Tag Archives: organizing drawers

15-Minute Organizing Projects

Organizing doesn’t have to be incredibly time-consuming or daunting.

Here are a few quick projects that can get you motivated.

  1. Create A Calendar
  • Find a calendar that fits your needs and style: wall calendar, day planner, custom spreadsheet, etc.
  • Fill in non-negotiable obligations.
  • Create an area to document tasks to get done during the month.
  • Categorize tasks by A/B/C priority.
  • Schedule tasks around non-negotiable obligations.
  • Check/update calendar on a daily basis.

 

  1. Clean Out A Drawer (pick a drawer, any drawer)
  • Take everything out.
  • Sort items by purpose (do they even belong there?).
  • Throw away anything that isn’t functional; donate items that are functional that you don’t use.
  • Thoroughly clean the drawer.
  • Containerize like items together as much as possible.

 

  1. Clean One Refrigerator Shelf (or pantry shelf, medicine cabinet shelf . . . you get the idea)
  • Take everything out (seeing a trend?)
  • Check expiration dates; throw out anything past expiration date.
  • Categorize items by function: condiments, snacks, salad dressings, etc.
  • Thoroughly clean the shelf.
  • Containerize like items together as much as possible.

 

  1. Create A Mail Station

 

  1. Clean Out Your Purse/Wallet/Briefcase
  • Take everything out (there it is again!)
  • Vacuum/wipe out the inside; wipe the outside down with appropriate cleaning agent (vinyl can tolerate antiseptic wipes, leather cleaner, etc.).
  • Reorganize by function: sunglasses/reading glasses in one section; small cosmetic bag in another; wallet in another. If the purse/briefcase doesn’t have sections, consider investing in an organizer.
  • Scan front/back of important cards/documents in case the purse/wallet/briefcase is lost or stolen.

 

  1. Clean Out Car Interior
  • Remove all the garbage.
  • Wipe down surfaces with a duster or soft rag. Use mild detergent where appropriate and safe for surfaces.
  • Clean windows and vacuum seats.
  • Create a place for a small garbage can/bag.
  • Containerize like items: one container for reusable shopping bags; others for emergency kits (see below), etc.

 

  1. Create Emergency Kits: 2-Part Project

Part 1:

  • Check for dealer-supplied items already stored in the vehicle/home.
  • Find appropriately sized containers for the available space.
  • Gather the following supplies for the “Everyday Situations” kit: paper towels, granola bars, water, blanket, coat, gloves, flashlight/batteries, etc.
  • Gather the following supplies for “Emergency Situations” kit: first aid kit, flat tire repair kit, flares, jumper cables, etc.
  • Make a list of needed supplies and containers.

Part 2:

  • Acquire needed supplies and containers.
  • Add them to the kit.
  • Create a list of items in each kit and check semi-annually for expiration dates. Replace anything used or out of date.

 

  1. Create a Meal Plan
  • Check refrigerator to see what needs to be used within the near future.
  • Create a meal plan for the week.
  • Plan at least one day for leftovers.
  • Post meal plan for the entire family to see.
  • Create a weekly master shopping list.

 

  1. Clean Out The Linen Closet
  • Take everything out (Darn! There it is again!)
  • Sort by function: sheets, towels, etc.
  • Secondary sort by sheet/towel size.
  • If possible, designate shelves by function; label sheets and towels by size if possible.
  • Donate any items no longer used to a local charity. (Note: your veterinary office may want some of your cast-off towels.)

 

  1. Create A Household “To Do” List
  • Make a list of tasks you perform on a regular basis.
  • Consult with others in the home who perform regular maintenance and include their items on the list also.
  • Separate tasks by frequency: weekly, monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, etc.
  • Create a spreadsheet or other document capturing regular tasks.
  • Designate responsibility across appropriate household members.
  • Review list weekly.

 

Even small projects can have a large impact.

