Organization

I know when thinking about getting organized the thought of hard work comes into play. Instead of thinking of it as work, think about the end result. If you are cleaning out your house to have a garage sale, to donate, or just to be able to see your floors, there is a great light at the end of the tunnel. Here are some ideas to help you start and keep you motivated to get it all together.

Getting started is the hard part. Find one room in your house that is the worst, most unorganized room you have. Then start at the top and work your way down. If you have some things on your walls that you no longer like, don’t go with the theme of the room, or are not exactly appealing to the eye, take them down and sort them into section. Section one can be for things that need to go in another room. Section two could be for donation. The third section for garage sale. Once you have decluttered the walls…move down to the counter tops and or shelves.

Once you have decluttered the walls, shelves, and counter tops you can get more specific. Start cleaning out the drawers and cupboard. Move to the closets and nooks and crannies. Once that room is done, make sure that you have rearranged it the way that you like it, now that you have the room, and step back and take look at your work. That in its own will not only be a relief but a big pay off and should help motivate you to do more. Once you have the worst room done, its all down hill from there. Most of the time the worst rooms to get organized are the bedroom and or the office. If you have a room that you use for storage and only storage, then that might be your starter room.

As you go through and do this to other rooms in your home, you will be left with your three sections. Section one is to be moved to another room. Section two for donation. Section three for sale. So now it is time to deal with this sections of the organizational process. Take the things that you want to put in another room and do so. Don’t just take these things and set them in the room, put them where you want them to stay. That way you wont have to go back and reorganize the room again. Every time that you go in the room to put something in it, put it where you want it to stay. That way you don’t have to do the whole process again in about six months.

The next section is for donation. This is something that you should take seriously. When you go to the Good Will, Salvation Army, or any other donation site make sure that you get a receipt. Come tax time that receipt could help your tax return. Not only are you doing a good deed by donating you lightly used items you are also getting a financial return come tax time. Every time that you make a donation, get a receipt. If you want to go one step farther, you can write down what you are taking to donate that way you have an approximate amount for itemizing at tax time.

The third section is for a garage sale. Now take into consideration that you could have the garage sale or you could do a swap party then have the garage sale. A Swap party or a white elephant party, can not only be fun but can get you some of the things you need and or want… for free. Send out invitations to your friends and tell them to bring unwanted lightly used items to your home for a white elephant party. Then set up tables so that when they arrive they can set out the items and every one can pick the things that they want to take in exchange for the things that they brought. Then what ever is left over you can have a garage sale with your friends or donate what is left. The garage sale with friends can be a great idea (with or with out the white elephant party.) That way you have people to keep you company and you have a good time selling you things. You can even move the garage sale if it doesn’t work at the first house you can move it to another friends house. That way you are more likely to get rid of more of you things.

There is no reason for you to spend a dime in any of these activates, but you could end up making some money in exchange. Not only that but you will be able to find things, see your floor, and have a cleaned and uncluttered home. On top of those benefits you have also donated to a great cause and maybe even made a little money.