Greetings! With a condo refresh project going on, and a family home to manage, I use the following ten tips to help me in my quest to stay organized:
- Designate a place for everything that’s worth keeping, and get rid of clutter that may claim a place as soon as possible. The risk of not getting rid of the clutter right away is it will become part of our home and will accumulate over time.
- Return things to their “home” location after each use. This habit keeps things in their designated spots and makes it easy for me to retrieve them when I need them.
- Make it convenient for my family to stay organized. For example, I have a basket in the hallway for quick pick-ups and drop offs of keys, hats, gloves, sunglasses, etc.
- Label clearly. I label whether it’s a file, a bin, or a box so I know what’s in it at a quick glance. On some of my storage boxes, I even tape a picture of the contents at the front of the boxes.
- Use a calendar or a planner. I use my electronic calendar and colour codes extensively so I can keep track of my daily activities.
- Create a list or check list. I usually use a list when I go grocery shopping. For repetitive activities such as travel, I create a travel checklist and use it every time I’m getting ready for a trip. I may modify it based on the destination, local weather forecast, and the trip duration but the essentials are pretty much the same.
- Group relevant or similar things together. I keep a folder for each travel itinerary including air tickets, accommodation, transportation info together. In my closet, I keep pants in one section, skirts in another, etc. By doing this I can see what I already have and find it easier to choose what I want to wear. I also organize clothing and bedding by season and keep what’s in season accessible. I live in Toronto where we have distinct seasons so at least twice a year, if not quarterly, we have to change from light clothing and bedding to heavier covers.
- Follow “one in one out” rule as closely as possible. I am not always successful at following this rule but it is on my mind whenever I think about bringing home new things.
- Declutter quarterly or at least twice a year so the clutter does not become overwhelming.
- Buy more “experience” and less “things” to have less physical things to maintain.
