The first step to getting organized and staying organized is paring down your physical possessions to an essential few items. The good news is that this step costs nothing - and can even make you a little money. Sort through that disastrous pile and decide what items you absolutely need to keep. Pitch, donate or sell the rest, and do it fast. Leaving a pile of items "to be donated" will leave you second-guessing your decision to part with that used-to-be-cute yellow purse from two years ago. Act fast to avoid the temptation to reclaim.
My favorite organization technique is giving new life to items that would otherwise be thrown away. Channel your inner grandmother and save those plastic butter tubs and cottage cheese containers. The seal on them make them great for small items such as paper clips and thumb tacks. Not into the logo? Try reusing the glass jars from peanut butter and pasta sauce as pencil and scissor holders. Aluminum cans also make sturdy Storage cups. And for a cute, contemporary salute to Mr. Warhol, go ahead and leave those classic tomato soup labels on the can.
Buying new Storage does not necessarily have to be expensive. Cardboard filing boxes from an office supply store are inexpensive and sturdy. While they leave something to be desired in the aesthetic department, they can easily be covered with cute fabric, extra wallpaper or attractive wrapping paper. Simply measure out a plus-shaped length of material, spray the back with adhesive and adhere. For a little variety in shapes, you can raid the corrugated pile at membership wholesale stores. They have an assortment of box shapes that are intended for product display, which makes them perfect for holding binders, albums, magazines and cook books.
Another great place to look for Storage containers is second-hand shop. To those of you who snub your nose at thrift stores, I have one thing to say: more for the rest of us. Second-hand shops are wonderful places to find slightly used shelving, containers and boxes. Buying reused materials is not only environmentally responsible, but can also have an impact on your local community, as many second-hand stores (such as Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity ReStore and Goodwill Industries) use the proceeds toward positive social change.
Remember to use space wisely. Many people forget to include wall and overhang space in what they consider to be usable Storage. Small screw-in hooks are a wonderful way to take advantage of these areas. Many items, such as scissors, cookware, hot mitts, dustpans and coffee mugs have built-in loops that can be hung from overhangs, walls and the insides of cabinet doors. Also, storing large, flat items (such as cookie sheets and large books) on their sides not only takes up less ground space, but also makes them more accessible. A few tension-style curtain rods, positions between the bottom and top shelf are all you need to create a vertical "rack" for these larger items.
Finally, save your precious storage for ugly items. Bulky appliances, vitamin bottles and toilet cleaners get priority when it comes to being kept out-of-site. Attractive cook books, a neatly folded stack of fluffy white towels or a bouquet of freshly sharpened yellow no. 2 pencils can look down-right artful when thoughtfully displayed.
Always remember getting organized and being organized are not one in the same. While tidiness begets tidiness, it is easy to slip back into those old habits of kicking your shoes off in the middle of the floor and leaving the honey sitting out on the kitchen counter. Simply being more thoughtful in your actions is a cost-free and highly effective way to discover personal tendencies and eliminate messes before they appear.
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