Organizing Paperwork

Archive for the ‘home organizing’ Category

Keeping an organized business is important for both online and offline business’s. Like any offline business, you need to organize your Internet home business. However, it maybe harder to get in order, things you cannot really feel or touch. As an home business owner, your business has two different offices: The first office will be your home office. This office should function as any other offline office. This should be a separate room in your home, where you can have the peace and quiet needed to work on your online business. In this room you will need a desk, with your computer, your phone, your schedule or organizer and all your lists and tasks you need to complete. You will also have all your paper work there, including, bills, printed e Books and other reading material.

As an Internet home business owner, you will also have a second office. This will be a virtual office, which is your own private computer. Like most people these days, you probably have all aspects of your life stored onto your computer, starting with your emails and ending with your next doctors’ appointment. Since everything is stored on your computer, it is very easy to lose control and get lost in all the files and folders you have created. However, computers are meant to have order and it is easy to maintain this order. This is why all computers have a folder system. In any business, you will need to keep records of everything you do, write, sell, etc on your computer. The difference with an internet business is that the majority of the work will be done on your computer. All conversations are online, billing is also online, and your main tools are email and your favorite browser. To create order, start with organizing your email. First, separate your business emails from your everyday emails, then you can start working on your business emails. Most email providers have a way to label your mail. Labels like ‘affiliate programs’, ‘affiliate notifications’, ‘commission notifications’ and more will help you find whatever you are looking for in you inbox or saved emails. Then do the same to your favourites folder in your browser. We all love to save our favourite websites in order to get quick access to them in the future, but after a while you will end up with a
1000
long list with no order. Arrange your favourites by creating folders and categorizing each website to the appropriate folder. Now that your main tools are organized and optimised, you can go to your hard drive and organize that too.

On your hard drive you will find, or maybe not, everything you ever saved since you started your Internet home business. Saved emails, word documents, free e Books and more. They are all there, but where!? This is where the folder system will come in handy. Try to have a separate driver for your home business. In this driver create your main folders using one folder for one thing only. In this folder, you can create sub folders for each feature. For example, create one folder for each affiliate program you join. In this folder create a sub folder for affiliates or your downline. Then create another sub folder for emails and another for commission notifications. Do the same thing for everything related to your business and you will never lose your Internet home business information again.

By: Tanny Lahav

Technorati Tags: organizing files, organizing shelves, organizing tips

Bedroom closets are notoriously difficult to keep under control. This is because the bedroom closet is in constant use, with items coming in and out frequently. Without a good system in place, bedroom closet organization can quickly fall by the wayside.

It becomes even more difficult when you consider that most of us have a bunch of items that we never wear clogging up our closets. Whether these items were received as gifts, bought on sale somewhere, or just don’t fit anymore, this stuff takes up valuable closet space that could be better used for items that we actually use.

The result of this log-jam of stuff is one great big cluttered mess! Staying on top of bedroom closet organization requires a functional closet organizer system that will provide you with the tools you need to make it easy to organize and store your clothes.

Here’s how to get started on your way to a clutter-free, well-organized closet.

Clean Up Your Room

If your bedroom is a mess, you’ll have to bit the bullet and overhaul the entire room. It’s difficult to keep a closet organized if you can’t walk through the rest of your room! At the very least, put like items together and get clutter out of the way. This way you won’t be tempted to just toss the mess in the closet. It doesn’t hurt to clear out cobwebs, dust, and vacuum while you’re at it.

Get Rid of What Doesn’t Fit

Now that you’re ready to tackle the closet, start by getting rid of clothing that doesn’t fit. Countless people spend wasted space and mental energy hanging on to too-small clothes for that ’someday’ when they will finally fit. Do yourself a favor – get rid of these items! If you need the money, you can even earn a little extra cash by selling items on eBay, at a consignment shop, or on Craigslist. In order to avoid the temptation to hang on to this stuff, it’s sometimes better to just give things away – quickly. Give stuff to friends, donate to your local thrift shop, or post items for free on Craigslist. As they say, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

Put Away Out-of-Season Clothes

There’s no use in having a bunch of heavy winter clothes taking up space in your closet in the middle of summer (or vice versa). Store your out-of-seas 1000 on items under the bed, in plastic storage bins, or in garment bags. Make sure to protect wool items from pests by filling old trouser socks and nylons with cedar chips. A great way to save money on cedar chips is to buy inexpensive cedar pet bedding at your local pet supply store. Be sure to replace the cedar chips every month or so.

