Boxes are indispensable tools for GETTING organized, but to STAY organized, you need to “think outside the box.” It’s the first question I get when an excited client agrees to begin work with me, “What kind of containers should I buy?” I hate to dampen their enthusiasm, but I always explain that I will determine the appropriate containers and furniture AFTER we determine how much we are containing. It’s not unusual to end up needing NO new containers! We do use a ten pack of banker’s boxes, but strictly as sorting tools. They allow us to focus on editing one category at a time and the boxes get reused multiple times, but ultimately the goal is to empty the boxes, not fill them. A full, lidded box is great for stacking and saving space, but it can be a dangerous solution if it ends there. Organizing systems need to be designed around use, not concealment. Shelves, hooks, and slots make better solutions for items that get used the most. For items that get used less often, but still need to
Read more →This time of year many of us resolve to be more organized in the New Year. That’s great! Step one is: believe in yourself, because YOU are not the problem. I’m amazed at how many of my clients say things like, “It’s a sickness,” “Don’t be mad at me,” “I’m a slob,” or “Am I the worst you’ve ever seen?” In most cases disorganization just comes from being too busy, having too much stuff, bad systems, and misguided mindsets. Too Busy OK, this may sound like a cop out because EVERYBODY is busy, but don’t overlook it. If you find a half hour window to reorganize the pantry and your daughter needs help with her algebra homework, the pantry has to take a back seat. You have your priorities straight, so give yourself some credit. Your free time is limited which makes removing all the unnecessary obstacles that much more important. Too Much Stuff Perhaps the most unnecessary but relentless obstacle to getting organized is too much stuff, aka “clutter.” There is only a small minority of us encouraging you
Read more →I am often asked what furniture, closets, or shelves to buy and when I answer by saying “an answer to the question of systems must be preceded by an answer to the question of quantity,” I am given a look that says “Why are you making me eat my brussel sprouts before I eat my cake?” So be it. Let’s talk cake! If you compare clearing a cluttered room to baking a cake, then asking about furniture and shelves is like asking about the flavor of the frosting before you know the flavor of the cake. A cluttered room is a loose mess of ingredients. You can’t start by applying frosting to that mess. You need the structure of the cake. First you need to sort out the ingredients. Maybe you have more flour than you need for this cake. Maybe some of that flour has clumped up and needs tossing. Maybe you discover you don’t have as much sugar as you thought you did. Maybe you were planning on a chocolate frosting, but you discover these wonderful fresh strawberries
Read more →Originally from Matt Baier’s Organizing Works Newsletter, January 2008 ALL SYSTEMS GO! “Never mind all this ‘Sort-and-Purge’ nonsense, just give me some SYSTEMS to keep me organized!” O.K., no one has ever actually spoken these words to me, but I hear this sentiment all the time in questions like: “What can I buy?” “Where does this go?” “Why can’t I stay organized?” I’m sure that many of you have been frustrated when I answer these questions by saying things like: Systems come at the END of the organizing process. Don’t ask WHERE to put something. Ask WHY you are keeping it. You can’t hope to STAY organized without user-friendly systems. So be it! LET’S TALK SYSTEMS. Organizing systems consist of a simple formula: Appropriate STRUCTURE + Easy HABIT = Effective SYSTEM BOTH structure and habit are necessary for a system to work well. This formula applies to all organizing systems, but let’s look at the example of laundry. Every good organizing solution allows for easy circulation, because, as I’ve often said, CIRCULATION prevents ACCUMULATION. So let’s consider how easily your
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