Did you know that “Getting Organized” tops the 10 most mentioned New Year’s resolutions? It is no wonder, after all; how can you achieve your goals, master a skill or complete a significant project without first having some form of organization? As a Professional Organizer, wife and mom Lorraine Brock knows full well the peace that “getting organized” brings to our homes
Think about it; with hectic schedules, a permanent toy store in your living room floor, medicine cabinets filled with expired medications, no real plan for dinners and piles of papers that seem to be growing - how does one truly find peace in all the clutter of a disorganized home?
Simply stated there are two things you can do; give-up or give-in to “getting organized.” Let me encourage you to give-in by replacing your Facebook, TiVo, texting, and yes - even volunteering time for one month and make an asserted effort to get organized. You will be so amazed at what you will accomplish. In turn giving your home the quality of life your household needs.
The following three areas are great places to begin organizing during the month of January. Whether you space the effort out over the entire month of January or get them done in record time, make it a priority in your life to “get organized” in 2011.
Kids Toys
Minimize and reduce - Make a new rule going forward that for any new toy that comes in the home, one has to go out.
“Containerize” smaller toys that are like items. For example: All toy soldiers or the accessories for Baby Alive.
Don’t allow your child to have access to all their toys at once. Rotate their toys out every three months.
Consider not making every gift your child opens for Christmas, birthdays, etc. available to play with immediately. Allow them to open the wrapping, but don’t allow them to actually rip open the contents of ten new toys all at once. Instead, allow them to open and play with one toy per month; thereby in essence giving them a new toy each month.
Medicine Cabinets
Make a plan to go through your medicine cabinets every
New Year, clearing out any expired medications (however I
personally keep pain killers even after they are expired).
Next, regarding prescription medications that you did
not finish – tape masking tape to the bottle and make a note
on the tape regarding what the medication is for. I dread
determining what medication is for the moment I or someone
else is sick and needs it right away.
If you have a guest bathroom, be sure to keep
over-the-counter medications in there as well. Guests really
appreciate not having to ask you for cough syrup or headache
medication in the middle of the night.
Manuals/Electronic Accessories
Go through your old manuals and toss any associated with
items you no longer have.
Going forward, staple your receipts and/or extended warranty to
your manuals. This allows for everything to be in one place when
there is a repair.
Use an empty drawer or a plastic tote to store your household
manuals for toys, appliances, games, electronics, etc. Store manuals
that come with extra parts or cords in zip lock baggies; this allows
everything to stay together.
If there are no extra parts, group manuals together in like
categories; kitchen appliances, lawn tools, baby toys, etc. Then
take each category and place in a one or two gallon size baggie,
still keeping all the manuals in a drawer, file cabinet or tote.
Label the front of the baggie so that when you need a manual or a
part, just grab the baggie you need. This beats having to touch each
manual to find the one you want.
Go through your drawer or box of cords, chargers, and cables
matching them up with the devices you still own. If there is no
match or you are unsure, keep them until this time next year in
baggies labeled “unmatched” - then if you have not found what they
go with by this time next year - toss them.
Store accessories you would rarely or if ever use in the baggie
with the respective manual.
Store electronic accessories you use often in a clear shoe
organizer on the back of a closet or bedroom door. Label each pocket
for the device each goes with.
Make these tried and true organizing tips part of this year’s
New Year Resolutions and for each New Year going forward. You’re sure to
keep a handle on the clutter if you do.
Lorraine Brock is Founder and President of “Get Organized!” a
Dallas-based Professional Home Organizing company specializing in
de-cluttering your home and life. A popular media guest, Lorraine has
been on various radio outlets, Good Morning Texas, Good Day Fox and has
been hallmarked on countless local, regional, and national print and
on-line magazines. For more information about Lorraine go to
www.GetOrganized.ws or call 972-841-0738.
