This thread isn't for the perfectly organized people out there. It's for us normal slobs who are doing the best they can. I want to know your "cheats". In other words, what works for you as far as getting/staying more organized and less cluttered?
I have people compliment me often on how organized and efficient I am, which is so funny because I am very cluttered and pretty random (mentally, at least).
Here are a few things that help make me look more organized than I really am:
I do the first things first. If I have something that needs to be done for tomorrow, then I work on that. I don't go off and do something that needs to be done next week. If I've got nothing going on or am finished with higher priority stuff, then I might work a bit on something for later.
I'm a huge paper clutter person. I set the papers down and they grow into a huge pile. I always know exactly where important papers are, but it's usually a matter of going through a whole pile to find them. And since one of my most used piles is in the kitchen as you enter my house, it gets unsightly and drives my DH nuts. Recently, I read a tip that said, get a box for these papers and go through the box every day. I bought a plastic dishpan (open plastic box slightly bigger than 8 1/2 x 11), put my kitchen pile in it and put the dishpan in my coat closet, where it's near at hand, but no one has to look at it. Now, when I have a few minutes, I take out the box, go through a few of the papers, file some, throw out others, shred what needs to be shredded. When the pile in the box got low, I started adding a few (not so many that I get overwhelmed, though) papers from other paper piles in my house. In about a week, I've gotten rid of A LOT of my paper clutter.
For dishes, I try to keep on top of them, but ALWAYS seem to have some dirty dishes sitting on my counter (I don't put them in the sink because then I can't use the sink). It was driving DH and I both nuts... him because he hates clutter and me because dishwashing could become a full-time endeavor and I still didn't feel like I could keep the counter clear at all times. I finally resolved to get the counter completely clean (all dishes washed) just once a day on most days. That's working much better for me. The counter is clear (and washed down) once a day but I don't have to stress about it all the time.
Honestly, between the pile of papers and dishes, my kitchen is looking MUCH better and I'm starting to think about getting other areas in my house organized/decluttered. So, what are your hint/tips/cheats?
I have people compliment me often on how organized and efficient I am, which is so funny because I am very cluttered and pretty random (mentally, at least).
Here are a few things that help make me look more organized than I really am:
I do the first things first. If I have something that needs to be done for tomorrow, then I work on that. I don't go off and do something that needs to be done next week. If I've got nothing going on or am finished with higher priority stuff, then I might work a bit on something for later.
I'm a huge paper clutter person. I set the papers down and they grow into a huge pile. I always know exactly where important papers are, but it's usually a matter of going through a whole pile to find them. And since one of my most used piles is in the kitchen as you enter my house, it gets unsightly and drives my DH nuts. Recently, I read a tip that said, get a box for these papers and go through the box every day. I bought a plastic dishpan (open plastic box slightly bigger than 8 1/2 x 11), put my kitchen pile in it and put the dishpan in my coat closet, where it's near at hand, but no one has to look at it. Now, when I have a few minutes, I take out the box, go through a few of the papers, file some, throw out others, shred what needs to be shredded. When the pile in the box got low, I started adding a few (not so many that I get overwhelmed, though) papers from other paper piles in my house. In about a week, I've gotten rid of A LOT of my paper clutter.
For dishes, I try to keep on top of them, but ALWAYS seem to have some dirty dishes sitting on my counter (I don't put them in the sink because then I can't use the sink). It was driving DH and I both nuts... him because he hates clutter and me because dishwashing could become a full-time endeavor and I still didn't feel like I could keep the counter clear at all times. I finally resolved to get the counter completely clean (all dishes washed) just once a day on most days. That's working much better for me. The counter is clear (and washed down) once a day but I don't have to stress about it all the time.
Honestly, between the pile of papers and dishes, my kitchen is looking MUCH better and I'm starting to think about getting other areas in my house organized/decluttered. So, what are your hint/tips/cheats?
