subject: Getting Organized - Tips For Getting Clutter Under Control [print this page] In today's fast paced society it is essential to be organized in order to be efficient and to avoid being left in the dust. There is nothing worse than having to spend an hour looking for something that you use regularly, but has never really been assigned a home. So, it could be found anywhere or nowhere. Or have you ever been in the position where you know you own a certain item but because you cannot find it, you have to purchase the product again?
If this sounds like you and you think you are destined for a life of disorganization, that does not have to be the case. Some people are born with the ability to be able to more efficient than others. But like most things in life, it can be learned. You are not destined to a life of clutter and disorganization. There are some great books available on getting organized.
Organization can involved everything from possessions to electronics files. The more things in your life that you can organize, the more time you will have for you and your family. To put it simply, the steps to organizing are sort, purge, give it a home, containerize and maintain it. Do not overwhelm yourself by thinking that this needs to be done or will be done overnight. Take it one space at a time and you will eventually have a well organized space.
Sorting is the act of putting all like items together. For example, if you are sorting books, all craft books would go together, all finance books in one spot and all health books in the same space. This will hold true of all other items.
Purging is the act of getting rid of what is not being used. Many organizers say if it has not been used in 6 months, you do not need it and for many things, this is true. Many people find this step very difficult. Some people have an emotional attachment to stuff and have a hard time parting with things. There are people that may need counseling to deal with this step and others will have a breakthrough and will eventually figure out that having so many things is holding them back. Throw out useless things and donate things that may have value to others.
If you assign everything you are keeping a home, you will know where to put it when you are done with it and you will know where to look for it when you need it. It is that simple. Containerizing things is the fun part, because containers today can be part of your decor and make a statement. The Container Store is one of the best places to shop for containers and closet systems. Not only do containers hold like items, but they conceal things and eliminate the appearance of clutter.
Maintaining your organized system is about putting things in their places at the end of the day and changing things about your system that you do not feel are working as well as they could be.
Even if you do not have the organization capabilities that you would like doesn't mean that you can't have them. There are many books and television shows that explain the process of organization in detail. Take it one room at a time and you will soon have a home that has everything in its place.
