Getting Organized: Getting Rid of Clutter

I have always been highly organized. My family often makes fun of my organizational skills and sometimes even my friends do, too. I think it’s done with love. I grew up in a  cluttered childhood home, and it always overwhelmed me. As an adult, being organized always offered some sanity in a chaotic, single-parent household. It’s what works for me.

Clutter is my enemy. It simply means there’s stuff that I haven’t taken care of and it mocks me. It’s a waste of my time to shuffle stacks of stuff and piles of things. If getting organized and getting rid of clutter could offer some sanity to your life, here are some suggestions:

·         Take action. Because clutter represents “decisions not made,” tell yourself that it’s time to make those decisions. Every time you pick up something (junk mail, out-grown clothing, etc) instantly decide whether to keep it, toss it, or give it to someone else. If you decide to keep it – this means you put it where it belongs without putting it down again where you found it.

·         Be stingy with storage. Ask yourself if you really need to save and store your children’s out-grown clothing, the crib that your children probably won’t want to use for your someday grandchildren, your wedding dress that your daughter wouldn’t be caught dead wearing, or the softball equipment that is getting moldy in the garage.

·         Start small. Take small steps. Start with one drawer, one foot of your closet, one shelf in the refrigerator, one corner of the garage or one shelf of the book case.

·         Find little chunks of time. Grab five or ten minutes whenever you can - while you’re waiting for the kids to get dressed, or when you’re ready for work a little early. You’d be amazed how fast a few minutes here and there whittle down a large job

·         Multi-task. Multi-tasking has gotten a bad reputation lately, but the truth is, busy parents need to do it – often. What can you accomplished while you’re watching TV, talking on the phone, fixing dinner,

·         Delegate. Many tasks can be turned over to someone else in the household. We just have to teach them how to do it. If you turn over the job of laundry to someone