Complete the Purge

Finally, get rid of anything you haven’t worn in the past year. If you haven’t worn it in more than one season, chances are you never will. Keep the clutter from piling up again by choosing fewer, better quality items – resist the temptation to buy something just because it’s on sale. If it hangs in your closet without ever being worn, it means wasted money and wasted space. Also, whenever you buy (or acquire) something new, get rid of something else.

Get rid of anything that doesn’t make you look and feel your best. Tight, uncomfortable, frumpy, or ill-fitting clothing must go. Also, gather up items that need minor mending, like a hem or a missing button, and plan to get these repairs made within a week.

Items You Can’t Bear to Part With?

After you’ve purged as much as possible, try this tip for any items that you just can’t stand to get rid of. Put the items back in your closet on a hanger facing the opposite direction from the rest of your clothes. As you wear these items, turn the hangers around to match the rest of your clothes when you put them back in your closet. After six months to a year, you’ll be able to tell by the backwards-facing hangers what hasn’t been worn. Get rid of anything that’s been sitting there all year without being worn.

Customize Your Bedroom Closet

Now it’s time to take stock of your closet storage space. The typical (and least efficient) design of a bedroom closet is one clothes rod with a shelf above it. To customize your closet space, take inventory of your wardrobe. Do you have lots of shirts? Then double closet rods can maximize efficient us of closet space. Do you have more shoes than anything else? Then a shoe organizer might help you beat the clutter. You can also use inexpensive racks and shelving systems to keep folded clothes neatly organized.

For really efficient use of your closet space, I recommend the elfa® bedroom closet organization systems available from the Container Store. If you contact the Container Store and provide your closet measurements and answer a few questions about your storage needs, they’ll design a custom closet organizer tailored just for you. I faced the challenge of squeezing clothing and toys for three children in a single closet. I contacted the Container Store for a customized bedroom closet organizer and I couldn’t be happier with the result.

Setting Up Your Organizational System

Now that you’ve whittled down your wardrobe to only the items you love and actually use, and now that you’ve customized your closet organizer to match your needs, you’re ready to put your organization system into place.

Shoe Storage

For shoe storage, clear plastic shoe boxes that can be labeled are a good investment. Shoes can be categorized by season and purpose. To simplify shoe storage, store in-season and frequently worn pairs within easy reach; the rest can be put away for the season, or stacked on the infrequently used top shelf of the closet.

Hang similar items together and categorize them by color. This will simplify your morning routine. For example, hang shirts together (don’t intersperse them with skirts and trousers), and organize them by color.

Buy tie hangers for ties, belts, scarves, and similar items. As with your general wardrobe, purge these from time to time, and get rid of items that are worn out, stained, or that you just don’t use.

Conserve space for hanging clothes by using the same type of hangers for everything – uniformity and systematization saves space. Hang shirts and jackets facing the same way so that the 1000 y ‘nest’ against each other. Use clear plastic skirt hangers for slacks and trousers.

If you have an unused bedroom in your home, you can turn it into a walk in closet by installing shelving and closet rods around the perimeter of the room. You can also use rolling carts and hanging rods if you want to avoid installing hardware. To maximize the utility of your new dressing room, include a comfortable sitting chair for putting on your shoes and a full-length mirror to give yourself a quick appraisal before heading out the door.

You can also save money and limit clutter by using what’s available around the house to help organize your closet inexpensively. Unused bookshelves, plastic bins, and carts are all good options for stacking, folding, and storing clothes. The only limit is your creativity and imagination.

These bedroom closet organization tips have worked wonders for making my life saner, more organized, and easier to manage. If you take the time to overhaul your closet, they’re sure to do the same for you!

