Make organizing fun

Make your organizing day(s) fun. Play music, sing songs, dance, and be silly. Making the project fun will ensure that everyone has a vested interest, and the space is much more likely to STAY organized.
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What are you waiting for?

So what are you waiting for? If you haven't already, plan a day to start your organizing project. Make sure the whole family is free on this day, and it is put on the family calendar.
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Plan ahead for lunch or dinner

Gather snacks and water bottles before you start your project. Nothing can derail your progress more than having to go back into the kitchen to get food and drinks. Also, plan ahead for lunch or dinner, or arrange for take out. You will find that after a long day of organizing you will not look forward to cooking dinner.
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Using a dumpster

If you are going to be using a dumpster, let your home owner's association and neighbors know of your plans. This can avoid any problems down the road, as many neighborhoods have covenants that may preclude you from renting a dumpster.
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Dress for organizing

Always wear comfortable clothes and shoes while organizing. Pull your hair back from your face so you can see clearly. Wear sunscreen and bug repellant if organizing outdoors.
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Be prepared

Be prepared when you start your project! Have garbage bags on hand for garbage, donations, and recycling. Also have a shredder on hand to dispose of old paperwork. You may also want to considering pulling together cleaning supplies, protective gloves, and a face mask for dirty areas.
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Avoid becoming sentimental

Avoid becoming sentimental over every single item you touch and telling a story about it. At the end of the day you will have kept everything and spent a day moving items around and telling stories.
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Impartial third party

If you have a hard time deciding on what to get rid of, have a friend over. An impartial third party will help you make decisions more quickly.
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Ask yourself

Ask yourself, what is the worst thing that would occur if I got rid of this item? You will probably find that the worst thing is really not bad at all.
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The Joy

When in doubt, throw it out!
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What to keep

Ask yourself these questions when making choices on what to keep?
Do I love it?
Do I need it?
Would someone else benefit from having it more than me?
Do I have space for it?


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The Joy of Organizing

Fact: We use 20% of our stuff 80% of the time.
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Questions to ask yourself

Here are some questions to ask yourself when you are making a choice on whether or not to keep something:
If you were moving, would you pay someone to move the item for you?
If you were evacuating your home would this item go with you?
If you had to pay someone to store the item, would you simply dispose of it instead?

If you answered "No" to any of these questions, it is time to get rid of the item in question.
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The National Association of Professional Organizers

Visit http://www.napo.net (The National Association of Professional Organizers) to find an organizer in your area and to read tips about getting organized.
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January is National Get Organized Month

Check local event listings to see if any organizers are speaking in your area. January is National Get Organized Month so many are hosting special events. Take one in and see what inspiration and motivation you can gain from attending.
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Websites

Visit the websites of professional organizers to see what tips they offer, and to look at their before and after photos. This will help you gain insights on how to get your space organized.
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Gain knowledge and inspiration

Sometimes you want to complete an organizing task, such as cleaning out the garage, but its not feasible right away. Get a head start on organizing ideas. Purchase a book on your desired topic and use this time to gain knowledge and inspiration.
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Check off the chores

Allow children to check off the chores they have completed themselves (after you have inspected) or use stickers to mark items as completed.
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Search engines

Use search engines to search for, and print out, free and customizable chore charts. With rewards at stake your kids will be more than willing to help out.
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Chore chart

If you have children, and want them to take part in the daily organization of the house, consider using a chore chart. A chore chart usually has a reward for completing all chores within the given week.
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Trade time with your friends

You can trade time with your friends in a few ways. You can physically help them with the organizing, you can offer to make a large drop off at a charity for both of you, or even offer to baby sit so they can organize without children around.
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Tell friends

Tell friends about your organizing goals. Offer to assist them in meeting their own goals and trade time with one another. When everything is done, you BOTH will have organized homes!
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A goal and deadline

Call a donation center near you and request that they pick up your donations. Usually they will set a date with you a few weeks out. This will give you a goal and deadline.
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The Joy of Organizing

Give weekly status updates on how your organizing projects are going. For example, on Monday nights at the dinner table discuss the amount of bags you have dropped off to charity, or the number of books you have donated to the library. Progress is also a great motivator in the organizing process.
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Mark the dates

Use a calendar to mark the dates that you would like to complete your goals. Also be sure to make a note of the progress you have made. Make sure everyone involved in your organizing project has access to this calendar.
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Hold everyone accountable

Develop a list of responsibilities that each family member will have during the organizational process. For example, if one family member will be responsible for dropping off donations and another will be responsible for cleaning spaces while they are organized, record this. It will help hold everyone accountable.
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Pick a reward

A reward is one of the best motivators for getting organized. As a family, decide on a reward that you will give yourselves if you meet your goals. Pick a reward that everyone will enjoy and you'll ensure everyone participates.
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Better organized

Everyone can use to be better organized. If your family members have organizing goals, discuss them, and find out how all of your goals overlap at a family meeting. Work together to complete everyone's goals.
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Organizing goals

Tell your family about your organizing goals. Get their input. Ask them to keep you on task for completing the goals you have set. Even better, ask them to give you a hand with the project.
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What gets written

There is a saying, "What gets written down gets attended to, and what gets attended to gets done." Write down your organizing goals and hold yourself accountable for completing them. I know it seems like a big chore, but you'll be glad you did it once you're done!
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