Organize + Energize: 10 Things to do Before You Purchase Organizing Supplies
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
Do you have an overabundance of unused organizing supplies and containers scattered all over your home? Do you get excited when you decide to start an organizing project? Do you rush out and purchase supplies before you even begin your project? Don't do it! Get organized and then purchase your supplies.
Here are 10 things you must do before you purchase supplies.
Get organized first. Empty the area you are organizing. Itemize and categorize everything. Once you can see what you have in front of you, you can decide which container will best suit your needs.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTYou may not need to purchase supplies. You may have a stack of organizing containers stored in the basement from previous projects. Check your inventory before you head to the store.
Recycle and re-purpose containers to save money. You don’t have to spend tons of money on containers. You may have old shoe boxes, business card holder boxes, plastic recycled food containers, or you can be creative and make your own.
Just because it’s pretty doesn’t mean it’s functional. Just because a fancy, colorful container may have caught your eye, doesn’t mean it’s going to be functional in your new space. Sometimes the pretty ones are the most impractical. Don’t let a shiny object distract you from your mission to find the perfect container.
You don’t have to spend tons of money. Stores like the Container Store can be a little overpriced and don’t have sales very often. Stores like Bed Bath and Beyond, Target and Staples will always have sales and coupons you can use. The Dollar Store also has some great organizing containers.
It has to be functional. Purchase containers that best fit what you are going to be storing. There are so many different types of organizing containers out there today. There is a container for everything. Think about what you have and how you can best utilize a container.
Maximize your space. My philosophy is to empty the entire area you are organizing. You can’t get a clear vision of the space you are organizing if you continue to shift items around. Once your space is empty, you can get a better idea of how to maximize your space. Containers will allow you to maximize your space and give you room to store other items.
Measure the space. As you know, not all containers are created equal. Be sure that your container is going to fit the space. There is nothing worse than getting to the store and thinking a container will fit only to get it home and it is the wrong size. Now, you wasted time, energy and money.
Do your research. Plan ahead and search online. Search for the best deals and prices. See what stores have in stock so you aren't running all over the state searching for the container that you want to purchase.
Don’t forget to make a list. Bring your list of things to purchase with measurements on it to the store. Don’t forget to bring coupons if you have them.
Once you have the containers, label them if you must, but it’s your preference. Your family will get in the habit of putting things back if they are labeled. Organize your items into the container as if you were putting a puzzle together. Do not just throw the items into the container. Make the most of the space in the container.
A few months after you get organized, re-evaluate how your containers are working. If the systems aren’t working, don’t continue to work with them. Re-organize and make the systems work for you.
Kristin Carcieri-MacRae, the founder and owner of Organizing in RI, has always enjoyed finding creative ways to streamline the environment around her. She has appeared on air on Patricia Raskin's Positive Business Radio and her articles have been published in the Rhode Island Small Business Journal and New England Home Life. Kristin's CD, Organizing Basics, is a 1-hour guide for the person who wants to get organized but doesn't know where to start. She is also available for organizing workshops. Tune into her weekly radio show, Organize, Energize! on Mondays at 8:30 a.m. on http://www.talkstreamradio.com.
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