By: Samantha Buck

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Technorati Tags: bedroom closets, closet organization systems, closet organizing, organizing tips

Coat closets are often overlooked in a home organization plan. But what would it be like to have a coat closet that actually has room to store coats? Imagine having dinner guests and being able to fit their coats into the ‘coat’ closet without having stuff them in with all the sundry things hiding in there. Of course, many homes just aren’t big enough for the luxury of a dedicated coat closet, but with a bit of work, you can create a tidier, more organized space.

Be sure to remember the following:

• Every space has a purpose.
• Clutter is not your friend.
• Categorization is key.
• Everything has its place.

First, let’s take a look at the purpose of the closet. It’s a coat closet – not a catch-all, even though you might need to store other items inside. Make sure the space is functional by allowing room for the major items stored there, and by getting rid of clutter.

To repeat: get rid of clutter! Clutter is the number one enemy of home organization. Get rid of coats that are torn, stained, or damaged beyond repair. Donate outgrown coats, and perfectly good coats that just don’t get worn for one reason or another.

A coat closet should not be the equivalent of a junk drawer. It’s easy to quickly toss things in the coat closet when company is coming, and then later forget about it. Or sometimes you just don’t want to see one more thing on the living room floor, so you toss it in and just don’t know what to do with it. The bottom line: take the time to remove what doesn’t belong and store it somewhere else.

Figure out what ought to reside in the coat closet. Some good things to keep here are vacuum cleaners, family board games, coats (of course), and other types of outerwear or all-weather gear (umbrellas, ponchos, etc.). Create a space for each of these items.

If your coat closet has a tall ceiling, think vertical. Store items that are rarely used on high shelves, and keep other items within easy reach. If you need more shelf space, consider installing shelves and a shorter closet rod. The elfa® closet organizer system available at the Container Store is a great closet organizer for all kinds of closets, and can help you better organize your coat closet. Hooks, either on the 1000 closet wall or the back of the door can be great for hanging hats, scarves, umbrellas, and other wet or winter-weather gear. There is no need to put away off-season coats; you can plan to store all your coats in this closet both winter and spring.

Good entryway organization can also help in your quest to keep an organized coat closet. Many items that haphazardly end up in a coat closet – like shoes, backpacks, and sweaters – can stay neatly organized in entryway cubbies, shelving, or hooks, making them less likely to end up in a pile in the coat closet.

Once you eliminate clutter and find a place for the miscellany that used to live in the coat closet, you’ll have a much easier time with coat closet organization. Remember to follow these easy steps: define the purpose of the space; get rid of clutter; sort; and assign a place for everything.

By: Samantha Buck

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Technorati Tags: closet storage ideas, closet systems, organizing tips, storage cabinets

You want to be more organized but where do you start? Here are a few organizing tips to implement today to get you on the road to a more organized life.

*What about a gift that you received but do not love? Well, after you say thank you, you are the new owner, and it is your choice to do with it as you choose. The giver of the gift would want it to be used which means that you could “re-gift” or just give it to someone who will love it and make use of it. Don’t let it add to your stress by becoming a “clutter” item—an organizing tip to use on a daily basis!

*What about items that belong to family members that have been left for you to care for and store? This might be a child who has moved out or another family member who has simply asked you to store something on a temporary basis. Since your home is not a storage facility, set a date with the person to get the items or send you money to have them shipped to them. After that date you can (without guilt) take the items to charity where they will really be used.

*What about those items that at one time interested you? Remember, our tastes and interests change with age, time and experiences. A basic organizing tip is to live in the present and buy and keep only those things that interest you at the current time.

*What about all of those books that won’t fit on the shelves? Box some of them up and store them away. Make a note in your daily planner a few months ahead to remind yourself to rotate the books. It will seem as though you have a new collection of books!

*What about all of the photographs you want to display? To keep your tabletops from becoming cluttered with photo frames, an organizing tip is to hang photographs on the wall in attractive arrangements which will free up space on the tabletops and make them look less cluttered.

*What about the magazines and newspapers that clutter the living room? An organizing tip for any home is to use a small basket near the couch to store your current reading material as well as the TV guide. The TV remote can also be placed in the basket when not in use.

These organizing tips will help you start the process of getting your life organized and are just a few of the endless suggestions that will help you accomplish that goal.

