People often tell me that they are overwhelmed by life and after a few questions reveal the fact that they are surrounded by “things” that rob them of time and energy.
Clothes pile up when teens try on various outfits in the morning, throwing the ones they don’t want on the floor. When it’s time to get ready for a wash, they just scoop everything up even though most of it is already clean. A lot of clothes means a lot of clothes.
Toys everywhere can be very annoying. Paperwork can seem like a burden. Garages can become storage sheds and bedrooms lose their ability to offer rest when crowded.
When I was in high school, my Home Ec teacher used to say “Have a place for everything and keep everything in its place.” Great concept, but organizing your surroundings can be a daunting task.
The good news is that there are some sure-fire strategies to help you get things straight. The Internet offers videos on everything from cleaning your refrigerator to organizing your closet. Here are some tips that can help you get started:
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Completely empty the space. It doesn’t work if you think you can move things.
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Perform a thorough cleaning. Clean the shelves and walls so you can start from scratch. You might decide that this is a good time to paint a little!
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Put similar things together. Grouping items will give you an idea of how much you have in that category.
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Be ruthless. Put your emotions aside and discard anything that is old, damaged, or inappropriate. You will likely never need it in the future, especially if you haven’t used it in the last year!
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Gift items to people who will enjoy them! There is joy in knowing that you can put a smile on someone else’s face.
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Use containers to group things. It’s best to place them so that you can see what you have, but if you decide to do otherwise, make sure everything is clearly labeled.
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Show your work to those who share your environment and encourage them to maintain the system.
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Resist the urge to buy more items when you can use the ones you already own.
When you feel overwhelmed, look around you and decide if your “stuff” is the cause. It may even seem overwhelming to consider cleaning it, but investing some time and effort will pay off big in the long run.
