De-Clutter and Put Everything in Its Place

Things accumulate. One day the closet is in good shape, the next it looks like a stockroom after the Christmas rush. But staying organized doesn’t have to be an ongoing challenge. It’s just about giving each thing its place—and knowing which things have no place in your life at all. Peter Walsh, author of Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat? reminds us that when it comes to clutter in our lives, everything is connected. Walsh writes, “If one element is out of whack, everything suffers.” The home is a good place to start when making changes that will reverberate throughout the rest of your life. Here are some great ideas on how to stay organized for keeps:

When to De-clutter

Decide how often you’re going to de-clutter a space. Plan to do a little every day and use a timer so you don’t burn yourself out. Cleaning can become compulsive, and chances are, once you get started you’ll want to clean the whole place. Only do a small amount at a time. The space didn’t get dirty overnight and it won’t get clean overnight. Give yourself a break and savor the rewards as each space becomes more and more organized.

Get Equipped

Sometimes we’ll procrastinate on getting organized because we don’t have the right tools on hand to get the job done. For instance, one of the issues with boxing things up is how heavy these boxes become. We fill them up and then we can't even carry them away. That’s where FlyLady.com comes in. The site offers a handy de-cluttering tool kit that includes 3 collapsible nylon mesh bags that expand to stand on their own:

• Put Away (Pink): This is for items that need to be put away in separate rooms and can be carried away to their rightful homes.

• Give Away (Purple): Here’s a chance to bless others with your great taste. Place your give-away items in this bag, tote them out to the car and put them in the trunk. The next time you’re out, you can drop everything off and bring the bag home with you. One good idea is to donate your stuff to the local thrift shop. The value can be deducted at the end of the year on your income tax form.

• Throw Away (Green): Toss in whatever can be recycled or thrown away. Save a step, and place a trash can liner or paper bag in it. Then, once it’s full, you can simply grab the liner or bag out and carry it to your recycle bin or trash can, empty it, and then take the bag back inside with you.

Each FlyLady De-clutter Bag measures 13" L x 13" W x 22" H and can be purchased at www.flylady.com.