By: Lynn Cressy

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Technorati Tags: home organizing, organizing, organizing process, professional organizer

As a professional organizer I am always helping women in their homes by organizing clutter. Sometimes we hang on to our clutter and then we feel guilty and we feel bad that we hold on and then that we feel guilty. Let’s start organizing clutter by getting rid of it.

Do you say: but I can’t get rid of it because it is wasteful to throw things away? Which is better to hold on to it and continue to feel guilty and have less space and not like what is around us or to let go? Here are a couple of ideas on how to let go:

1. Sell your guilt. Do this by having a yard sell. Even better get your neighbors involved and have a block/neighborhood yard sell. If you do have a yard sell all of the things that are not sold you can give to charity.

2. Donate your unused, unwanted, items to a charity. Just think of all the people who will benefit from your generosity. It makes it easier to get rid of clutter in your home if you are thinking of all the people you will be helping by donating your items. Some charities come right to your home to pick up items making it really easy for you to donate. Some organizations that welcome donations are: women’s shelters, homeless shelters, churches, preschools, day cares and animal shelters.

Have you ever said: but I spent money on it? Do you feel guilty because you bought an item and you feel if you get rid of it as you are organizing clutter that you just wasted your money? Let me tell you, just keeping it around cluttering your home and making you feel guilty for buying it is not going to bring your money back. It will just make your feel bad and add clutter to your space.

Keep in mind your goal of organizing clutter as you decide if you can or cannot part with an item.

Do you feel held back with all of your stuff because you have to spend so much time taking care of it? Do you wish you had more time to do fun things with family and friends? Keep this in mind as you are organizing clutter. The more stuff we have the more time it takes to maintain it. When you let go of clutter you will have more free time to enjoy being with family and friends.

A classic reason I hear as a professional organizer for holding on to things that women don’t want to keep and that clutters their homes and lives is: “but it was a gift”. The person who gave it to you will never know you didn’t keep it. Most people give a gift they think you will like but they also give it without strings. Once it is yours it is your decision whether or not to keep it. If you truly don’t love it and won’t use it there are other things you can do with the gift to honor it and the giver.

·Re-gift it; just make sure you don’t give it back to the person who gave it to you. Once I was given a book with an inscription in it. I gave it back to the person thinking she probably would want the book back from her friends. She thanked me and gave me a different book with the same title—only that one was also personalized to her. I didn’t say anything the second time.
·Donate it to a charity.
·Sell it on line or at a yard sell
·Throw it away (if it is so tacky you know no one would want it).
·Exchange it for something you would like and could use.

When we are organizing clutter it helps to keep our goals in mind, get rid of the guilt we feel by having other options of what to do with our possessions. By getting rid of clutter we are more peaceful, happy and enjoy having more time for ourselves.

By: Marilyn Bohn

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Technorati Tags: organizing, organizing clutter, organizing tips, professional organizer

How many times have you searched frantically through your handbag to find your cell phone, while that very important call was coming in, only to have it stop ringing before it was found? Worse yet, how about the number of times you literally emptied your bag and swore it was not in there, then spent the next two hours combing your house to find your cell. Finally, you called it – and it rang, audibly, from inside your purse! If this describes any situation you have found yourself in, you desperately need to organize your handbag better.

Of course, some handbags come manufactured with organizers already built in. There are pockets for your cell phone, a zippered pouch that most people keep loose items in such as keys, and even a ring or two that hangs from the outside from which you could loop your keys or anything you may need that has a strap. If you are one of the few women who use these pockets for the purposes for which they were intended, good for you! Most of us, however, throw everything willy-nilly into the open space that is our purse and, for better or worse, there it sits collecting other items on top of it until it is all one big jumbled mess for us to sort through later.

Now that we have painted a bleak picture of the inside of your handbag, what suggestions can be offered to help us fix this mess? For starters, set aside a block of time where you can truly clean out and de-clutter your handbag. If you do this, you will likely find old coupons, pens that no longer work, and cosmetics that have either expired or, worse yet, lost their caps and are now making unwanted marks all along the inside of your nicely lined bag. Throw all of these items away and start anew! Once you sort out what you wish to keep and what can be removed as trash, you can then begin to actually organize.

