How Do I Get Organized?

Question

I admit I'm a clutter bug and I've always been very disorganized. I'm sick of the clutter and not having room for anything. Every time I go to throw something out I hesitate and think I might need it "one day". How do I determine what I should get rid of and organize my apartment? I live in a small, one bedroom apartment. Thanks!

Answer 1

Like Maria, I too have had to confront the "Clutter Bug" in me, after selling 3 homes, I was buried in my own mess.  I was OVERWHELMED with trying to unload, get rid of and just plain decide.  There was SO MUCH stuff, I quickly gave up every time I tried.  But finally, in desperation, I bought some books (yet more clutter to add) and went online and did some research (less paper to keep) and did a little homework.  First I decided on a place to start, made a plan, and then began with what I call "Shock and AWE" by taking a box and a timer.  Setting the timer for 15-20 minutes and simply running through the house and GRABBING everything I did not LIKE OR LOVE!  I didn't worry if it belonged to Great Aunt Suzy or Grandma, it was simply do I like it or not, do I love it or not.  If no to both in the box it went!  I would take my boxes of hated not liked stuff and either drop them off at the Salvation Army on my next errand run, or put it up on EBAY or Freecycle or Craigslist.  The stuff quickly disappeared.  NO REGRETS!  Then we started getting to the pretty stuff, the stuff I actually liked and loved and had to keep.  Some was still too much, so some I boxed and rotate when I want to change things a bit, I box up the other stuff and trade it out with the stuff I could not part with.  Then as I open the other box, I check, do I STILL LOVE IT LIKE IT?  If not, out it goes.  At a certain point, I had tables cleared, shelves that were neat and orderly and I can now appreciate my things, that I can plainly see.  Do I miss ANY of the stuff I tossed or gave away?  NOPE!  Odd, but true.  Sometimes being sentimental makes us feel guilty about tossing something from someone that we love, but not necessarily the thing.  I learned someone else may love it and it deserves to be with them, not with me hating it!  But stuff that makes me smile and feel good and I love, stays.  EASY PEASY!  Once we had whittled down the piles and boxes, I simply would take a couple of small boxes, and my cleaning kit, now organized neatly in a carry all, with a couple of micro fiber cloths, some spray cleaner, furniture polish, a feather duster, a soft brush and maybe the broom and a dust pan.  I would set the timer for 15-20 minutes and tackle a shelf, a corner, a bookcase, a stack of magazines.  Keep a box to toss giveaways, throwaways, sells, or pass alongs in.  When the timer goes off, put your carry all up and cart your box out of the house.  Do this 2-7 times a week and you will notice a difference in pretty short order.  Then, 1 x a month, take a 2 hour go at it and do a closet, a laundry room, kitchen cupboard, pantry, or basement corner, shed, or something rather large.  Organize it, sort it, toss things you don't need, or have duplicates of, pick the one you like best, or the best quality one and donate, share, or give ways the ones you don't need.  I had 10 ice cream scoops, honestly, I LOVED 3 of them (didn't NEED 3, but I LOVED 3 of them) sold the rest on EBAY after going through some drawers and boxes in the kitchen and setting aside the ones I didn't want.  Snapped a pic, boxed them up, marked it as ICE CREAM SCOOPS and when the bidder won them, I simply printed a label for them on my computer and did the USPO stamp there too and set it on the porch for the mailman to pick up the next day!  I was $12.00 richer and 7 ice cream scoops lighter.  Now this all took about 6 months to complete, one corner at a time, one room at a time, one shelf at a time.  But as I did it, it got easier and easier to do, easier to clean, easier to toss, easier to organize and see my plan develop and take shape.  It didn't get like this overnight and it will not go away overnight, but you can take a step, then another and so on.  As they say you can't eat a whole elephant at once, but you can eat a whole elephant one bite at a time!  EWWWWWWWWWWWW....

LOL!  So hang in there, don't hesitate, use the "Do I LOVE IT?" plan, do it in small 15-20 minute bites, and once a month, tackle something that will make your life easier if sorted and cleaned and organized.  My main helper rooms to do this in, were the pantry and the laundry room.  It seemed getting those rooms done, made the rest of the house just FLOW right.  And continues to help me.  Hope this helps you!  Good luck!

Answer 2

Ah yes, the sentimental reason for clinging to clutter! Never fear! We all go through this at some time. I moved to a much smaller house and could not believe how much clutter I had!

  I sat down one day and worked out this; Two beds....summer and winter...need 2 sets of sheets, pillow cases....get rid of rest.....Towels...3 people in house...I use two as I have long hair...equals 5 a day, 5 in washing machine/drying on other day, equals 15 towels, give away the rest to the goodwill store. I had heaps of old photo frames too, and kept the themed ones, like wooden ones and got rid of the rest.

  Believe me, I have a ton of stuff! I am still going through it. I think one of the best ways of getting rid of stuff is to have it put away for a few months, and then say to yourself, "Can I remember what is in that box/cupboard/wardrobe?" If not, then you don't need it.

  I think you get the point.

   Get onto freecycle.org and giveaway the stuff you really don't need. You can always ask for stuff in the future on that site too! I have been doing that for over 4 years. Just recently got a sofa worth $800..the owners had no room for it and didn't want to throw it out!

Answer 3

Check out this website.  It changed my cluttered life!!!  LOL  Seriously.

www.flylady.net

Love her!!!!

Answer 4

Hmmmm.   Well that's a hard one for me.  I'm your opposite.  I'm a total cleaner.   I chuck out everything.  If I haven't needed it for over a year then I figure it's time to either trash it, donate it, or sell it.  I think maybe you're a bit like my husband, he's what you would call a "hoarder", very hard to break.  Very disorganized, never wants to get rid of anything because he might need it some day.  I basically just tell him, look, you can't keep everything.  Choose the most important things, the things that have practical uses, or sentimental values or things that are possibly worth money and organize those.   Books with books, car parts with car parts, etc. etc.   Instead of everything everywhere.  Pick "spots" for certain items and stick with it.  Have some friends help you organize, make keep, sell, donate and trash piles.  Then do just that, sell, donate and trash the ones you aren't keeping.  Then organize the keep pile by like items.  Get shelves, bins, etc. etc.   Maybe even hire a professional organizer.  Alot specialize in people with hoarding disorders and have more patience with the behavior than ordinary joes.