 

Cindy Jobs, COC, ACC

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It’s National Clean Out Your Closets Week!

This past Monday marked the official first day of Spring, and for those of you in Washington state (especially the Puget Sound area), some absolutely beautiful weather days followed.

I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to put the parkas and snow boots away and pull out some t-shirts and golf shorts!

For many of us, deciding what to wear is our first big decision of the day.  It sets the tone.  It puts us in a certain frame of mind.  It prepares us for what lies ahead.  Is there a better way to start the day than with a clean, organized closet filled with just those items you love and feel great in?  I think not.

Here are five tips to quickly and painlessly clear some closet clutter:

  1. Schedule time.  If you haven’t done it in a while, an entire closet purge could take several hours.  Schedule at least 3-4 hours to get the process started (hopefully even completed).  Trust me, it’s a great use of time.
  2. Set yourself up for success. Get in the mood for some tough decision-making.  Grab a friend to help.  Turn on some tunes.  Schedule a significant reward for project completion.
  3. Have plenty of supplies ready.
    • If you are planning on changing your hanger style, buy twice as many as you think you need. Same goes for shoe boxes, underbed storage, belt hangers, etc.  It’s always better to have supplies to return than not be able to finish the project because you came up short on supplies.
    • Set up a system for removing what doesn’t deserve valuable closet space: resale, storage, donation, discard, gifting, etc..  Whatever you decided doesn’t deserve a home in your closet, needs to go somewhere.  Immediately put donations in your car. Move storage items to their new home.  Schedule a drop off/pick up date/time for items you are gifting.
  4. Touch everything and ask yourself the following: 
    • Do I love it and feel great when I wear it? (good color, style, fit, etc.)
    • Did I use it this season or can I see myself using it next season? (is skiing really still your thing?)
    • Am I keeping this because of guilt? (impulse purchase, spent too much, it was a gift, etc.)
  5. Put items away efficiently.  Anything that goes back in the closet should be grouped in an organizational system that works best for how you make decisions.
    • Do you select items by color (black vs yellow)?
    • Do you select items by purpose (work vs play)?
    • Do you store outfits together within the closet?

A functional closet can reduce stress (I’m certain most of us have felt the frustration of being late because we “can’t find anything to wear!”); save time (no more time wasted searching for that one black turtleneck you absolutely love!); and save money (how many times have we repurchased items we already own?).

Spring is here . . . are you and your closet ready?

Cindy Jobs

www.organizetosimplify.com

 

 

Member Color - WebNational Association of Professional Organizers, Seattle Chapter President
ICD_LogoTag_Horz_72 websiteCertified Premium Subscriber, Institute for Challenging Disorganization

Seasonal Closet Swap: A Closet Full Of Nothing To Wear?

Closet Closets can be a huge headache or a great source of joy.  Simplifying by downsizing and organizing can turn our closets from frustrating to functional.

How many times do we stand in front of our completely full closets and say “I can’t find a thing to wear!”?

The change of seasons gives us the perfect opportunity to take stock of our closets.   When it’s time to move the winter things out (thankfully) and the summer things in (happily), take a few extra minutes to critically analyze each piece of clothing.

Ask yourself:

  1. Do I love it and feel great when I wear it? Does it project the image I want people to have of me? (Love it?)
  2. Did I use it this season or can I use it next season? (Use it?)
  3. Am I keeping it because I feel guilty about spending money on something I really don’t use? Unfortunately, keeping a bad purchase doesn’t make it a better purchase. (Guilty purchase?)

If your answer is “yes” to #1 and #2, and “no” to #3 about everything in your closet, then you’re in good shape.   If you can’t, then it’s time to take a serious look at reducing the items in your closet.

Because apparel items are so personal, sometimes it’s hard for us to be critical about what we should keep or get rid of.  For this project, enlist the help of an honest and trusted friend to help you.

Use the following roadmap to help you de-clutter your closet, giving yourself a bit of breathing room.

