|
De-clutter Your Home in 11 Easy Steps
by: Maria
Gracia Feeling overwhelmed at the thought of organizing your home? Start on a
smaller scale instead and it will be a whole lot easier.
For
example, instead of starting with the entire house, commit to starting with one
room.
Follow these 11 steps, and you're well on your way to an organized
home:
1.
PICK A ROOM -- ANY ROOM. Decide on what room to start on. Write it at the top of
an 8 1/2 x 11 inch sheet of paper. This will be your Action Sheet. Example:
BEDROOM A
2.
CHOOSE AN ENTICING REWARD. Designate an appropriate reward to give yourself on
the Dumping portion of the job. The reward concept serves as your motivation, so
be sure to choose something that you'd really enjoy! Write this reward on your
Action Sheet. Example: Treat yourself to a massage or go out for a nice dinner
-- whatever it is that you love to do. Write it on your Action Sheet.
3.
SET A DEADLINE. Set a specific Dumping Completion Deadline for this one room.
Write it on your Action Sheet. Example: DUMPING DEADLINE: APRIL 30
4.
SCHEDULE TIME TO DUMP. Schedule 3 specific dumping dates (one hour for each).
Hopefully this will be enough to complete the dumping portion of the job. Write
it on your Action Sheet. Then, post the Action Sheet in a prominent place where
you are certain to see it every day, like your bathroom mirror. It will serve as
a reminder of your goal, deadline and pending reward. Example: DUMPING DATES:
APRIL 18 from 8-9A, APRIL 21 from 8-9A, APRIL 24 from 8-9A
5.
KEEP YOUR APPOINTMENT. When the 1st dumping day arrives, keep that appointment,
just as you would any other important appointment. Bring a bunch of large
garbage bags. Play your favorite music in the background.
6.
TIME IT. Set a timer for 1 Hour -- one that sounds off when the hour is
up.
7.
SORT THROUGH IT. Pick up one item at a time, and start dumping. (If you come
across items you want to give to charity, designate a special bag for those
items) Whatever you are going to keep, just put to one side of the room.
8.
DO IT UNTIL THE TIME IS UP. Continue doing this until the timer goes off. If you
prefer to continue, keep going. Otherwise, stop and follow the same procedures
for your next two scheduled dates. Don't let the garbage bags sit there. Make
sure they are thrown out now (or donated), or on Garbage Day at the
latest.
9.
CELEBRATE. Once you've managed to dump everything you don't want or need in that
one room, it's time to celebrate. Take advantage of that reward you
designated.
10.
KEEPING IT ORGANIZED. Now that everything in that room that you wanted dumped is
gone, you're ready to begin putting everything you are keeping back in an
organized manner. Be very careful not to put anything else in this room that you
don't want.
11.
REPEAT. Repeat this process for each of the other rooms in your house.
by
Maria Gracia - Get Organized Now!
http://www.getorganizednow.com
FREE Idea-Pak and E-zine filled
with tips, ideas, articles and more to help you organize your home, your office
and your life at the Get Organized Now! Web site!
==================================
About The Author
Maria
Gracia, owner of www.getorganizednow.com and author of the book, 'Finally
Organized, Finally Free' can help you organize your home, your office and your
life. Visit her Web site at: http://www.getorganizednow.com
getorgnow@wi.rr.com |
™ the
place for family 
