Most of us intend to ‘get organized’, and make resolutions and plans to that effect, but for the majority of us, we never quite get it done. A lot of the problem is not a lack of motivation, but it is lack of a plan. In order to get organized you have to have a plan. So many people decide that it is time to de-clutter and run through their house with trash bags randomly throwing this and that away. Then they look around and feel disappointed and frustrated because they do not see the progress that they had hoped for. From there, it is a short trip back to giving up and things become even more disorganized than before. Don’t despair. No matter how many times you have made the resolution to get organized, this can be the time that you get it right.

           Before you begin, you need to have a plan in place. Don’t aim to get your entire home completely clutter free in the space of a few hours. Be realistic and start with a small job. You will see results and get a better idea of how to tackle some larger jobs. Find a small area of your home that bothers you, such as a bookcase, a small pantry or a junk drawer. Begin there. Before you get started, think about what you want to accomplish. What do you want to use this space for? What should it look like when you are finished? Why does this area frustrate you? Is it because you cannot find anything? Are things out of reach? Is it because there are too many items that belong in other rooms or places? This will help you to decide what you want to use the space for.

           Go through everything in the space. The easiest way to do this is to get a big box or laundry basket and just dump everything in there. Get two containers and a trash bag and start sorting. Everything should go into one of three categories: throw away, give away or trash. Make an honest assessment of what trash is. If it is broken and you have not fixed it for months or years, it is probably trash. The ‘give away’ category includes things that are in good working order but that you don’t use, which can be donated or sold later. Once you have sorted, you can assess how much room you need for what you have left. You may find that after getting rid of a lot of stuff, you have more room than you think. After you have done a few small projects, you can move on to larger areas such as closets or the corner of a room and use the same process. You may be pleasantly surprised to find that once you have a plan, getting organized goes more smoothly than you had imagined.