Sara Pedersen
Professional Organizer
& Marketing Specialist
651-717-1284 sara@time2organize.net
Serving the Twin Cities
area of Minnesota and
western Wisconsin.
Year-round Organizing Tips
The key to getting organized is to identify a problem and find a solution. If at first you don't succeed, try again... If one organizing solution doesn't seem to be working, try another way of looking at the problem. Some tips are provided below to get your creative process going. Do you need to organize your garage or closet? What about your home office and those mounds of paperwork on your desk? We can teach you how to organize everything! Call Time to Organize for a one-on-one session in your home or office.
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All articles written and copyrighted
by Sara Pedersen, Time to Organize.
Organize Your Kitchen
And Bath
The kitchen is the hub of most homes. It’s where people congregate to eat, do projects, share experiences, and relax. Because we spend so much time there, it’s important that the kitchen is organized and functional. Likewise, the often-neglected bathroom needs upkeep to make mornings flow smoothly, from shower to shave. Follow these tips to keep the most-used rooms in the home in tip-top shape.
Determine what purpose your kitchen serves. Do you use it for activities other than food preparation, such as completing homework or paying bills? Set up a specific area in the kitchen for those tasks and gather supplies. For example, to set up a bill-paying center, you’ll need: checkbook, envelopes, stamps, return address labels, pens, and a place to store bills to be paid.
Clear the clutter! Get rid of the gadgets, small appliances, and mismatched containers you never use. For remaining items, store those frequently used (more than once a week) on the countertop or easy-to-reach upper cupboards. Store seldom-used items (once a month or less) in the lower (harder to reach) cupboards.
Make the most of every inch. Install hooks under cabinets for mugs, pans, and small colanders. Mount can openers, paper-towel holders, and radios there, too. Place a cutting board over one side of the sink. Utilize space inside cabinet doors to hang a corkboard to post phone numbers and to-do lists.
Avoid confusion and foster accountability in the bathroom. Assign each person a color for toothbrushes and towels. Give each person a drawer or plastic storage bin for his/her personal items. Utilize the space under the sink by using stackable storage containers. Toss expired medicines and cosmetics, tattered towels, and duplicate hair styling appliances. Maintain order by scheduling time to organize on a regular basis.
Get the Junk Out of the Trunk
In the “old days,” people used their cars simply to get from Point A to Point B. But today, vehicles are used for much more than transportation, so it’s no wonder they get messy. To get car clutter under control, starts by figuring out how you use your car. Do you drive your kids’ soccer carpool? Do you work out of your SUV? Do you run daily errands? Evaluate how you use your car, and it will be easy to make -- and keep -- it tidy.
Get papers under control by creating an on-the-go filing system. Whether you office out of your car, or just need to have lots of information at your fingertips, create a simple filing system. Your local office supply store has a variety of portable, lidded file boxes to choose from, or use a simple plastic crate. Label hanging file folders with broad categories, and slide important papers in the correct spots.
If you work from your car, create a portable office. In addition to a portable filing system, include essential office supplies, such as pens, sticky notes, paper, envelopes, and stamps in a neat box.
Take note. Brilliant ideas have a way of sneaking up on us. Make sure you don’t forget them by stashing a small hard-cover notebook to catch those moments. Or, to keep your eyes on the road, tote a mini-recorder or call your voice mail and leave reminders there.
Ward off the munchies. Keep healthy and easy-to-eat snacks easily accessible for yourself and hungry kids. Fill a small shoe box with granola bars, small bags of almonds or walnuts, dried fruit, juice boxes, and water.
Run errands with ease. Put a crate in your trunk for clothing that needs to go the the tailor or dry cleaner. You can also add items that need to be returned to stores, library books and movies ready for return, and loaned items that need to find its rightful owners. Take a peek in the box each morning and see what you can get rid of that day.
Consider some specialty car organizers. Discount stores offer a variety of them, such as back-of-the-seat organizers for kids, visor organizers for CDs, collapsible crates for groceries or sports equipment, and much more.
Toss it out and tidy up. Keep a nylon or plastic garbage bag in the car so messes get cleaned up as you go. Take five minutes at the end of each day to empty the bag and tidy up the entire vehicle. This small investment of time will keep it neat and organized. To ensure it stays clean and crumb-free too, plan to vacuum and wipe down or dust the interior every week or two, or invest in occasional visits to your neighborhood car wash.
How to Banish Clutter from Your Life for Good
Studies show that 80 percent of what we use comes from 20 percent of what we own. That means that 80 percent of the things in our homes are rarely or never used. Follow these tips to de-clutter your life.
START THE PROCESS OF DECLUTTERING. Divide a room into sections. Pick one section (like one drawer or cupboard) and begin decluttering. Ask if you consider each item beautiful, useful, or loved. If not, you can probably get rid of it! If you’re not sure if you should get rid of an item, ask yourself, “What’s the worst thing that could happen if I toss this?” The answer may help give you the power to discard the clutter. Also be aware of the size of your space, as smaller spaces obviously hold less stuff.
