Have you heard the expression “A stitch in time saves time?” If you have ever gotten a rip in your dress or pants or some other article of clothing and haven’t fixed it right away it usually continues to grow. But if it would have been fixed right away it wouldn’t have taken so much time to fix.
When I have had a rip in my skirt or pants or a seam coming undone I have learned I might as well fix it right then or it will get worse and will take longer to repair later—guaranteed. But fixing it before it grows is easier and saves time. Or possibly that article of clothing could never be worn again and it just clutters up the closet.
On the side road I travel to get to my home the asphalt is cracking right down the center where cars usually drive. I reported this problem to the city so it could be fixed before it gets worse. It has been wearing away the last couple of years. The person on the phone said she would report it and the supervisor would come out and evaluate the problem, then he would put it on their repair list for next year. Don’t they know by next year it will be twice as bad?
This is how it is with clutter, if we clear it up right away or even before it happens it takes a lot less time.
•First we need to find out what is robbing us of our time and creating clutter. In a notebook write down room by room or space by space what is working and not working for you. You may have clutter attracting areas and those are where you need to focus. In other areas clutter may never be a problem.
•Having a clear idea of your goals and expectations is helpful to focus on clutter control instead of damage control after it has gotten out of hand.
•To have clutter control in your home put things away after using them. It is so easy to just set something down after using it and before we know it something else has been put on top of it
and it is lost. If it is safe to do so in your home (no little children for instance) leave the door or drawer ajar just a tad to remind yourself to put the item away.
•Clutter control can be done at the end of the night; take 10 to 15 minutes every night and tidy up and put things where they belong. Encourage your family to do the same—taking care of their clutter.
•If your place is like most homes flat surfaces seem to have magnets under them that attract clutter. Some ways to avoid clutter from being attracted is to set clear expectations on what is allowed on the surface. If there are things that need to be placed there (like mail or keys or other papers) use attractive containers to keep things together and organized. Another thing containers do is limit the amount of things that can be placed in that container. If it starts collecting things that don’t belong there take them out and return them to their homes.
•Designating a specific area or place—like having a home for everything--in your home helps make clutter control easy-piezy. It is so much easier to control clutter when there is a place to put items that would otherwise become clutter. When designating homes for everything stop and think “where will I look for this when I need it?” Then when you need it your mind will go back to the place you put it.
•Clutter control can be easy and by keeping it simple you will have a clutter free home forever. Well,let’s just say most of the time.
Get It Together Organizing is a dynamic organizing company providing both online and in home services. Professional Organizer Marilyn Bohn specializes in organizing for those who want the organized home of their dreams. She is the author of Go Organize! Her product line includes cutting-edge video workshops for your organizing needs. Sign up for free organizing tips at http://www.marilynbohn.com