Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Unpack the Boxes...

My move - Your move or not move. Yesterday I wrote about my upcoming anniversary on my move and how I was just about moved in - and the promise I made. Scroll down to see the entry.
So for all of you who are in a similar situation, still have boxes or a 'icky closet' - this is how to get past it.

Get a date - put it on the household public calendar, your work calendar, the bathroom mirror, someplace where you can see the date. This is your promise to yourself. If you need to involve some of your household folks, sit down today and explain what you want to accomplish and how they can assist you. Don't bring up the past, bring up the future!

Take stock of the task at hand, say the 10 boxes in the basement, my papers, or the garage - what ever it is. Write it down and now break it down into smaller tasks - generally tasks that can be accomplished in one to three hours. Why one to three hours? Simple - you can complete one of them after work or on a weekend without giving up too much. Put them on the calendar and watch that you may need to adjust your original date!

Provide yourself with a reward - whatever that is to you, at different steps along the way.

Now - Focus on the success of this accomplishment - what will it mean to you, how do you envision the end result? What will you gain?

If you need additional help - hire an organizer, or get a self-help book or inlist a friend to help you . I hired an organizer for 2 one hour sessions - the greatest $$'s spent. I learned lots of techniques that I continue to use today.

Some tips I've picked up:
Reorganize a closet - take everything out of the closet - no if, ands or buts. Now look at what is there? Can any of it be placed somewhere else and lol should have been placed there? Do it now. By the way, don't organize the other space now, that's for later. Old stuff - either toss it out or put it in the give awaybox, tag sale box or sell it on-line box. Do it now. Need an extra shelf? Make one out of corrogated cardboard and place it where you think you'd like it to be. It's a temporary solution, though it is exactly what you need to do in order to complete the task at hand. Add the shelf improvement to the "improvement list".

Clothes Closet - same as above - take everything out. There is lots of personal preferences here, so these suggestions may work or not. Find the best way for how you live. I organize the shirts and blouses by the color and all are hung up - long sleeve on the top pole and short sleeve on the bottom. Since my closet is large enough - then I can keep most of all the seasons wears hung in this closet. I used to have to change closets twice a year as the seasons changed. Slacks and dresses, etc are on the other wall. There are a few shelves (need more) where I fold up and store my pj's, tee shirts, etc and have a line up of some fabric boxes that contain the "painting clothes", yoga clothes, etc. As for shoes - no shoes are kept in my clothes closet. All shoes are by the front door in a shoe caddy in the closet. Anything you do to your closet, should be to make your life, your time, your effort feeling just great.

Potions Closet - yes, it's a group of lots of stuff - personal items, first aid, cleaning supplies, TP and boxes of tissues, electrical beauty devices, etc. If you think my advice is any different - clean it all out. Only put back what you are currently using. Great advice from the Organizer, get yourself one of the clear plastic back of the door shoe caddy. Fill it with those "bits 'n pieces" that get lost in the drawers or backs of closets. I've the extra toothpaste, nail files, razors, and assorted items. Now I have only one place to look for them! What I have found, I finally get to use them and not 'waste' them. As for the tubes, bottles and assorted items not being used - that's up to you. I've given them away, tossed them out, or made a pac with me that I must use them up first before getting anything new.

Pass along your ideas - I know I could learn from each and every one of you!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Throw stuff out!