How to Organize (Practically) Anything
This simple plan will work on anything from a wallet to your basement, but I suggest starting with a small, well defined area and then moving on to more ambitious projects. Grab some boxes and dig in!
Step 1 – Sort
Remove all items from an area and sort them into four categories:
§ Throw Away
§ Keep Here
§ Keep Elsewhere
§ Give Away/Donate
Hint: Before you sort, set some criteria as to what will stay and what will go. (Do you love it and/or use it? Is it current? Is this really the best place for it?)
Touch each item only once and move through the items fairly quickly.
Step 2 – Group
Evaluate your Keep Here pile and look for categories of similar items. Group the items by size, date, color, where, when or how used, or any other way that makes sense. Sequence or alphabetize the items if appropriate.
Hint: If there is something in the space that does not seem to have a group, it may be a sign that it doesn’t belong in that area after all.
Step 3 – Put Away
Wash the space if necessary, then put your Keep Here items back into the space in their groups. Try several arrangements until one feels and looks comfortable. Determine now if you need new storage containers or dividers, and decide what size/type would work best. Add labels if needed.
Hint: Put the items that are most often used in the most accessible locations. When selecting a labeling method, choose something non-permanent so you can make changes as needed.
Finally, move the Throw Away, Keep Elsewhere, and Give Away piles to their new homes. Do this right away.
Enjoy your organized space!
Melissa Berndt 2012
Thank you for sharing, Melissa! If you have some additional tips or just want to send some bloggy love in her direction, please leave a comment below.
