HOW Did you get organized?

[ml2620]

Taking off on the other thread about how organized you are, I have to ask: How did you get organized?

Did you have a great teacher - parents, grandparents, etc. that taught you how to effectively run a household, did you learn from magazines, trial and error - FV?

I'm hoping someone will say "I was once very disorganized, but then I became organized over time and it's been no problem maintaining it.

My problem is I am very overwhelmed, and I spend too much time wondering how I'm going to get it all done, and where to start. Please share your inspiring organization story!

[Momto2Boyz]

I don't have an inspiring story...but thought I'd share my biggest lesson.

My parents aren't organized people, so I never had anyone to "show" me how to be organized.

But a few years ago, DH and I decided to completely declutter our house. Anything we didn't actively use went out the door. No more knick-knacks (other than some sentimental stuff...his baseball cards, photo albums, etc.). Once we decluttered, organization fell into place easily! Like I said...not too inspiring, but it was the biggest lesson for me, was to keep my house clutter free!

[dogmatix]

I, like you, feel overwhelmed a lot. Lists are my saving grace. They keep me focused and help me let go of the unimportant things.

[imagine]

I think I was born organized. LOL

That said, I still have to reorganize how I do things all the time. Life changes and that means changes on how things are done. There are also time in life when things can't all be done.

[Ceashels]

I was born unorganized. I learned to overcompensate to make it through school so my texts, folders and binders were color coded (even through college). I make charts and lists and post them for that gentle reminder of what should I be doing next.

I have found that once organized I have a much easier time keeping things in their place. So as I redo a closet or shelf I can keep it like that for several months until life gets in the way.

We still have too much crap in our house and I look forward to getting rid of it and that will make things even easier.


I hope.

[nancycg56]

I have been organizing my closet for 3 days now ~ which should give you some indication on how disorganized I am. Three trips for more bins and I am "almost" done.

We are totally reorganizing, painting, redoing our upstairs and our frog so it's going to drive me totally insane here any minute!

[Grainlady]

I heartly agree - decluttering is the key. Getting organized is like the old story about how to eat an elephant - one bite at a time. The big picture is overwhelming, but spending 10-20 minutes on a small project or task is EASY. So focus on one or two things at a time. I think that is a Flylady lesson. She even suggests setting a timer for a project.

I'm a logical thinker, so I'm already wired for organization, not everyone is, and it may have to be a "learned thing". I'm also a do-it-now person, so I don't typically put off doing things. I'm also another list maker....

Organizing tips:

-Put a halt to excessive STUFF. Whatever tends to clutter your life...

-Keep like-kinds of things together.

-If you haven't used it in __________ (period of time), get rid of it (donate it to a worthy cause if possible).

-If something needs mended, fix it a.s.a.p., otherwise get rid of it if you store it THINKING you can fix it, but can't use it.

-A place for everything, and everything in it's place - and the less of it the better.

-Do after-meal clean-up directly AFTER the meal. It takes us approximately 10-minutes. It's just a habit now, no matter HOW tired we might be. It's just too easy to wander off and get busy watching TV or something, if you don't do it NOW.

-Police the area before we go to bed - a 10-minute job that pays huge dividends. Pick up anything that is out of place, put pillows back in place, put a book/DVD away....

-When we're done in the bathroom in the morning, we give the sinks, faucet, doorknob, and countertop a spritz with alcohol/water and wipe everything down. So it's been sanitized, towels changed, and tidy.

-We make the bed as soon as we get up. It takes us 15-SECONDS. Double that if you make it alone. So I never buy the "I don't have time to make my bed" theory.

-I LOVE storage containers of all kinds. It's a good way to keep like-kinds of things together and to limit things in storage. In our hall (linen) closet I limit how much I keep in storage. When the container that stores bars of soap is full, that's all I store. Same for toothpaste, deodorant, etc. So if we need to get a new toothpaste, it's found in that basket/container, not here, there, or someplace else. I know exactly how many I have because they are ALL together in one place.

-Take care of the mail when you bring it into the house. Open everything, place anything that has a "home" IN that home (bills in a bill-paying binder/folder/notebook), everything that goes into the recycling bin goes out to the recycling bin, anything that needs shredded gets shredded.... Conquer that paper clutter before it has a chance to take over your counters/table/desk.

-We have large cardboard boxes that are designed for moving clothing (they have a clothes rod in them, and you can get them at storage places). We used these for moving, but now use them for OFF-SEASON clothes we store in the basement. The clothes on hangers go from the boxes to the closet and vise versa. A lot less hassel than taking them off hangers and folding them and placing them in boxes/containers - and then having to wash them to get the wrinkles out of them from folded storage before you can use them again. Hubby has one box, mine in another, and we have one for coats/jackets. We have one for must have, but little worn clothes, (what I call my funeral/wedding outfits and hubby's little used suits and sports coats, dress shirts) so they don't take up closet space.

-There is one small storage container in the garage we call the "junk box" which holds a hodge-podge of things that don't have a REAL home. You may have a designated drawer for this purpose. Just don't go beyond ONE.

-If you can't remember what's in this box/container of "stuff" in storage just looking at it, you probably don't really need what's in it.

