Feeling overwhelmed at the thought of organizing your home? Start on a smaller scale instead and it will be a whole lot easier.
For example, instead of starting with the entire house, commit to starting with one room.
Follow these 11 steps, and you're well on your way to an organized home:
1. PICK A ROOM -- ANY ROOM. Decide on what room to start on. Write it at the top of an 8 1/2 x 11 inch sheet of paper. This will be your Action Sheet. Example: BEDROOM A
2. CHOOSE AN ENTICING REWARD. Designate an appropriate reward to give yourself on the Dumping portion of the job. The reward concept serves as your motivation, so be sure to choose something that you'd really enjoy! Write this reward on your Action Sheet. Example: Treat yourself to a massage or go out for a nice dinner -- whatever it is that you love to do. Write it on your Action Sheet.
3. SET A DEADLINE. Set a specific Dumping Completion Deadline for this one room. Write it on your Action Sheet. Example: DUMPING DEADLINE: APRIL 30
4. SCHEDULE TIME TO DUMP. Schedule 3 specific dumping dates (one hour for each). Hopefully this will be enough to complete the dumping portion of the job. Write it on your Action Sheet. Then, post the Action Sheet in a prominent place where you are certain to see it every day, like your bathroom mirror. It will serve as a reminder of your goal, deadline and pending reward. Example: DUMPING DATES: APRIL 18 from 8-9A, APRIL 21 from 8-9A, APRIL 24 from 8-9A
5. KEEP YOUR APPOINTMENT. When the 1st dumping day arrives, keep that appointment, just as you would any other important appointment. Bring a bunch of large garbage bags. Play your favorite music in the background.
6. TIME IT. Set a timer for 1 Hour -- one that sounds off when the hour is up.
7. SORT THROUGH IT. Pick up one item at a time, and start dumping. (If you come across items you want to give to charity, designate a special bag for those items) Whatever you are going to keep, just put to one side of the room.
8. DO IT UNTIL THE TIME IS UP. Continue doing this until the timer goes off. If you prefer to continue, keep going. Otherwise, stop and follow the same procedures for your next two scheduled dates. Don't let the garbage bags sit there. Make sure they are thrown out now (or donated), or on Garbage Day at the latest.
9. CELEBRATE. Once you've managed to dump everything you don't want or need in that one room, it's time to celebrate. Take advantage of that reward you designated.
10. KEEPING IT ORGANIZED. Now that everything in that room that you wanted dumped is gone, you're ready to begin putting everything you are keeping back in an organized manner. Be very careful not to put anything else in this room that you don't want.
11. REPEAT. Repeat this process for each of the other rooms in your house.
Get Organized Now!
FREE Idea-Pak and E-zine filled with tips, ideas, articles and more to help you organize your home, your office and your life at the Get Organized Now! Web site!
About The Author
Maria Gracia, owner of www.getorganizednow.com and author of the book, 'Finally Organized, Finally Free' can help you organize your home, your office and your life. Visit her Web site at: http://www.getorganizednow.com
http://www.getorganizednow.com
tidy up service Glenview ..Hasn't time flown? Already we're into the last quarter of... Read More
Have nothing in your houses that you do not know... Read More
The Productive Environment Scorecard?Read the statements below and rate your... Read More
You can get a pretty good idea of the benefits... Read More
Laundry. You sort, you wash, you fold, you blink ?... Read More
One of the hardest things for most individuals working from... Read More
Clutter is a big problem for many people. At a... Read More
Do you use to-do lists? Do you find it satisfying... Read More
Some people seem to be born organized. You probably remember... Read More
Have you ever been totally overwhelmed by a massive task... Read More
Do you feel like you are running around in circles,... Read More
Individuals who are organized in their personal lives most generally... Read More
I recently had a conversation with a friend about clutter.... Read More
Do you ever sit down at your desk buried in... Read More
I followed my boss to a co-worker's cubicle where my... Read More
The National Association of Professional Organizers has dedicated January to... Read More
The word "compartmentalize" means to separate into distinct parts. I... Read More
When you embark on a life transition, the skills that... Read More
Collections are the outward manifestation of a deeply-felt principle or... Read More
If you look at any major organisation, there is this... Read More
Paper1. You may already be in the habit of filing... Read More
Helping people clean out their closet is something I love... Read More
Has your polished mahogany (or modular plastic) desk been buried... Read More
Working for one of the top Marketers online (David Ledoux)... Read More
The store reminded me of a well-worn slipper ? tattered... Read More
full-service cleaning Mundelein ..You start each week with great intentions. You are determined... Read More
Here's a little lesson I experienced while packing boxes for... Read More
Ever feel overwhelmed by all the papers, notices, artwork, and... Read More
(This is the second in a series of three articles... Read More
? Do you feel overwhelmed by all the "stuff" in... Read More
You really can have a successful business and a great... Read More
From time to time I hear this question from an... Read More
In part 1, we discussed a system you could use... Read More
Cindy looks at the calendar and sighs. Ah, the end... Read More
We hear it every day."Buy this product, and simplify your... Read More
The store reminded me of a well-worn slipper ? tattered... Read More
It wasn't long ago that you spent an entire weekend... Read More
Remember when you charged into the office that first day,... Read More
One of the most basic ways to find papers when... Read More
Spring?. Fresh breezes through open windows, sleeping trees come awake... Read More
To make room for new things to come into you... Read More
1. All or nothing thinking/taking on too much." I'm going... Read More
Article excerpted from the new book, "How to Do Space... Read More
Each area of your home has a symbolic meaning with... Read More
It may be difficult to relate saving money with organization... Read More
How do you know if you need to clean out?... Read More
After a long winter, this is the time of year... Read More
An organized living lifestyle can cause you to weed out... Read More
It takes effort to get results, and not just any... Read More
Sometimes major life lessons come from the most unlikely of... Read More
Get Organized - Organization |