Aug 16 2009
De-Cluttering Your Home
Paper Clutter Is the Worst!
Paper can easily get the best of you and your space. The most important thing is to establish an easy-to-maintain system to manage the paper in your office.
Do you have a spot for those incoming bills? Do you have a place to put the newspapers that you don’t have time to read right away? How many magazine subscriptions do you have? Do you actually read those magazines? It will help tremendously if you designate a specific bin, box or basket for your mail, newspapers and magazines. Just as you have a home that you return to at the end of your day, create a home for your paper.
Don’t pick a box or basket that’s too large. Then you’ll be tempted to save several weeks’ worth of newspaper instead of just a few. Remember, there’s no new news in a week-old newspaper.
Watch Out for Large Furniture
Large bulky furniture really clutters up a room, making it harder to feel organized. That huge desk might seem like a good idea, but consider if you’re getting good use out of it, or if it’s become one more place for you to dump stuff at the end of a workday. Select mission office furniture that fits the size of your room. Make sure the size of your furniture meets the size of the room.
Try to follow the “less is more” theory here. Having less furniture is an easy way to create more space and less clutter. For example, to reduce your paper clutter trying get a mission file cabinet to organize your bills and archive your important papers.
Combat Closet Clutter
Like many, do you have no space in your closet? I hear this complaint all the time, but remember that it’s not the closet’s fault. Get your closet in order by following these simple tips.
Has it been a long time since you sorted through your things in your closet? Do this before you do anything else. You’ll be shocked at what you have. The key to a successful clear-out is, if it doesn’t fit or you don’t wear it, then get rid of it.
When you go to put away what’s left, group like items together. It’s nice if you use the same kind of hangers. A great place for additional storage is the inside of the closet door. It’s best to store your frequently used items at eye level or below. Save the higher places for long-term storage items. This is called storing smart, and it will help keep your closet super organized.
To keep your closet tidy, before you purchase that new pair of shoes, consider whether you have room for them. A good rule to follow is the “one in, one out” rule: If something new goes into your closet, then make sure something comes out.