Please tell me your best organization tips!

[kyra's mommy]

I am not a natural born organizer. I'm a natural mess. I don't give in to my messiness, I work hard at staying clean, but I think my life would be so much easier if I got some advice from the people who have the organization gift.

For instance, I have never known what to do with all my kids school papers. Then I work with this girl and she says in passing that she stores all her kids papers in one of those accordian style receipt folders. One for each year. Well ofcourse that's a great idea, so simple and yet I would have NEVER thought of it.

So if anyone has any other good tips, I would LOVE and be so GRATEFUL for them!!

 

[snowywhite89]

I am not a natural born organizer. I'm a natural mess. I don't give in to my messiness, I work hard at staying clean, but I think my life would be so much easier if I got some advice from the people who have the organization gift.

For instance, I have never known what to do with all my kids school papers. Then I work with this girl and she says in passing that she stores all her kids papers in one of those accordian style receipt folders. One for each year. Well ofcourse that's a great idea, so simple and yet I would have NEVER thought of it.

So if anyone has any other good tips, I would LOVE and be so GRATEFUL for them!!

1) Get rid of an item the moment it is not longer needed, works, fits, is in season, etc.

2) Never store an item in a room it is not used in.

3) School papers - Do not keep everything. Pick the highlights for that year and dispose of the rest.

4) Never save anything for the kids to use when they have kids. They never want it and will never take it.

5) Every thing needs a place and should be put back there when not being used. Only keep clothes that fit in your closet and dressers. Only keep the ornaments that fit on your tree. Only keep the dishes that fit in your cabinets.

 

[#1hoosierfan]

You can't possibly keep all of the art projects that they bring home. Some are quite large. Keep your absolute favorites, and take a picture of the rest before tossing them. You can then create a photo collage of the art work at the end of the year if you so desire.

 

[kyra's mommy]

Oh, I wrote "all the papers" when I meant the highlights. I agree you can't keep all your kids papers, lol. Sorry.

 

[GAGirlInVA]

Declutter, declutter, declutter.

I regularly purge things in our home and it really shows.

Put things where they make sense for YOU. For example: My daughter(7) unloads our dishwasher. Plates are in a lower cabinet, where SHE can reach them.

Likewise, she sets the table. So they are convenient for her.

 

[akcire]

1. Do you need it?
2. Do you want it?
3. Does it help you make money?

If you can't answer yes to one of the three above questions--get rid of it. Most people are only disorganized, because they truly have too much stuff.

Also paper that comes into the house gets put in a pile and touched once. We switched many of our bills to e-bills. I really don't think I need an electric bill from 3 years ago, and if I do I can see it online. Sorry retailers, but catalogues and junk-mail hit the recycling bin in the garage--they never even make it into the house.

Think about how much homes have "grown" in the last 50 years, and yet families are generally smaller. It is because most people have too much stuff. I have been very guilty of this in the past (worked a part-time retail job where I got great stuff cheap or free), but have since mended my ways. It is much easier to keep my house organized and clean when I have a smaller amount of stuff. Any time I find myself starting to accumulate "stuff" I just take a step back and re-access. Seriously, watch an episode of Hoarders and it will make you want to purge.

 

[Smile&Nod]

If you haven't heard of or checked out www.flylady.net take a look at it! They have lots of tips to help you keep yourself organized but a lot of it does stem from too much stuff. You can't organize clutter!

The other thing to do is when you get something new - take out that many old things - I received 4 new tops for Christmas - before I can put them in the closet I had to remove 4 pieces of clothing that I don't wear - still good but being donated to a clothes closet.

 

[cheriemek]

Store your sheets as a set folded in one of the pillow cases. When you need to make the bed, everything is together.

When you go on vacation, put each entire outfit into a ziplock bag - socks, underwear, everything. Child just pulls a bag out of the suitcase. Good for you when packing too since you know you have enough of everything, and what matches.

 

[dsneybride]

Store your sheets as a set folded in one of the pillow cases. When you need to make the bed, everything is together.

When you go on vacation, put each entire outfit into a ziplock bag - socks, underwear, everything. Child just pulls a bag out of the suitcase. Good for you when packing too since you know you have enough of everything, and what matches.

I like both of those ideas...thank you!

 

[happily single]

I am by no means an organized person, but I am trying.
Right now to stay on top of receipts I simply carry a white mailing envelope with me. When I get a receipt it goes into the evenlope.

Also, I have a few empty Menmentos gum containers. I keep one in my purse for change. Its the perfect size and doesn't fill up my wallet.

 

[lukenick1]

Hang a shoe organizer over the basement door or a pantry closet door, and store misc things in the pockets. I have envelopes, markers, thank you cards, rulers, paint brushes, etc in mine. You could also store saran wrap, foil, ziploc bags etc in each pocket. Very organized. I also use one in the bathroom for toiletries, make-up etc.

