Getting Organized
Why is it so hard to get organized?
How do I know if I am disorganized?
What are the different styles of organization?
What are the costs of being disorganized?
What are the benefits of being organized?
Well, the biggest benefit you have to being organized is that you now have time that you are not losing by having to find things and fix things, and redo things. As a result of that you get peace of mind. And I think that peace of mind is so important. I mean, how great is it to not be worried about whether you have forgotten something, and not be worried about: did you forget that you have an appointment today; Did you forget to send in a bill; Did you forget to get something done that you have to get done? Or, not worrying about where you have put something, or if you forgot something. These things really can weigh on people. So, when you're organized it's just the sense of lightness and the freedom that comes to you because of that.
Will getting organized cost money?
Getting organized can cost money. I think it really depends on how you want it to look. Nowadays there are so many different options with containers, baskets and boxes that organization almost becomes part of your home decor. But it doesn't have to cost money, as there are shortcuts and other options that you can take. I think the most important thing, whenever you are starting to get organized, is to really figure out what budget you have in mind and work within that, because there are a lot of options, which is what's so great.
Can getting organized help me save money?
Is there a secret to getting organized?
What is the most important area of my home to organize?
What's the secret to making my closets work for me?
A lot of times, people just think of closets as closets. They don't really think of them as a space, or as a separate individual space that exists in your home. I like to think of closets, really, as little rooms. Something that I always tell people that they might want to do, is when you're emptying out your closet because you're about to re-organize it, take a look at the closet itself. Maybe it needs a fresh coat of paint. Nothing makes something look more clean, fresh and new than a coat of paint. So maybe you want to do that. Maybe you need to actually put a light in your closet or put a better light in your closet so that you can see the things in it better. It is always nice to give your closet a little bit of a touch up and just make it look better. Then, when you are putting things back in, you've created a new environment, actually, for your items to go in. A lot of times too, there are a lot of closets in your home that are forgotten. There is always that coat closet that really is more like the junk closet. It has got coats in it but it has also got a whole lot of other things. Take a look at these closets and see how can you better utilize that space. Hang the coats but maybe on the floor of the closet, instead of stacking old gift boxes or whatever else you might have down there, and put some containers in there to hold things that you just don't have any other space for but just to make it a look a little tidier and cleaner. There are just all kinds of little things like that, that you can do that can turn a closet that just looks like a mess into something a lot more manageable and cleaner.
What area of my home can I organize the most quickly?
What's the typical time frame for organizing a 'space'?
Will staying organized take a lot of time and effort?
What can I do daily to get and stay organized?
Can an organizational system be customized for me and my lifestyle?
I think all organizational systems need to be customized, because, let's face it, a generic system is not specific to your needs. The whole idea of having an organizational system is that it's something that works for you, and therefore it has to fit you and your lifestyle. The first thing is to look around your environment and ask yourself what do you see? When I go to a client's home for the first time, I'm looking at everything. I'm trying to see what I can learn about them, from what I see around me. Are they pilers? Are they people who like to keep things in piles? Are things shoved in corners? Do they not like to have anything on surfaces, but everything is shoved inside drawers? I open drawers. I look at everything. I tell people “There are no secrets here.” I'm going to open every closet, and every drawer. I'm doing this so I can learn about them. And based on what I can see, then I know I can develop an organizational system that fits them. And that's what you can do at home too. So if you are someone who likes to have piles, you now know that you have to create a system that incorporates those piles in your life. If you are someone that doesn't want to have anything on surfaces, then you've got to figure out a way to make your drawers work better for you so that you don't have to put anything on top of your cabinets or on top of your desk or dresser. So, you've got to really look around and observe what you see and make use of that information.
How do I create an organizational system that works for me?
What does it mean to put something in 'storage'?
How do I handle things that need to be stored?
What are some unexpected spaces that I can use for storage?