  1. Carve out enough time to go through the entire process.
  2. If possible, purchase enough of the same style of hangers (plastic, wood, flocked, etc.) as you possibly can. Having all your apparel hanging at the same level will make it easier for your eye to focus on the item, not the disarray.  You may want to also invest in multi-tiered hangers if you have multiple pairs of pants that you know you will be keeping.  Pants on multi-tiered hangers take up much less space than if they are hung individually. If you are also hanging skirts, each style of hanger also comes in a clip version for this purpose.
  3. Set up six boxes, bags, or staging areas:
    1. KEEP: For items you are planning on keeping in your closet.
    2. THROW: For items that are worn out, stained, etc.
    3. GIVE: For items to give to people you personally know.
    4. DONATE: For items in good repair that can be donated to a local charity.
    5. ALTERNATE SIZE: For items that you love and will fit into within the next 6 months. Date the box/bag with a review date.
    6. SEASONAL: For items you love, but won’t wear for several months.
  4. Take everything out of the closet. Yes, everything.  Even if you know you are keeping it you will (hopefully) be moving it to the new, uniform hanger style.
  5. Sort your apparel by type: Work vs. Casual.  Then fine-tune the sort by style or color:  short sleeve vs. long sleeve, etc.; black, white, color, etc.
  6. Touch every piece of clothing and ask yourself the three questions mentioned earlier: Love it? Use it? Guilty purchase?
  7. Put the items you want to keep away on the new hangers and place them back in the closet in groupings that make sense to you: work; casual; sleeve length; color; etc.
  8. Process the THROW/GIVE/DONATE/ALTERNATE SIZE/SEASONAL boxes, moving them to their appropriate new home.

Being organized reduces stress and saves time and money.  This is never more true than in our closets where we need to create space for all the aspects of our lives from work to recreation.  Plus, our closet is one of the first areas we see in the morning.  Getting the organization right here will set you off on the right foot for the rest of the day!

It Is Clutter Awareness Week: Can you identify clutter?

“Clutter is postponed decisions.”
— Barbara Hemphill

This is National Clutter Awareness Week.  Most of us think we can identify clutter when we see it, but can we?

Kitchen BeforeLet’s take a look at some of the items we can identify in the picture above and determine:

Clutter or Correct Place?

Stack of Ziploc bags.  Although we use Ziploc bags in the kitchen, the extra boxes probably would be better stored in the pantry.  Clutter.

Sleeping bag.  Does a sleeping bag belong in the kitchen?  No.  Clutter.

Small filing system:  The filing system may very well belong in the kitchen even though our first instinct would be that it belongs in an office.  If the kitchen is where the homeowner pays bills and does their filing, then it makes perfect sense.  Correct Place.

Pest control product:  There may very well be pests in the kitchen, but the pest control product more appropriately should be stored away from food.  Clutter.

Large slow cooker:  If this appliance is used on a regular basis, then this is the perfect place for it.  If it is only used occasionally, then it should be placed in a more out-of-the-way place.  Correct Place.

Lots and lots of plastic storage containers:  Plastic containers are certainly used in the kitchen, however, the sheer quantity of containers we see in this picture pushes them into the clutter category.  Clutter and Correct Place

There were lots and lots of decisions to be made while working with this homeowner, but she was motivated and determined to take back her kitchen.  Here’s how we left it at the end of our work together.  She’s happy to report to me (on a regular basis) that her counters are still clear and her kitchen functions more as a kitchen and less as a storage area.  I’m so proud when my clients can maintain and improve upon the work we do together!

Kitchen 4 After

Cindy Jobs

cindy@organizetosimplify.com

Organize to Simplify RGB www.organizetosimplify.com

Member Color - WebNational Association of Professional Organizers, Seattle Chapter President
 ICD_LogoTag_Horz_72 websiteCertified Premium Subscriber, Institute for Challenging Disorganization

Organize in 15 Minutes or Less

ImageTop Ten 15 Minute Organizing Options

Organizing doesn’t have to be incredibly time consuming. Little organizing successes can bring great rewards and not take much time at all!  Here are my top 10 super-fast organizing tasks, each of which can be done in 15 minutes or less.