 

[johnsontrio]

The paper shredder is your friend. Sort your mail daily right next to it and shred everything you don't need immediately. Empty the shredder into the paper bags used for yard clippings and when it is full, go deposit it into the paper recycling containers at the nearest church or school. They get money for that and you get the benefit of a neater home.

Designate a place for all receipts. At the end of each billing cycle, check the receipts against your statement. This also works for bank receipts. Keep the ones you need in an envelope and move them into a monthly accordion file. Shred the ones you don't need. When you file the current month, toss out the ones from that month last year.

If you have more than one child, label a file folder for each child and keep all their papers in their folder regarding schedules, upcoming events, etc..

I like using small 1-2 inch binders to keep a manual of sorts for different things. I have one for recipes I repeatedly use that are printed from the internet. I have one for all reference material from DD's school.

I have one that has all the information someone else will need if I am away from home and they are taking care DD or the dog.

Designate a particular place for outgoing mail and library books etc.. to be placed.

Get a bin for each person in the house and put it in the closet nearest the door. Use it for gloves etc.. and anything that they leave laying around. For example, if my DD asks where her iPod, wallet, rec pass, etc are, I tell her "if I saw it I put it in your bin".

Keep a file handy for medical receipts, utilities and charitable receipts and place those in their respective folders ASAP.

Designate a basket for all papers that need to be filed and put them in there ASAP.

If you have younger children you can keep all your medications in a fishing tackle box and put a lock on it.

Good Luck!

 

[johnsontrio]

Hang a shoe organizer over the basement door or a pantry closet door, and store misc things in the pockets. I have envelopes, markers, thank you cards, rulers, paint brushes, etc in mine. You could also store saran wrap, foil, ziploc bags etc in each pocket. Very organized. I also use one in the bathroom for toiletries, make-up etc.

We use that when we vacation but that would drive me crazy to have to look at that all the time. Maybe on the back of a door to a craft room or kids play room.

 

[lukenick1]

We use that when we vacation but that would drive me crazy to have to look at that all the time. Maybe on the back of a door to a craft room or kids play room.

Thats what I meant "on the inside of a door". I would never want this as part of my decor

 

[DLB]

Great tips! I am going to use a lot of these ideas to help organize my house!!!

 

[cbg1027]

I think the biggest piece of advice is that everything needs to have place, and you have to keep it in it's place when you're not using it.

My mom (and me to an extent) are uber organized people. (OK so maybe we're a little OCD...).

Credit Card receipts go in a specific file in a specific drawer. When my statement comes, I check to make sure what is on the bill I have a receipt for. Once I pay that bill, the receipts for the purchases on it get thrown out.

The bill gets saved in another file so I know it was paid. Once a bill is a year old, I shred it.

I use that system will all bills.

A lot of people have disorganized bathrooms because there isn't much in the way of good organizational space. I bought plastic bin drawers and out those in the cabinet under the sink. Each drawer is for certain kinds of items. You could even get a label maker and label things like the drawers. I have a drawer for makeup, a drawer for contact care items, a medicine drawer, etc.

It really comes down to deciding where everything should 'live' and making a commitment to stick to that.

Shoes go __________. When you put them on, you take them from that spot. When you take them off, make sure they get put back in that spot right then, not later. 'Later' becomes never and the shoes are all over the house.

4) Never save anything for the kids to use when they have kids. They never want it and will never take it.

Sorry, but I strongly disagree with that one. I wouldn't save everything, but there are some quality things I played with as a child that my niece and nephew are now using. Things like my American Girl Dolls, and some kid sized furniture my father made.

My mom always laments that her mother didn't save her original Barbie Doll!

 

[dreamin_disney]

5) Every thing needs a place and should be put back there when not being used. Only keep clothes that fit in your closet and dressers.

I cleaned my room today and I have a pile of 10-15 jeans that i nolonger fit in. I was saving those for when i lose weight-lol! When i added a few more to the pile I realized, who the heck am i kidding. I will never fit into those again! I do plan on saving those until March. I figure I will get rid of those and try selling those at my yardsale with the other stuff I need to get rid of. Anything that doesnt sell will get donated.

1. Do you need it?
2. Do you want it?
3. Does it help you make money?

If you can't answer yes to one of the three above questions--get rid of it. Most people are only disorganized, because they truly have too much stuff.

Also paper that comes into the house gets put in a pile and touched once. We switched many of our bills to e-bills. I really don't think I need an electric bill from 3 years ago, and if I do I can see it online. Sorry retailers, but catalogues and junk-mail hit the recycling bin in the garage--they never even make it into the house.

I like the 3 rules you have. I had a yardsale awhile back and was surpised how much $$$ I made with stuff i no longer used, fit into or juat had piled away. DH hates having yardsales but was happy with the $350 we made.

The paper shredder is your friend. Sort your mail daily right next to it and shred everything you don't need immediately. Empty the shredder into the paper bags used for yard clippings and when it is full, go deposit it into the paper recycling containers at the nearest church or school. They get money for that and you get the benefit of a neater home.