Generally, your handbag will have a divider or two. If it does not, it will have one main compartment and then a small, zippered compartment on one side of the inside lining. This type of handbag can benefit from a smaller inside bag, like a transfer bag, which fits beautifully inside the ‘outer shell’ that is your lovely handbag and can be used to carry all of your personal belongings from one bag to the other. The beauty of this type of bag is that it does the organizing for you, and has ready-made pockets for things like your phone and checkbook. There may even be a place for your cosmetics here. If not, you can use a transfer bag for everything else, and put your cosmetics in the zippered compartment that already exists in the lining of your handbag.

If your bag has at least one, and perhaps two, dividers, you can use these to separate the contents of your handbag into “personal items” and “business items”. For example, one half of your bag would contain your cell phone, business cards, calendar if you carry one, a pen or two, and your checkbook, while the other side would contain cosmetics, aspirin, and perhaps a snack or other small personal item. If you are fortunate enough to have two dividers in your handbag, you can sort your items even further and organize according to personal items, business items, and cosmetics, keeping any cosmetics that could leak, become opened, or spill into a separate section. Perhaps you could find a plastic or vinyl bag small enough to contain your cosmetics alone and fit this into the section of your bag designated for them. Along with makeup, you can keep contact lens cases, nasal spray, eye drops, or anything of the sort that you may need that contains liquid that could ruin the inside of your handbag.

Organization is important in every facet of life, even your handbag. There is no sense having a beautiful handbag if you are going to rummage through it publicly every time you open it in an effort to find what you are looking for. Becoming organized will free up your time in the long run, and you will appear more put-together. Once you appear more put-together, you will feel less frenzied and you will feel more put together! Set aside the time once every couple of weeks to make sure your handbag is still clutter-free and everything is in its designated compartment. It will be worth your while and the minimal time spent doing so.

If you have a transfer bag to use, however, this is best as you can simply carry its contents from one bag to another and not have to worry about re-organizing your bag each week.

By: MeganH1

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Technorati Tags: bags wholesale, fashion handbags wholesale, handmade handbags, ladies handbags

Do you want your life to be more organized? You can start on the road to that organized life by putting these organizing tips for storing your belongings to work for you.

One of the first steps to take to become organized is to” de-clutter your surroundings” and then decide where and how you want to organize and store things. A good rule of thumb is to measure what needs to be stored as well as measuring the area where you will store it. Then you can buy containers, bookcases, etc., that will meet your needs.

When you are shopping for storage tubs, buy them a little larger than necessary because you will no doubt accumulate more items over time. That organizing tip will save you time in the long run!

Another basic organizing tip is to store like items together; they are much easier to find. Put all of your cookbooks, for example, in one area of your kitchen or on one shelf of a bookcase.
That way you know where they are and how many you have! If you have too many cookbooks to display, pack some away and rotate them every few months by making a note on your calendar.

As you de-clutter a room, make sure you are storing items that you use often in easy-to-reach places. For instance, do not store everyday glassware in the cabinet over the refrigerator which requires the use of a step stool to reach them. Place your regularly used items in convenient and handy places—an organizing tip for every room of the house.

Make the storage area easy to remember. If you seldom look under your bed, then you probably won’t remember that is where gifts to be given away are stored in a bin. However, you may remember that is where you store your out-of-season clothing so they will be handy when needed.

A basic organizing tip to remember is that “everything has a place and everything is in its place even that wedding invitation you just received and those bills to be paid. Countertops and tabletops are not storage areas!

You can be successful in your quest for an organized life by getting started with these organizing tips and also by making organization a habit in your life.

By: Lynn Cressy

Technorati Tags: organizing bills, organizing closets, organizing paperwork, organizing tips

Where to Start
Think of yourself as the household CEO.  You manage the activities of your household , whether there are one or multiple people. You manage schedules. You make sure all the basic needs are met. You supply the household with what’s needed. Some surveys put the value of the household CEO at close to $100k. In my experience, there are 5 groups of systems or routines which support you in running the household.  With useful systems in place, you can free up all kinds of time to do what you’d like to do instead of have to do!
 
