Five Steps to Get Rid of Clutter

Following are steps to guide you through an organizing project:

1. Sort – Set up labeled containers: trash, donate, move to different area, along with categories specific to your needs, for example: toys, arts & crafts, clothing, etc. As you are sorting, anything you definitely won’t use, put in trash or donate now.

Now take each of your specific categories and sort it further. Sort the toys into dolls, doll accessories, building blocks, dress-up, cars, etc

2. Purge – This is getting rid of duplicates, items missing parts, and items you don’t have a need for. Now that you’ve sorted you see six black sweaters. You wear three of them. Now is the time to get rid of the others.

3. Assign a home – Determine where each item will go in the space. Put it as close to where it will be used as possible.

4. Containerize & Label – Use containers to hold small items. You’ve sorted & assigned a home. Now chose containers that are the appropriate size for the category as well as fit in the area selected as “home”. Label the containers or shelves, so everyone will know where items belong.

5. Equalize – Make maintaining the order a part of your routine. Put things back when done to keep the space organized.

Adapted from “Organizing from the Inside Out,” by Julie Morgenstein