- Home >> Lifestyle: Organizers:
Declutter Your Home in
11 Easy Steps
Feeling overwhelmed at the
thought of organizing your home? Start on a smaller scale instead
and it will be a whole lot easier.
For example, instead of starting
with the entire house, commit to starting with one room.
Follow these 11 steps, and
you're well on your way to an organized home:
1. PICK A ROOM -- ANY ROOM. Decide on what room to start on. Write
it at the top of an 8 1/2 x 11 inch sheet of paper. This will
be your Action Sheet. Example: BEDROOM A
2. CHOOSE AN ENTICING REWARD. Designate an appropriate reward to
give yourself on the Dumping portion of the job. The reward concept
serves as your motivation, so be sure to choose something that
you'd really enjoy! Write this reward on your Action Sheet. Example:
Treat yourself to a massage or go out for a nice dinner -- whatever
it is that you love to do. Write it on your Action Sheet.
3. SET A DEADLINE. Set a specific Dumping Completion Deadline
for this one room. Write it on your Action Sheet. Example: DUMPING
DEADLINE: APRIL 30
4. SCHEDULE TIME TO DUMP. Schedule 3 specific dumping dates
(one hour for each). Hopefully this will be enough to complete
the dumping portion of the job. Write it on your Action Sheet.
Then, post the Action Sheet in a prominent place where you are
certain to see it every day, like your bathroom mirror. It will
serve as a reminder of your goal, deadline and pending reward.
Example: DUMPING DATES: APRIL 18 from 8-9A, APRIL 21 from 8-9A,
APRIL 24 from 8-9A
5. KEEP YOUR APPOINTMENT.
When the 1st dumping
day arrives, keep that appointment, just as you would any other
important appointment. Bring a bunch of large garbage bags. Play
your favorite music in the background.
6. TIME IT. Set a timer for 1 Hour -- one that
sounds off when the hour is up.
7. SORT THROUGH IT. Pick up one item at a time, and start
dumping. (If you come across items you want to give to charity,
designate a special bag for those items) Whatever you are going
to keep, just put to one side of the room.
8. DO IT UNTIL THE TIME
IS UP. Continue doing
this until the timer goes off. If you prefer to continue, keep
going. Otherwise, stop and follow the same procedures for your
next two scheduled dates. Don't let the garbage bags sit there.
Make sure they are thrown out now (or donated), or on Garbage
Day at the latest.
9. CELEBRATE. Once you've managed to dump everything
you don't want or need in that one room, it's time to celebrate.
Take advantage of that reward you designated.
10. KEEPING IT ORGANIZED.
Now that everything
in that room that you wanted dumped is gone, you're ready to
begin putting everything you are keeping back in an organized
manner. Be very careful not to put anything else in this room
that you don't want.
11. REPEAT. Repeat this process for each of the
other rooms in your house.
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Author: © COPYRIGHT MARIA GRACIA |
- Maria Gracia, owner of www.getorganizednow.com
and author of the book, 'Finally Organized, Finally Free' can
help you organize your home, your office and your life. Visit
her Web site at: http://www.getorganizednow.com
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ARTICLE POSTED
JULY 28, 2006
ARTICLE SOURCE: Articlecity.com |
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