Many people are baffled and confused and cannot imagine what they need to do to be organized.   Today, I want to help you start to think about some guidelines to follow when you are attempting to get and stay organized.

1.  KNOW THY SELF.  Those that are organized tend to know themselves very well.  They are in tune with how to access information and products to create storage systems that reflect their preferences. They know how to simplify tasks to maintain order.  They know how they prefer to work and live. They are clear about what they need and don't need.  They know what they want in life and their priorities.  Time and time again, I have worked with my clients to help them identify these aspects which are the foundation for getting and staying organized.  

2.  YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE PERFECT.  There is a misconception out there that if you are organized, you are perfect in every aspect of your life.  I am here to tell you that is not true!  No one is organized in every aspect of their life, every day of their life.  We all fall off the organized wagon from time to time (even me!). The difference is, organized people accept this as part of the process and simply get back on the horse and start again.  If you are organized to begin with, it is easier to get back on track.  

3.  A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING, AND EVERYTHING IN ITS PLACE.  I credit my paternal grandmother for teaching me this adage.   When you have a place to store your items, they have a home.  If something doesn't have a place to be stored, you cannot put it away.   Every coat or jacket needs a hanger to hang it on.  If you don't have a hamper, your dirty clothes will land on the floor.  Store items where you tend to use them most often and it will be easy to put them away and retrieve them when you need them.

4.  CREATE ROUTINES.   Organized people have routines throughout the day.  Clear your desk at the end of your workday.  Create a to-do list for the following day.  Lay out your clothes for the next morning.  Routines create stability for actions that need to be attended to regularly.  

5.  FINISH THE TASK.  Those that are organized know that the laundry is not done until the clothes have been folded and put away.  Dinner is not done until the table has been cleared and the dishes have been loaded into the dishwasher or washed by hand.  Wrapping a present is not done until the supplies - scissors, tape, wrapping paper - have been put away.  You are not finished until the task has been done to completion.  

6.  ANYONE CAN BE ORGANIZED IF THEY WANT TO.  Being organized is a skill set.  Anyone can learn tools to get and stay organized.  Although it can come more easily to some, it does not mean it is not achievable.  Being organized takes practice and maintenance.  

If you are overwhelmed by your clutter and want to learn what it takes to get and stay organized, don't hesitate to contact me.  I can show you, no matter where you are in life, how you can acquire the tools you need.

In the meantime, happy organizing! 

No, not me, but many of you are "moving on".  You are getting ready to move out of your current house, condo or apartment and into a new home.  

Sometimes we are happy about the move, sometimes not.  We might be leaving behind great neighbors, a home we grew up in or the first home we bought when we moved out of our parents home.  Sometimes we have raised our children in the home but it no longer serves our needs  Sometimes we are moving because we need to relocate to another city or state for a new job or it's time to downsize (or upsize).  There are so many different reasons that we decide to move.   

And talk about stress!  Moving is one of the more stressful things we do in our lives.  There is so much to do!  There is so much to prepare, but not to worry.  If you create a plan, you will be able to more easily transition from one home into another.  

Here are some steps you can take to make sure that you have a "smooth move".  

1. This is a great time to declutter.  It's amazing how the thought of moving all that stuff gets us to re-evaluate our possessions and begin to focus on how we can declutter so that we do not have to take it all with us.   This is so important to do.  Do you really want to spend the time now throwing all of your stuff into boxes, paying the moving company to move it and then have to weed through it when you get to your new home?  Do yourself a big favor and do it before you move so that you can be sure that what you are taking with you is what you really want to keep.  

2. Select the right type of box for your item.  Moving various things involves using various types of boxes.  Although moving companies have great heavy duty boxes and wardrobe boxes, you can also collect boxes from local liquor stores or supermarkets.  These smaller boxes work well.  The divider inserts in the liquor boxes are great for transporting alcohol or other glass bottles you might have in your kitchen.  (If you are moving across state lines, be sure to check the regulations for transporting alcohol.)  Produce boxes from the supermarket tend to be heavy duty and have handles on each side to make it easy to carry.  Check into purchasing used boxes to save money. There is a store near me in Doylestown, PA called Box-It that is great for this purpose.  

3. Divide and conquer.  When packing boxes, consider dividing them up into categories.  Besides the items you are packing and taking with you, you might have charitable donations, giveaways, items to sell or trash.  Try to use different types of containers/boxes/bags for these various categories.  Do not use a trash bag to pack up items to move.  You might very easily throw the bag away, thinking it is trash when it's not.   

4.  Label, label, label.  You cannot be too careful.  Clearly label all sides of a box with not only the contents, but which room the box should be moved into when you arrive at your new home.  This will make it easy for the movers to put the box in the right room, saving you from having to physically move a box from one room to another.  

5.  Color coding.  Whenever I have moved, I not only labeled the boxes but labeled the bedroom doors and other areas of the home using "color coding" on the boxes to match.  Inexpensive round sticky labels work well.  I found this to be a great tool for the movers.  It avoided them having to ask what goes where.  They were able to do it on their own, saving them time and, therefore, saving me money.   

6.  A room at a time.  When packing, set a goal.  For example, pack the living room on Monday, the kitchen on Tuesday, the garage on Wednesday, etc.  Focusing on one room at a time will reduce the feeling of overwhelm.  

If you are thinking about moving some time this year, now is the time to start preparing.  If you are feeling overwhelmed with the thought of decluttering and organizing the move, feel free to contact me. I am here to help make sure you have a "smooth move".

In the meantime, have a great week!