You’ve heard it before. Be more organized and you’ll save money, time, stress. Sounds great.How do you know if you’re organized enough? Are you missing opportunities to save money in these economic times? How do you know you can’t be more efficient, so you feel more in control of your days?
 
I invite you to read along with me, for about 10 minutes right now . Or print and save this for later on today or tonight, when you are ready for a break from a busy schedule. Read and reflect. Think about your household and let’s see, together, what opportunities we can uncover.
 
Why get organized? You tell me!
What’s important to you? You want your household to be more organized so that, well, you are the only one who can fill in the blanks. Think about it.
 
By focusing your organizing goals on your values, you can’t go wrong. Being aware of why organizing some aspect of your life is key right now will give you focus, clarity, priorities AND is very motivating!
 
By values, I mean:  learning, financial stability, savings, aesthetics, simplicity, family, spirituality, etc. Choose three, and only three. Make those priority decisions and I promise you’ll gain clarity as you begin your organizing journey. You’ll also find that the changes persist if you tie change to your values and goals.
 
So, the 5 organizing systems you’ll want to have working well in your household are these.
 
SYSTEMS GROUP ONE: Put Time on Your Side
GROUP 2: Money is Not the Root of All Evil
GROUP 3: Make Meals Easy and Fresh
GROUP 4: Household Maintenance “On-the-Go”
GROUP 5: Stop Papers from Taking Over
 
 
And what’s in each group we need to have systems for ?
 
SYSTEMS GROUP ONE: Put Time on Your Side
Family calendar/activities management
Work/family boundaries (especially if you work out of the house)
Morning routines to get out the door on time
And evening routines: homework, preparation for the next day
Managing your own time and your ‘to do’ list, for the business and for home
 
SYSTEMS GROUP TWO: Money is Not the Root of All Evil
Paying bills on time
Tracking for taxes
Papers management
Expenses: awareness, tracking. Where does it all go?
Savings: how much and for what purposes?
Futures: college, starting a business, “retirement,”  including Wills and specific bequests
 
SYSTEMS GROUP THREE: Make Meals Easy and Fresh
Weekly meals planning
Grocery lists/easy list making
Frequency of trips, to which stores
Making meals/clean up
 
SYSTEMS GROUP FOUR: Household Maintenance “On the Go”
Decluttering “as you go”
Cleaning
Laundry
Chores
Toys
Clothing
Outdoors/house maintenance
 
SYSTEMS GROUP FIVE: Stop Papers from Taking Over
Mail handling
Schoolwork/homework papers
Artwork
Home office papers: keep/toss decisions
 
How did you do?
Sometimes it’s hard to organize any more than we have because we are overwhelmed.  And yet, there often is one set of systems which would make the biggest impact in your life.
 
Which of these frustrates you the most? Causes you to scowl? What are you best at? Where do you need new ideas? It’s the issues that’s important to your values and frustrates you or your family too often. That’s where you focus.
 
I’ve prepared a checklist to support you in evaluating your own home (link is below).
Use the checklist to evaluate how you feel about your household and you will easily see your top priority stand out.
Plan to approach others down the line.
 
Identify for yourself which areas are working well, where you have systems that work for you.
Then check off the areas where you have no system, or a part-way system which isn’t working as well as you’d like.
Start with your own ideas on how to organize these areas and if you get stuck, you know who to contact! Thanks for reading.

Author: Sue West

Technorati Tags: bedroom closet organizers, cabinets, closet wardrobe, custom closet organizers

Easy Closet Organization Tips That Will Produce “something To Wear!”

“I have nothing to wear!” How many times have you said this? Well, if you’re like I was and fall into the category of having a lot of clothes, but nothing to wear, then read on for tips to organize your way to an easier time getting dressed in the morning.

Everybody has some type of closet and, whether it is traditional or modern, it probably needs a little organizational help. 

Everybody wears clothes, actually, most of us take a lot of time and effort when selecting and buying them. Shopping, especially for women and young girls, is a favorite activity. One of the things that leads to closet disorganization is buying new clothes without decluttering the old worn and outdated clothes.