[nuisance26]

~I completely agree with de-cluttering. That is the #1 thing to be organized.
The second is routines. Not a strict schedule exactly but a series of tasks that you tie into another task and practice until it becomes habit.
For example, I take my kids out to play in the mornings and again before I start dinner. Knowing this I attached hanging out/folding and bringing in the laundry and taking out the trash to those times. When that became a habit I tied in my personal exercise time then my daily reading time. I get a lot done in the time I used to just sit and watch the kids play. And since it's a habit it doesn't feel like chores.
Another thing is to throw out all those ideas about storage and decor that you've been conditioned to believe. Silverware doesn't have to go in the silverware drawer. If it works better for you to have a caddy on the table than do that. It may work better for you to have only shelves in your closet instead of poles.
Being really organized is really knowing yourself and your habits. Trying to learn other people's systems and fit your life into them is overwhelming and unlikely to succeed.
I learned a lot about organizing from www.Flylady.net. I don't follow her system but I agree with the principles she teaches.
Just start somewhere, do a little at a time, and be consistent until it becomes a habit.~

[cab54]

I'm organized??

Oh, OH, I see......you were talking about people who actually ARE organized!!

Well, I AM getting that way, and just as you described----in baby steps, just a LITTLE at a time, as I can take it.

I just started in one area/room. I began on my left as I entered the room, and started going around the room clockwise.

As I come to a pile/cabinet/closet/drawer, I pull everything out....decide what I really USE or LOVE or is an heirloom, etc.......toss/donate(I keep bags for these things)the stuff I don't want, and then I clean out the drawer/closet with a bucket 'o' suds.......put the cherished/used stuff back......and do some more the next day. Or the day after.

Whatever I can do. I don't spend much time on it--about 20 minutes TOPS. Maybe 30 for a closet. If I only get a couple of shelves done a day--FINE! That's better off than I was yesterday! Don't make it a big project, make it a small one. Baby steps.

It's working for me, and I'm not losing my mind.

[MaryCarney]

The thing that absolutely rescued me were two books!! The first is called Sidetracked Home Executives by Pam Young and Peggy Jones -the other is The Messies MAnual by Sandra Fenton (or Felton). BOTH are written from the point of view of reformed slobs. Both are funny, easy to read, and give you some insight into WHY you are disorganized.

Probably out of print, do a google search of book title and authors names. You won't be disappointed. I still go back and read them all these years later.

[JanieD]

ML2620, I was just thinking the same thing... How do you get organized? Where do you start? I understand the need/principle to declutter to get organized, but still struggle with getting started & sticking with it. I found this link just the other day & for some reason it seems to have clicked.
http://www.homemakingorganized.com/i...t-to-declutter

I like how it tell you to list the problem areas & to start with the one that bothers you the most. Set a deadline, finish the 1st area & move on to the next on. Maybe it will help some. I'm sure with all the advice & tips already given, you'll be on the right track soon. I think the biggest thing to remember is it will take time to get organized. I remind myself I didn't fill my house overnight... its from years of living life & it will take time for me to sort through & organize it. Of course, I'm not big on letting go of things either, but I'm ready to work on it. Good Luck!

[shoiji]

I grew up in a very oganized and clean environment. Unfortunately for a very long period I was the complete opposite. Decluttering really helps. It takes away all the unnesseary stuff that can weigh you down when trying to organize. Plus, you end up with more space to get organized in.
For me the best thing is to have a place for everything. This way I know where things are and where they should go back to. Once you have everything organized keep up maintaining the organization. After a while it just becomes a habit.

For me, what ever chores I might have to do, I try to do in the morning. Basically I tell myself once I get this done then I can do whatever I want to.

[onencgirl]

I've always been an organized and tidy person. Being raised as an orphan teaches you at a young age to travel light. lol

Then, several years ago my house burned down and I lost everything.(talk about instant decluttering, lol). That taught me what is really important in life.

[geckoace]

i grew up in clutter and i was a mess myself, then i went to college and got so sick of moving a bunch of stuff dorm to dorm then i moved into and apt and i didnt take half of the stuff i owned i just went home and trashed it. starting over with less set me on the right track.

fast forward, i am realtively organized i am constantly decluttering and mostly paperless in my bills and stuff. i keep a shredder and a recycle bin by the door. i have 2 shelves in the entry way i dont let keys, mail or change make it any further than this. i do a purge of my kids stuff right around back to school (in prep for ds's bday and christmas) and usually in the spring in prep for the warm weather. i keep a hamper next to my regular hampers for goodwill. for sentimental stuff i have limited my stuff to one bin, and each year i give it a look-through.

my basic motto is "do with less" .............oh and buy a label maker they are just fun

[tervsforme]

I'm working on getting organized myself. I totally agree with the decluttering, that's what I'm working on now. I started with one closet, took everything out of it that didn't belong there, straightened and cleaned the closet and went to the next closet and did the same. All of the items that didn't belong in the closets, I put in the rooms they belonged in, or donated them or pitched them or listed them on E-Bay. I am a firm believer in the 15 minute theory. Just set your timer for 15 minutes and go, it's amazing what you can get done in 15 minutes. To get started doing something, just take a garbage bag and make a quick sweep of each room, you will fill up the bag and feel like you accomplished something.

Good luck and keep us posted...