Getting Organized

by Nicole Comeaux, owner of Grocery Getters, LLC
www.grocerygettersllc.com

Christmas is almost upon us! For many of us the shopping is done, maybe even the wrapping is done. But how about all the stuff that’s already there? Yes, you are going to have to make room for all the new stuff, but where?!? In my family our girls only get a little because of our beliefs so making room for just a couple of gifts would not be a big deal, but they have grandparents and they are spoiled, so we go through the same Christmas ritual every year. We sort.

In my world I wear many hats and being a professional organizer is one of them. I helped a client get her home right for the holidays this weekend. We did a great deal of sorting and in the end there really wasn’t much left to organize. I actually have fun doing this and love getting to the end result but I am probably very close to alone in my world. Sorting can feel like such a daunting task to many but in actuality it is extremely quick if you are honest with yourself and you don’t reminisce over every item.

Here are the three key piles you need to make in organizing ANYTHING: throw, donate/consign, keep. (Do NOT try to do anything with the keep pile until the other two are out of the house! This will not keep you focused and will turn a very simple job into something that you will complain about later because it took too long.) The key is complete honesty. Let’s start with the throw pile. Don’t go crazy here there are many things you might consider trash that others would not so my suggestion is only throw it if it is broken (and cannot be repaired) or stained. It doesn’t matter that you think the missing piece is around somewhere or that the shirt only has a little spot on the collar. It has breathed its last breath, let it go.

Then there is the donate/consign pile. This pile is for anything you don’t or can’t use anymore. You do not necessarily need to donate it. Here is the advice I give my clients: if you do not itemize your taxes, then put it at a consignment shop or have a garage sale if you have enough items to warrant one. If you don’t itemize your taxes and you only have a couple of hundred dollars worth of stuff you are better off trying to get immediate (or almost immediate with consignment) cash. If you have big ticket items that could get you some cash go for it! Now, I’m no CPA so get advice from one or an accountant before you do anything just to be on the safe side.

Finally, the really fun part, the keep pile. Now you’ve decided what to keep what are you going to do with it? Make more piles, of course! Now these piles are specific to the individual and your convenience. You know you and your family better than anyone so what you do depends on how you will keep it up. Don’t think those CD’s are going to stay alphabetized, so organize them according to genre, favorites, or location. Are you constantly aggravated about the shoes by the door that no one seems to put away until you do it or you tell them to do it with clenched teeth? Then put a basket or one of those small shoe racks that sits on the floor and can hold about 10 pairs of shoes. The mess is contained and your stress level goes down… a little. How about your children’s rooms? How are you going to organize what you decided to keep? I highly suggest getting rid of any deep-dish toy boxes immediately. They encourage clutter, which is the opposite of your goal. There are other solutions like plastic drawers or if you know someone with woodworking skills maybe you could get one custom built for very little money. Whatever you do I suggest you don’t buy anything to help you get organized until you know how you will keep it. I know it can be tempting to give in to all the cute options available but before you buy anything decide how you want to keep it, look around to see if you have something that could get that done, and ask friends or relatives if they have what you are looking for and they are not using it. Here’s a great example. My daughter loves shoes and so does her grandmother so her grandmother feeds my daughter’s love and fills her closet. I got so tired of organizing her shoes at the bottom of her closet. No matter what system I put into place they always ended up mixed up and unorganized because she would be in a hurry just once or twice and throw the shoes in and messing with my system. So, I asked around and a relative had one of the shallow boxes that fit under the bed that she wasn’t using. Now she kicks the shoes off, throws them in the box, and pushes the box under the bed. If she doesn’t have a problem looking for the matching shoe why should I, as long as I don’t have to see the mess, its no problem. The solution fits her personality and mine. Know how to organize is not just finding some cute or chic box or container, it is about being honest with yourself from the beginning.

If you are perplexed about how to handle a specific problem email me nicole@grocerygettersllc.com and I would gladly help you find a solution and some peace of mind!

Happy Sorting!