Every year about this time, when the chaos of holiday planning, partying and the pressure of trying to get everything done for the holidays overwhelms us, we find ourselves vowing that next year will be different and then a few months later, our resolutions have fallen by the wayside. Rather than make a long list of resolutions this year, we'll start with two.
Put It Away: We don't know about you but this is the number one way our home spins out of control. We start a project and, in our enthusiasm, we take everything out, then the doorbell or the phone rings, it's time for our favorite tv show to start, something else catches our attention and off we go, leaving a mess in our wake. This year, we'll put stuff away, whether it's the tornado of clothes left strewn about our room after we finished getting dressed or the dishes that have dried overnight.
Do It Now: Hand in hand with putting stuff away is the "do it now" principle. This may be our biggest challenge. We're totally guilty of walking in the door with the mail in hand, planning to deal with it and then letting ourselves get distracted, putting off taking out the garbage til tomorrow or doing the laundry until later or waiting to get the roof fixed. Then we need to wear those shoes and the heel's broken or the rain comes and the water dribbles in through the hole or the birthday party's in an hour and we don't have a present. So, instead of putting stuff off, we'll take care of it now even if it seems easier to do it later.
What are your home resolutions for this year?
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Make everything have a home. You can't put something away if it doesn't have a home. A nice lovely home that fits just right and makes whatever it is happy. My place is pretty good but I need to narrow down what I have just a little more and finish making 2 final homes for things.
I think having distinct places for everything is a huge and overwhelming goal so I'm going to stick to just the one thing!
I do find that if things have good homes they go there. They just want to go there, they make their way unaided sometimes I swear!
I agree with loudlyquiet, but with one extra factor - make the place to put something the easiest (i.e. closest) place to put it.
I used to have stacks of stuff waiting to be tidied up and then I moved house and I was able to use my knowledge of myself to outwit myself (as it were). I have a coat rack at the bottom of the stairs, but I knew I would still drape my coat over the newel post at the bottom of the banister simply because it was one pace closer to me when I came in the door. So I sawed the top off the newel post to make it impossible to hang or drape anything there, and now I always hang my coat on the coatrack.
This is the most extreme example, but even just putting the rack for your post on the hall shelf instead of on your desk makes a difference.
I put things away, but the paper inundation not of my doing from the mailbox....ugh. It's easy to say "do it now" but when it comes to stopping as I get home, opening up all those stupid envelopes to be sure they don't have identity info, then go and shred the ones that do...NOT what I want to do when I first arrive home. And yes, I've already taken steps to stop that kind of mail, but the name keeps rotating onto lists.
So I don't think that's ever going to be resolved. Those will pile up and I will overheat the shredder again. I was sort of hoping the credit crunch would cut down on all that mail, but it didn't.
My resolution is to not start that sexy new project until I've finished the current job.
Love buy 1, throw out 2! I've been buying one, throwing out one for a long time and it really helps control clutter.
I've never been organized myself, but I married someone EXTREMELY well organized. He makes sure the mail is dealt with same-day, that there's a place for everything to go, that no repairs linger undone.
If all else fails, try that.
Lisa, thanks for making me smile. So far roommates have pushed me to be more organized (in kind ways), or brought that out in me (save for dishes and my bedroom). As funny as your suggestion is, that might be my next step though!
Lisa, where can I get me one of those organized dudes?
If you're really that easily distracted by the phone or your favorite TV show, you need an answering machine and Tivo. Why start a big project during the holidays anyway?
Where are the Carbs and Candy jars from?
hi there! this image is from a post on with a list of super-cute low-cost containers to do the job http://prudentbaby.blogspot.com/2009/09/prettier-formula.html
i just wanted to add that what is put away in those "candy" and "carbs" containers is FORMULA! so happy to get rid of the ugly box it comes in
don't buy. embrace what you have. have a home for everything.
i'm pretty organized but i find that paperwork tends to get away from us, so roughly once every month or two, the man and i put some nice music on the stereo, pour ourselves a glass of wine, take out the shredder and go through the accumulated his & hers piles. doing it this way deals with the problem in a pleasant way. this way we don't dread it. we actually kind of enjoy our shredding dates.
I remember when I got junk mail from banks offering credit or cash advanced checks with a pre-paid addressed envelope. I would stuff the envelope with all the crap and send it back...not interested. Now I get the same crap without the envelope. They've gotten wise to it. I open all mail when I get home and set up bill paying online and shred whatever had personal information. I slip at times and it gets done a day or two later, but I try to keep on top of it. Other organizational tasks need a little more work. :(