WORK WITH A BUDDY. If you’re having a hard time letting go of the clutter, enlist the help of a friend or professional organizer to offer an objective viewpoint. She can offer support and ask the tough questions like, “Are you really going to use that?” and “When will you ever wear that again?”
TRY TO TOUCH THINGS ONLY ONCE WHILE GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS. Quickly make a decision to keep or toss. It will be helpful to have large, dark-colored garbage bags, plus two large boxes on hand: one for items to donate or give to friends, one for items that need to go to another room in your home. The bags are for items that need to go the dump. (The dark garbage bag will keep you from seeing the contents and having “tosser’s regret.”)
FIND AN APPROPRIATE HOME FOR THE THINGS YOU WANT TO KEEP. Once you’ve removed all the items that are not beautiful, useful, or loved, you are left with a room full of things you’ll use and appreciate frequently. Assign a space (a “home”) for each item and be sure to return it there after each use. Remember, if you don’t return each item to its home after use, it turns back into clutter and disorganization will occur.
GIVE YOURSELF A REWARD. At the end of a decluttering session, give yourself a pat on the back and a little treat, such as a bubble bath, a cup of tea, or a professional massage. Also take some time to enjoy the calm and tidy space you’ve created.
Archive Your Files With Ease
What shape is your filing system in? Are your filing drawers stuffed so full that it’s nearly impossible to get another piece of paper into — or out of — them? Once a year, you should take time to review your files and purge as much as possible, leaving room for next year’s papers.
Determine what to keep. As you sort through papers, ask yourself, “When will I really need this again?” “Can it be easily recreated or retrieved elsewhere?” Don’t hang onto things unless you have a really good reason! Be ruthless — remember, 80% of the things you file will never get referred to again!
Keep records retention guidelines in mind. Your accountant, attorney, or professional organizer can tell you which documents you should keep for legal purposes.
Keep only day-to-day paperwork at your fingertips. For rarely-used files that must be kept, archive them in an out-of-the-way area, such as a closet, basement, or off-site storage facility.
Some things can be immediately tossed. Instruction manuals for products you no longer own, old research materials, previous drafts of letters, out-of-date magazines and articles, and receipts for items past their return date can be discarded.
Stash important documents in a safety deposit box. It is imperative that you stock your safety deposit box or home safe with the following papers: adoption and citizenship papers; passports; birth, death, and marriage certificates; deeds; divorce decrees; insurance policy papers; lease agreements and loan documents; mortgage papers; personal property appraisals (jewelry, collectibles); Social Security cards; stock and bond certificates; vehicle titles; copies of wills; and powers of attorney papers. And don’t forget to LOCK your home safe. It is NOT fireproof unless the lock is engaged.
Let’s Have A Sale
Whether you’re planning to move or simply want to cash in on your excess stuff, a garage sale (tag sale, yard sale) can be a profitable way to transfer your goods on to their next destination. However, without proper planning and organization, the day can be a disaster. Here are some tips to hold a spectacular sale:
START GATHERING YOUR GOODS EARLY. Keep a large box in the basement or garage year-round to hold household items you no longer want, need, or love. If you’re really industrious, keep some pricing stickers and a pen in the box so you can price as you stow.
ADVERTISE. Make large, colorful signs. Be sure to list the date, time, and place, as well as the types of items you have for sale (kids’ clothing and toys, furniture, tools, collectibles, etc.) Place the signs in high-traffic intersections within a few miles of your home. Consider running an ad in your local paper’s classified section. Place flyers at local stores where allowed.
SET UP THE SALE. Give yourself at least two days to get the tables set up and items arranged and priced. Make sure everything is clean and attractive. Group similar items together: put stuffed animals in a wagon, arrange household items on tables, place books and tapes/CDs neatly in boxes, display toys at kids’ eye level, and hang clothing on racks. Put big-ticket items, like furniture, tools, and larger kids’ toys, near the edge of the driveway to attract passersby.
BE SURE TO PRICE EVERYTHING. People are often too shy to ask. Attract people with balloons and banners. And have a “free” box prominently placed.
DON’T FORGET THE LITTLE THINGS. Make sure you have enough change, especially ones and fives, and a calculator handy. Have bags and newspaper for packing breakables. Play upbeat music on your boombox. Have lemonade and popcorn for sale to prolong browsing. Hand out free candy to kids if okay with parents.
COUNT YOUR CASH AND CONSIDER DONATING. After the sale, donate the leftover items to charity rather than returning them to your house. Many charities will pick up all unsold items.
And if you're a busy mom
(or dad), you'll love
this great guide:
Getting organized is the key to keeping busy parents sane. As a professional organizer (and mother of two active boys), Sara Pedersen shares her favorite tips and easy processes to guide you to an organized, efficient, happy life. This 32-page booklet will teach you to organize your time, your clutter, your kids, and the abundance of paper and other things in your busy life.