1. Create a calendar:

  • Find a calendar that fits your needs:  wall calendar, day planner, customized spreadsheet, phone app, etc. Whatever works for YOU!  It doesn’t matter what your friend/mother/sister/boyfriend uses.  Find the one that fits your lifestyle.
  • Fill in obligations for the month.
  • Create an area to document tasks to get done during the month.
  • Categorize tasks by A/B/C priority.
  • Check/update calendar on a daily basis.

2.  Clean out a drawer (pick a drawer, any drawer):

  • Take everything out.
  • Sort items by purpose (do they even belong there?).
  • Throw away anything that isn’t functional; donate items that are functional that you don’t use.
  • Thoroughly clean the drawer.
  • Containerize like items together much as possible.

3. Clean one shelf in the refrigerator/pantry/medicine cabinet:

  • Take everything out.
  • Check expiration dates; throw out anything past expiration date. Going forward, write the date on products as you open them.
  • Categorize items by function: condiments, snacks, salad dressings, etc.
  • Thoroughly clean the shelf.
  • Containerize like items together much as possible.

4. Create a mail station:

  • Mail station should be wherever you are comfortable opening the mail.
  • Put a recycle bin and shredder as close to the mail station as possible.
  • Create an area to put items that need further work: bills to pay; invitations to respond to; filing, etc.
  • Ongoing: Place any important dates on your calendar.
  • Ongoing: Unsubscribe from unwanted catalogs or direct mail items.

5. Purse:

  • Take everything out.
  • Vacuum out the inside; wipe the outside down with appropriate cleaning agent (vinyl can tolerate antiseptic wipes).
  • Reorganize by function: sunglasses/reading glasses in one section; small cosmetic bag in another; wallet in another. If the purse doesn’t have sections, consider investing in a purse organizer.
  • Make a list of everything in the purse.
  • Scan front/back of important cards in case purse is lost/stolen.

 6. Car interior:

  • Remove all the garbage.
  • Wipe down surfaces with a Swiffer® or soft rag and mild detergent.
  • Clean windows and vacuum seats.
  • Create a place for a small garbage can/bag.
  • Containerize like items: one container for reusable shopping bags; others for emergency kits (see below)

7. Create emergency kits:

  • Check for dealer supplied items already stored in the vehicle.
  • Find appropriately sized containers.
  • Gather the following supplies for the everyday situations kit: paper towels, granola bars, water, blanket, coat, gloves, flashlight/batteries, etc.
  • Gather the following supplies for emergency situations: first aid kit, flat tire repair kit, flares, jumper cables, etc.
  • Create a list of items in each kit and check semi-annually.

8. Meal Planning:

  • Check refrigerator to see what needs to be used within the near future.
  • Create a meal plan for the week.
  • Plan at least one day for leftovers.
  • Post meal plan for the entire family to see.
  • Create a master shopping list (Linda’s suggestion: Amazon Subscribe and Save).

9. Clean out the linen closet:

  • Take everything out.
  • Sort by function: sheets, towels, etc.
  • Detail sort by sheet/towel size.
  • Donate any items not.
  • Designate shelf by function if possible; label if possible.

10. Create a regular household “to do” list:

  • Make a list of tasks you perform on a regular basis.
  • Consult with others in the home that perform regular maintenance and include their items on the list also.
  • Separate them by frequency: weekly, monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, etc.
  • Create a spreadsheet or other document capturing regular tasks.
  • Review list weekly.

See, organizing doesn’t have to be difficult or time consuming.  You will be amazed at how much better you will feel, not to mention motivated to do more, after just a few minutes of organizing