This is one of our biggest problems. Dh gets two newspapers and brings in the mail. It all goes straight on the coffee table. Drives me nuts!

I also need to have the shredder in a place thats easy to get to so I can shred all those creditcard offeres and checks i get in the mail. I have a huge bin of old bills i need to shred and another huge pile in my craft closet. I dread thinking about it.



I also have junk drawers. one in the kitchen, 2 in diningroom cuiro cabinet and 3rd one in the diningroom. Hallway clothes I do have stuff in plastic tubs but my cltohes is still to pack.

Where should one start first?? I've tried flylady but cant keep up when I'm not on vacation and the e-mails were way to many. I think its been several years since i've tried.

To the poster who said watch hoaders, its so true. Everytime i watch it I wanna get up and clean, not trying to be funny . I guess its overwhelming not knowing where to start and my home isnt a mess ,the mess is hidden in closets, tubs...etc-lol!

 

[buzz5985]

I cleaned my room today and I have a pile of 10-15 jeans that i nolonger fit in. I was saving those for when i lose weight-lol! When i added a few more to the pile I realized, who the heck am i kidding. I will never fit into those again! I do plan on saving those until March. I figure I will get rid of those and try selling those at my yardsale with the other stuff I need to get rid of. Anything that doesnt sell will get donated.



I like the 3 rules you have. I had a yardsale awhile back and was surpised how much $$$ I made with stuff i no longer used, fit into or juat had piled away. DH hates having yardsales but was happy with the $350 we made.




This is one of our biggest problems. Dh gets two newspapers and brings in the mail. It all goes straight on the coffee table. Drives me nuts!

I also need to have the shredder in a place thats easy to get to so I can shred all those creditcard offeres and checks i get in the mail. I have a huge bin of old bills i need to shred and another huge pile in my craft closet. I dread thinking about it.



I also have junk drawers. one in the kitchen, 2 in diningroom cuiro cabinet and 3rd one in the diningroom. Hallway clothes I do have stuff in plastic tubs but my cltohes is still to pack.

Where should one start first?? I've tried flylady but cant keep up when I'm not on vacation and the e-mails were way to many. I think its been several years since i've tried.

To the poster who said watch hoaders, its so true. Everytime i watch it I wanna get up and clean, not trying to be funny . I guess its overwhelming not knowing where to start and my home isnt a mess ,the mess is hidden in closets, tubs...etc-lol!

Give flylady another chance. The emails are only reminders - once you read them once - you never have to read them again. Just read the subject line and delete. What's for dinner?? No need to read the email. It is an amazing system she has going. Do I do it all?? No - but my house is now clutter free, I have only 1 junk drawer for DH, I don't have laundry that needs to be done - since I do a load a day.

Plus with flylady - you just jump in wherever they are at that given week. So this week is Zone 5 - the living room. Take 15 minutes and declutter. If it's one drawer that you do - then you just do that one drawer today. It's just 15 minutes a day. If you set a timer - I can't believe what I can actually accomplish in 15 minutes.

Good luck.

Janis

 

[hlkeck]

I expected to click on this and find 2 pages of "Flylady.net"!, not 2 posts! I'm going to second...er...third...the flylady.net mention. She has gotten my life so organized that at my family Christmas this year, my sister in law actually came over and said "You are a different person. You're all calm and you seem to have control of your life. Last year, I wasn't sure how you were living your life day to day". That was a great compliment, although it concerned me a bit that I was that stressed out last year.

 

[dreamin_disney]

Give flylady another chance. The emails are only reminders - once you read them once - you never have to read them again. Just read the subject line and delete. What's for dinner?? No need to read the email. It is an amazing system she has going. Do I do it all?? No - but my house is now clutter free, I have only 1 junk drawer for DH, I don't have laundry that needs to be done - since I do a load a day.

Plus with flylady - you just jump in wherever they are at that given week. So this week is Zone 5 - the living room. Take 15 minutes and declutter. If it's one drawer that you do - then you just do that one drawer today. It's just 15 minutes a day. If you set a timer - I can't believe what I can actually accomplish in 15 minutes.

Good luck.

Janis

I just signed up. I'm off for 2 weeks so this will be a good start. Is it hard getting kids and spouse on board?

I expected to click on this and find 2 pages of "Flylady.net"!, not 2 posts! I'm going to second...er...third...the flylady.net mention. She has gotten my life so organized that at my family Christmas this year, my sister in law actually came over and said "You are a different person. You're all calm and you seem to have control of your life. Last year, I wasn't sure how you were living your life day to day". That was a great compliment, although it concerned me a bit that I was that stressed out last year.

When I have to much clutter in my spare room I feel stressed out that I avoid going in there. When i'm stressed at work and have no control of the situation I find myself coming home and organizing. It my way of having control but its also bad cuz it means i'm super stressed out.
I told dh today we need to go through everything and have a yardsale in March.