purpose to your life,
even if only in smaller chunks at a time.
We are not just talking about moving around clutter from one shelf to another. We are
talking about de-cluttering every room of your home. Say good-bye to the dust, say goodbye
to the junk – say hello to room to breathe and move around! Now, doesn’t that sound
delightful?
Start out by drawing up a list of what you absolutely want done. Think about those
leaning tower of Pisa papers in the den, then move slowly into the family room. See any
piles of old photos just crying out to be placed in a photo album? Write that one down.
How about those piles of clothing sitting in the bottom of your daughters closet just
waiting for a mother’s touch. Write that one down, too!
By now, if you are clever, you see a list of very workable, one-at-a-time chores that can
be assigned throughout a busy day. The idea is to get started and work your way around.
By the end of the day, you will have a beautiful, uncluttered home as your reward!
Do not become discouraged if your attempt to enlist your husband and children runs amuck.
Just write them down on your list as those who require an attitude adjustment and
then save that chore for next time. One can hope!
If you are altogether frank about it, you really do not want a second pair of meddling
hands anyway; some chores are best left to only one pair of hands. That way you can be
sure that the chores will be done right the first time.
8
Best Secrets to Getting and Staying Organized
�� Tell yourself (and believe) that some degree of clutter with a child is going to
happen no matter what!
�� Begin with messes and clutter that you see every day. Work on organizing
your kitchen and family room before your hallway closet.
�� Assign everything in your house a place. This way when your family searches
for something they need, they will know exactly where to find it and where to
put it away.
�� Use this same principle to organize your silverware, with clearly defined
places for every fork and knife, or drawers for ties and socks or, underwear.
Think in this same way for every aspect of your home. This will save many
hours of searching for things. It will dramatically cut down on the clutter of
items left out "for now" or "until I find a place for it." Develop a new mantra:
everything has its place and a place for everything!
�� Enlist a new rule: throw out one old thing for every new purchase that enters
your home.
�� When using stairs, never go up or down them empty-handed. Always grab
some items that belong to upstairs rooms and quickly put it away while you
are there.
�� Make a mental note to observe what things pile up in your house and where
they cluster, and then come up with a place nearby that becomes the official
home where those things will reside. Introduce baskets, shelves, and folders
for this purpose. They work well. Set aside one basket for you and your
partner for incoming mail, bills, and receipts ...