Every available minute is valuable in our world of over-extending oneself in matters of work, family, and even fun. Coming home to an uncluttered house can keep a person in the realm of sanity – able to find stuff and feel comfortable and relaxed without spending time cleaning.
There is definitely a method to the madness in keeping things in order and many tricks to enable anybody to lead an organized and uncluttered life. Stuff that, yeah, maybe we will use “one day” builds and builds until “one day” it has overtaken every space.
Releasing the old so the new can make its way to you is an age-old adage that truly works and can be applied to clearing up a room, garage or even an office.
Sometimes, when having to organize, having an objective person to help with the discarding of things can be a big help. Dawn Rosenmayr has a talent for interior designing and being able to organize a room. She stays foce and relax while keeping the room’s form and function. She lent a few insights on becoming an organized person and little tidbits on what to do to keep clutter from overwhelming your life.
Q: What are the benefits of organizing?
A: Well one of the most obvious is being able to find stuff! Knowing where things are saves time and frustration. It also reduces stress. Having unorganized clutter around can create a low level of tension that goes un-noticed and builds along with all the other every day pressures we encounter. Creating breathing space with a clean and organized lifestyle allows renewed energy to flow through your home.
Q: What are the first steps to organizing a mess?
A: Get rid of stuff. Get three boxes and label them “throw away, give away, store away.” Then start with your drawers, closets and under the beds and place your things in one of the three boxes. The stuff you want to keep place aside to put back after you have finished. Be strong and ask yourself if you really need the item and when was the last time you used it.
Q: How do I not get side-tracked with mini subtasks?
A: Stay focused on the task at hand. Organizing is the subject, not looking through old photos, or going down memory lane with your child’s preschool artwork. When you start to organize, the focus should be on seeing it to the end no matter what juicy tidbit turns up. Be methodical and surgical about it. Set a reasonable time limit to complete each task and keep the time table a priority.
Q: How do I utilize space when organizing?
A: Take into consideration every space available, even if you have to get creative about it. Maybe moving your home office into a closet and installing French doors and wall shelving might get a lot of clutter and bulk out of the way. And you have the ability to shut it all away when you are done. You might want to consider creating a staging area in each room where you collect the items that don’t belong there and after a reaching a critical mass in this staging area, spend a few minutes putting the incoming things away and moving the outgoing things to their rightful rooms. If you have stairs, place receptacles strategically in places to store stuff temporarily so you can carry the accumulated load all in one swoop. Be sure to make it a habit to pick up and bring upstairs or the receptacle might becoming a dumping ground for everything.
Q: Are there any essential organizing supplies that are a must?
A: I suggest investing in attractive storage receptacles. Forget the allure of ugly plastic bins. Use decorative baskets for hats, boots, backpacks and odds and ends sports equipment that tends to land near doorways. Or use an antique or old bureau that you can easily paint and spruce up for holding items that get scattered over couches and chairs. For kids rooms you can organize school supplies in clear containers so things don’t get dumped out when searching for things.
Q: Some quick tips to keeping a room uncluttered?
A: Work at keeping a routine and making it a habit to put things back where you got it. For kids, set up a time such as before bedtime to take 15 minutes to put games, toys, clothes back in their proper bins, drawers, closets.
Q: Any creative suggestions for storing shoes?
A: If you’re short on floor space, one fun way is to use a bookcase to stack your shoes in. Or check out an antique store and look for vintage stuff, like a mail sorter, an old library card catalog or a wall mounted magazine rack to organize your shoes.
Q: Can a professional organizer be a good start to getting clutter uncluttered?
A: Getting organized on your own is not an easy task, especially if you’ve been through major life transitions. A professional organizer offers an objective eye, insightful ideas, accountability and helpful companionship during your organizing journey. You’ll finally have the direction you need to get started and keep going! Once you’re organized, you’ll feel in control, less stressed and full of energy.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Dawn Rosenmayr
714.-78-7783
