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An Organized Home Creates a Comfortable,
Welcoming, Relaxing Space

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"It's more than just a dream...you can create a home that is well organized, attractive and welcoming"

An organized home is something many of us only dream about.

Our lives are busy, sometimes stressful, and many times there just aren't enough hours in the day (if only I didn't need to sleep...think about how much more productive I could be!)

Some things inevitably suffer, and one of those things is taking care of the house, putting everything in its appointed place, and generally keeping up with an organized home.

Organized Home

In fact, it can get to the point where you look around your home and feel kind of hopeless about ever getting things organized.

Don't despair, for you, too can have an organized home.

Here are six simple actions you can take that will put you on the road to organization!

1. Remember that you can only accomplish so much in a day, and you are not, I repeat not, going to organize your entire home in 24 hours. So let that one go right now.

Take one room at a time so the task is not overwhelming. Choose the room that is most important to you in terms of getting organized and straightened out. That decision will be different for everyone, so there is no right or wrong answer.

Organize My Home

Once you have made the choice,

2. Make an appointment with yourself and set aside at least 2 hours of time to begin the process of getting this space organized.

Put the appointment on your calendar if you have to, and actually I would suggest it. Be serious in your commitment to having an organized home. Do not cancel or reschedule this appointment. If you're serious about getting organized you'll actually look forward to it!

Keep in mind that you probably won't be able to get through the rest of these steps in two hours or less unless your space is small and/or in fairly good shape. But we'll discuss the entire process now so you can plan ahead.

3. During your 'appointment time', go through every drawer, closet, shelf, things taking up space on the floor, etc. and consider each item and decide if you are going to use it.

Here is the general rule: if you have not used this 'thing' in at least one year, let it go. It is taking up valuable storage space.

Organize My House

Put it in one of two piles; the Giveaway pile and the Throwaway pile. I would not advise creating a 'We'll have a garage sale' pile...you know what will happen with that one, don't you?

Of course, there are exceptions to the general rule, such as collectables, family heirlooms, some kitchen items and tools, etc. Use common sense, but be hard on yourself - if this item doesn't really serve a purpose, let it go. You probably haven't thought about this thing in who knows how long, so there is a really good chance you'll never miss it.

4. Now for the items that remain.

Consider each piece and decide if it really belongs in this room according to it's use and/or function. If the decision is no, it belongs in another room, take it to that room or space. Don't leave it in the room you are working in.

The items that should reside in this room are things that are related to the space that you have used in the last year.

5. Okay, now you've cleaned out the junk, removed things that don't belong in this space and are making real progress toward your organized home!

This is a critical point. Assess what is in this space in relation to the available storage. You don't want to end up with the same disorganized situation that you started with.

Put similar things together in terms of function, color, size, etc., and store as to how often you use them. For example, if you use something in this room daily or several times a week, put it in a drawer that is easily accessible.

Now, step back and look at your space from a new perspective. Would this room benefit from a shelving unit of some kind? Would exposed shelving be a good idea in this space? Or do you need more area 'behind closed doors?' How about drawer space?

Organized Home Think about the kind of storage you need and the space available for it. You might benefit from rearranging the furniture.

There are two reasons for this. One, it may open up some space to bring in another storage resource. Two, if this room is too full of furniture it may still look cluttered and disorganized after all of your hard work. We don't want that!

Here are some ideas for furniture arrangement.

6. Your ultimate goal is to keep the items in this room that serve a purpose and function. Each storage area should have enough room for you to see what is in it. Don't stuff everything back in, slam the drawer shut and say "there, now I have an organized home".

The idea is to be able to actually find what you put away! So don't overfill drawers, shelves, etc. Your goal is to be able to actually see everything in the drawer, closet, etc. without having to fight your way through it. This is a critical point in having an organized home.

If you could benefit from additional resources to help you in your quest to become organized in your home, take a few minutes to see what Organize.com has to offer.

From organizers to shelving to storage boxes for every room in your home (including the garage), organize.com has over 20,000 products to help you create a space that will hold all of the necessary items, look great, serve a function and help you create that organized home!

Now, repeat these simple steps for each room and space in your home, be diligent, and before you know it you will have an organized home!



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