Organize + Energize: Clear the Clutter For the Holidays
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
How many of you shove items in the closet during the holidays just to clear the clutter? You are having guests, but don’t feel like dealing with the disorganization so, in one swoop, you throw everything in the closet. To some, it’s easier to not have to think about it and just hide it. What if you could tackle the project and never have to hide things in the closet again?
How does your home make you feel this time of year? Is it one more stressor you have to deal with? Make a plan and tackle one room at a time. Start with the room that gets the most traffic during the holidays. You’ll never have to stuff items in a closet again.
Follow these 5 steps to clear the clutter and get organized before the holidays:
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTDeclutter, and then organize.
First rule of thumb. You can’t get organized until you declutter. Once the clutter is cleared, you will have a clearer vision of what type of organizing systems you want to work with.
Get the paper out of the kitchen.
Tackle this once and for all and set up systems to help you maintain your organization going forward. The goal would be to get it off the kitchen counter and into a home office or small area in the home dedicated to filing and processing paper. If you can’t get it out of the kitchen, have an area where the paper is contained and organized.
Guest rooms.
Do you have guests staying over this holiday season? Declutter and organize this room. Keep the room airy, light, and peaceful. You want to create a serene atmosphere for your guests. Trust me; they don’t want to be surrounded by clutter.
High traffic areas.
Declutter and organize the areas that your guests will see, especially the entry way. Don’t let a cluttered entry way be the first thing your guests see. They will immediately form an opinion about your home.
Don’t know where to begin?
Walk through your home with a pad and pen and jot down everything that you don’t like about the rooms. Is there a room that you hate to step foot in because it overwhelms you or just the look of it causes you stress? If so, that is the room you want to start in.
Tackle these projects and never again shove items into a closet when guests arrive. You are creating more work for yourself by loading and unloading the closets. Clear the clutter and get organized this holiday season. Up next week: simplify this holiday season.
Kristin Carcieri-MacRae, the founder and owner of Organizing in RI, has always enjoyed finding creative ways to streamline the environment around her. Kristin has appeared on air on www.talkstreamradio.com and Patricia Raskin's Positive Business Radio. Her articles have been published in the Rhode Island Small Business Journal and New England Home Life. Her CD, Organizing Basics, is a 1-hour guide for the person who wants to get organized but doesn't know where to start and is available at the locations listed here. She is also available for organizing workshops.
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