A place for everything (how to organize new things)

A place for everything and everything in its place...

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying a place for everything and everything in its place. That would certainly be ideal wouldn’t it? 

We’ve just come out of the holiday season and if you’re like me you have gifts you’ve received that simply do not have a home. My husband got me a new crock-pot which was very much needed. We have an old crock-pot that I thought we could just throw away, but my husband wants to hang onto it for a while. We do entertain often so 2 crock-pots would be OK, but where on earth am I supposed to store 2 crock-pots?!

This is the challenge we’re going to tackle today whether it’s a kitchen appliance, clothing or toys. The process to figure out how to organize them is the same!

You want to be set up for lasting home organizing solutions, right?  In order to make that happen you’ll have to do something different than you’ve done before or what society tells us.

Instead of letting the new things clutter your spaces, you can follow a simple process to find the best home for each item. In this episode you’ll learn how to find a place for every new gift your family received or new items you buy.

How to find a home for everything

First, ask the question:
Does it replace an item you have or is it something completely new and is being added to what you keep/store?

REPLACING

1. Decide what to do with the old item. (determine the disposition)
   If it is replacing something that you already have, then you need to decide what you can do with the old item. Sell, donate or throw away? These are what I like to call sort categories. When you are organizing any space you have to sort through what is there and make decisions. I have a free home organizing checklist that you can download when you go to www.homeorganizingforbeginners.com. In the checklist I share a few more sort categories with you that will make decluttering your home much easier. The checklist also elaborates on the strategies needed to stay organized. There’s nothing worse than being on that hamster wheel of home organizing. That’s where you organize the same spaces over and over again because what you put in place just doesn’t stick! Again, you can download your free home organizing checklist at www.homeorganizingforbeginners.com.
2. Take action. Donate - where? Sell - how? Throw away.

ADDING

This will be harder obviously. 

1. Where is the item used? What area of your home? Kitchen, bathroom, kids bedroom? I recommend focusing on the function of the item in order to determine the best spot for it.
   When you focus on the function, how you use the item, how often you use it, do others need access too? These are things that help you think logically through what or how to store an item. Also, consider if it is light enough and infrequently used you can go up high, but if it’s heavy and infrequently used you need to think through if you can lift it down or would need help. If others in your home use the item, bring them into the process to help decide where to store it.
2. You can take a quick look in the area you use it. Are there things that you know you want to throw away? Throw them away now to make some space.

When you take a moment and think about each individual item, where and how it is used, your organizing or storage strategy becomes more clear.

Are you to the point where you just want someone to come into your home to get it clean and organized?

I get it. Daily life so easily has us feeling like we’re running around like chickens with their heads cut off. What if you could learn how to clean and organize your home in a truly effective and lasting way? In the online course Home Organizing for Beginners that is exactly what I teach you. It’s so important when cleaning and organizing your home to consider how you and your family live life each day. It’s a must to set yourself up for success with a home that you can whip back into shape anytime life gets out of control.

Home Organizing for Beginners will give you:

• Confidence in your ability to organize your own home. Allow your new found confidence to show your children that they can be organized too. (even though they’ll fight you on it!)
• Fool proof steps to creating a clean and organized home that you will be proud to welcome others into even when they stop in unannounced.
• Time to spend how you choose. For me the extra time has been spent with the Lord. This has helped me bring true peace and joy into my home.

To learn more go to homeorganizingforbeginners.com.