Tara Striano
Act Like You're Moving
Say you had to uproot and relocate. What would you take with you? You don't actually have to pack up anything―just set aside the few things that you love and use and see what's left over. "Chances are, you use only 20 percent of your stuff regularly," says Sally Allen, owner of A Place for Everything, an organizing service in Golden, Colorado.
Toss-It Tips
- Envision your home as a prospective buyer might: Uncluttered spaces make the best first impression. They're also a lot easier to keep clean and dust-free.
- Imagine the potential buyer (or, worse, a relative) going through your closets or drawers. What would you not want him or her to see?
- Buy containers and baskets only after you've decided what to keep. This way you'll have a much better sense of the kind of storage you need.
Why It Works
You don't have to get rid of things you love or need―you just have to determine what those things are. If you've ever packed and paid for a move, the motivation for paring down your possessions will be all too clear.
Assess Your Rooms
Walk through your house with a pen and a notebook, writing down the activities that take place in each room and the items associated with those activities. "Then 'purpose' your space," says Vicki Norris, president of Restoring Order, an organizing company in Portland, Oregon. "Note your desired use for each room, even if you are not using it that way currently." Remove anything that doesn't relate to your proposed activity for that space.
Toss-It Tips
- Start with one room, but keep the whole house in mind.
- Think of rooms that have multiple purposes as several smaller areas, so it's clear where items should be returned if they stray. If gift-wrapping is the designated activity for a certain part of the study and you find a spool of ribbon in the kitchen, you'll know exactly where it belongs, and so will other family members.
Why It Works
This strategy lays the foundation for long-term change. "By taking an `aerial view' of your entire home, you'll see how certain activities and their supplies are strewn throughout the home―like paperwork, memorabilia, or toys," Norris explains. Tackling clutter without knowing your priorities can be counterproductive. "People who take a `tidy up' approach are actually rearranging rather than organizing," Norris says. "Sooner or later, the space relapses to its original condition."
Keep reading: Clutter-Busting Secrets of the Pros
Related:
Easy Storage Solutions from A to Z
Organize Your Bookshelves
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