You know those videos you occasionally see, where dominoes have been set up in rows just to fall? The first domino is tapped. It falls and hits its neighbour, which also falls and hits its neighbour. And on it goes, sometimes a huge cascade of them!
You’ve probably come across this effect in your home.
Remember the time you bought that thing, took it home, unpacked it, then wondered where it was going to go?
It wouldn’t fit in the cupboard with all the other things that were like it. But if you move this thing it’ll fit nearby.
But then where does this thing go? Maybe moving all these things will make a space!
It’s the same when you’re organising your stuff or your spaces in your home. It’s one of the things that can make the job seem overwhelming.
It can even STOP you organising!!!
If you find that this is what’s holding you back from sorting your home I have some tips for you:
1. Choose one small space to work on. The top shelf of your wardrobe, one shelf in the garage, or maybe the utensil drawer in your kitchen. Take my word for it – this will help your overwhelm. If you finish it in heaps of time, move onto another small space.
2. Schedule time to sort it out. Make sure you set aside enough time to sort the space you’ve decided to work on. Add a bit more. Get your calendar and write down the name of the space (or type of thing) that you’re going to organise. Get really specific.
3. Think carefully about how you use this thing or this space. Would it be better used for something else?
4. Make a plan. Think carefully about where things that are moving should go. If you can, prepare a space for them.
- Study the stuff in the space.
- Decide what’s staying.
- Decide what’s moving.
- Decide where that stuff is going.
5. Pull everything out. It’s a small space so this is ok – (if it’s a big space, with a lot of things, make sure you have support.)
6. Declutter first. It’s really hard to organise a space that’s packed full. And it’s a waste of your time to make space for things that you don’t even like or use.
7. Create a temporary holding zone for the things you need move. Use big bags or boxes to contain the things that are moving to other spaces. Try to avoid piles of stuff, they’re overwhelming and if you have to stop, they’re going to get in the way or be shoved back in the space you’re trying to sort.
8. Put back only the things that you need to store in that space. Maybe your junk drawer is also the place you keep your receipts, mail and paperwork. Maybe it’s getting totally out of hand! Decide what the space is going to be for and only put back the things that will live there.
9. Make space for the stuff that’s moving. It’s in bags or boxes, so there’s no rush. Make sure you have space to work to move things from the next space. Follow the steps from number 1.
10. Work in stages. You don’t have to re-organise the entire house to perfection in one go. There will be an end point to the moving of things, especially if you stick to small spaces or focus on one kind of thing.
Get decluttered things out of your house ASAP. The last thing you need is stuff cluttering the place up and getting in the way of your organising!
If you want or need to reorganise a large space and have limited time, get some help! You deserve it and it will make the job go so much faster.
Liz.
The Tidy Lady.
Declutter Coach & Tidyness Expert