Ironically, most of us like our clothes closet to be organized and carefully arranged. A well-kept and neatly arranged closet has several benefits including saving time and frustration. With a busy life, a hectic schedule, and on-the-go lifestyle that most people keep, time is essential. Wasting time trying to find “something to wear” is not at the top of our list of “fun” activities. Anything that can shorten time rummaging around in a clothes closet trying to find “something to wear” is welcomed.

So, to save the time and the frustration of “having nothing to wear”, here are some easy organization tips to a super organized clothes closet.

Sort and declutter. Take everything out of your closet. Take note of those items you wear a lot, those you don’t and why. Get rid of anything that no longer fits, is worn out, or just doesn’t make you look good.

Separate and categorize. Separate your wardrobe by item and categorize. For instance, put all the pants together, all the skirts together, and all the tops together, etc.

Organize by color. Yes, organize the separate categories by color. This one step alone will help you get dressed in a flash! For example, you’ll want to separate all your shirts and organize by color. All white shirts will be hung together then off-white shirts, then pink shirts, etc. I hang all my clothes like the colors of the rainbow and you wouldn’t believe how easy and quick it is to put together outfits now!

Use storage containers, baskets, or closet organizers. This will allow you to gather and contain items like ties, scarves, shoes, belts, etc. together. This will prevent cluttering up all those small items and you’ll be able to find them quickly too!

Declutter a little bit more no matter how painful it is. Finally, you need to change your mindset about keeping things in your closet. Do not let anticipation of that future ten pound weight loss keep that old stuff in your closet.

Keep in mind that when you do not wear an item for more than six to twelve months, it probably won’t get worn and it’s time to get rid of it.

So, to maintain closet organization, be sure to keep a plastic storage container ready as a temporary spot for those unused or old items so you can donate them.

Congratulations, you’ll now have a place for everything and everything in its place in your organized clothes closet.

Organizing our clothes closet isn’t a one time deal, but something that requires maintenance. These organization tips will not only get your clothes closet organized, but if you continue to repeat them occasionally, they will maintain your newly organized closet.

You will have invested some time getting yourself organized, but that’s time saved in the long run each and every day you have to go into your closet to find something to wear.

By: Samantha Buck

Technorati Tags: closet systems, organizing closets, organizing tips, professional organizers

Most of us find it difficult to eliminate clutter from our homes. Home organizing to declutter our residence is one job that is easy to accomplish. All you have to do is to follow the basic principles to rid your home and its surroundings from the clutter that you have amassed over the years. We have been trained to stock things which, we believe, will be of use in the future. But, there are quite a few of our belongings that languish in their storage spaces. Eliminating this stuff from our homes will effectively be the first step in the organization of our household belongings.

When you set about to declutter your home for the first time, the key to success is to divide the work into small manageable tasks. Ideally each task should take only a couple of hours. The sense of achievement that you will get after completing a home organizing task will motivate you to finish the rest of the jobs in a time-bound manner. For example, you could set yourself the goal of organizing a room during the weekend. When you begin the home organizing project, start with a room that is easy to declutter. You bedroom should be a good place to start as it does not have many storage spaces for you to search and rid of unwanted things. Be thorough in your efforts and turn out every drawer, closet and shelf that you have in a room while getting rid of the mess that it is in.

One major issue you could face while going about your home organizing tasks is to decide what stuff do you eliminate and what do you keep? The rule that I have devised to solve this issue is that I get rid of stuff that I have not used for the past one year. The logic behind this rule is that most of the things (clothes, gadgets etc.) that have not been used for a long time would deteriorate over time and may not serve their purpose anymore. Follow this rule to the letter and do not make any exceptions for some items that might have been your favorite at some point in the past.

Once you have got into the routine of home organizing, you should target those areas of your house where you are more likely to find a lot of clutter. Typically, your attic or basement is the place where you would have hoarded a lot of your belongings meaning to use them whenever you had the chance. As there will be a lot of stuff to sift through in these places, you will have to segregate your possessions in different bins before you decide what to get rid of.

All the organizing tips that I have detailed above are practical and you can effectively declutter your home once you follow the advice. Once you have succeeded in your efforts in home organizing, you will have to set apart at least one day every month to prevent the build up of clutter in your home.

By: Hannah58 Michaels58

Technorati Tags: home organize, office organizing, organizing tips, professional organizing