5 HOT Tips to Organize Your Space (and Your Life will Follow)

Photo courtesy of Michal Marcol

Are you too busy to organize your home, office or life? Want some tips or inspiration? Being and staying organized takes time and thought. Space, physical or mental, is invaluable and healthy. Recycle, Reuse, Reinvent are keywords and actions. Physical space can bring calm, confidence, and a general sense of well-being. Not everyone has attitude and/or aptitude for organization. Fine, let’s deal with that.

First, a couple typical examples of people being overwhelmed by their lack of time and focus for organization. Next, my FIVE TOP TIPS to get started organizing your space.

I’m helping my overwhelmed neighbor. Despite having boxes, cupboards, storage and space, she cannot organize her possessions. She sees TV programs with people yelling at hoarders. Or discarding and re-organizing without the inhabitant’s participation. She finally overcame her fears because of my sunny attitude. I kept saying “Let me show you. It will be fun!” She’s relieved, but concerned she cannot stay organized.

Her roommate never “thought about how or where she put things.” Her cupboards don’t close because she throws things in haphazardly. Noodles all over a kitchen cupboard because opened bag was upside down. I put the open bag into a rice cooker. I suggested plastic zip bags for now. Health advisers warning us about toxins in plastic food containers. She could pick up glass or acrylic jars or a tall metal tin. I use a liqueur metal box to hold various wooden and bamboo utensils.

FIVE TOP TIPS:

1. IF you do not have time, nor inclination, hire or ask an organized friend to help you. That person MUST involve YOU. You need to keep organized. Or bring someone in, once a month or so, if you cannot stay organized. Do not feel like you are lesser or someone is punishing you for having too much or not being organized. Accept it and deal.
   
2. Easier to sort and discard when someone helping. Can’t sit down and get lost in pile of books or magazines. Working with someone dedicated to clearing your space is important! Not just any friend. Must keep focused.
3. Find someone who is naturally organized on a budget. Organization is cheap! Find boxes, trays, shelves, etc at many discount stores, hardware stores, thrift and yard sales. Use discarded wicker baskets. A pretty red thrift store basket holds my drilling supplies: drill, key, bits, extension cord. Baskets are great for movable items.
4. Do not be impressed by expensive filing or storage system. Fancy color-coordinated expensive storage items don’t ensure successful organization. Will the person help you create, understand and USE whatever system you both devise? Will that person listen and offer suggestions which work with your personality and lifestyle?
   
5. ARE YOU ready and willing to commit to MINDFUL organization of your space and material possessions?

For more tips, pls refer to my ongoing series on Organize Your Space and Your Life will Follow.  More info: pls WRITE me!

Plus these relevant articles:

1. Kari Henley’s Reinvent Your Space and Feel Renewed! Many comments involved a lot of money. I bought floral wire baskets at local non-profit thrift store. Now holding hats. I spent less on hats and baskets than new baskets alone.
2. Greenwala’s Alyssa Dove’s Designing Your Eco-Friendly Home Office utilizes painting, fabrics. Requires more time and money, but useful. Move everything to paint, but think before keeping everything.
3. Live minimally: read Leo Babuta’s A Guide to Creating a Minimalist Home and related posts. Read his The Power of Less: The Fine Art of Limiting Yourself to the Essential…in Business and in Life. I agree w/him in theory. Who is to say the more appealing table is empty but for one book? Don’t think he reads as much as I do, on many topics. My various bookshelves and boxes: always by theme.

POINT: organization comes in many flavors!

Find your comfort level. As the Bauhaus movement taught us: “Less is More.” My art education in action again. Being an artist also helps my being organized. “Create order out of chaos.” I love helping others become more organized. WRITE ME for more info!