Plan A Family Organizing Party
It’s June and just got hot. Many struggle with too much winter stuff -- clothes, outdoor wear, boots -- cluttering up their homes. Follow these tips to help you efficiently reorganize winter items elsewhere in your home and feature your summer items in prime areas.
Pick a date and time when everyone in your household can take part in a day of de-cluttering. When you involve the whole family, they understand where things are and how to maintain order.
Beforehand, create an overview of your storage space. If you don’t already have a designated spot for all winter gear, a shelf or two in the basement or garage should accommodate everything you need to keep. A storage unit with five shelves turns 2’ of floor space into 10’ of storage space. Clear bins can help contain and set a limit of how much is kept, as well as keep stored items dust-free.
On "De-Clutter Day" follow these steps. Set a time limit of 20 minutes for each step or 2-3 hours to accomplish the whole project.
Step 1
Gather your family and explain what you’d like to accomplish. Let them know the steps ahead of time, so they understand what to expect.
Step 2
Have the family move winter boots, sports gear, and coats they still need or want to your designated storage area.
Step 3
Next, give each person a laundry basket sized container. Have them go around the home and collect what’s important to them (their's only). When you see what they have, instruct them to put the basket in the area where the majority of this type of stuff is stored. Have them sort through it later.
Step 4
Give them a handled shopping bag to collect all “their items“ that they do not use, need, or enjoy anymore. Let them fill as many bags as needed.
Step 5
Finally, give them a shoe box to collect all their papers. If you’re the decision maker on these, combine them vertically (don’t pile) in one container for you to flip through and sort at a later time.
Reward Your De-Clutter Team
Thank your team for getting this far. Rewards should be non-materialistic. A pizza lunch, home baked cookies, or future field trip. If you think they can handle more tasks, have them organize their "important" basket, give children some guidance based on what’s in there.
Tips for Staying Organized
Remember your home is the family's personal store. To accommodate what you have, each corner of each room should have a broad but specific purpose.
A reading area where the books are kept, comfy chair and good lighting.
Your study or game table with storage for the supplies to do either.
A dressing area by a closet and dresser with a good full length mirror.
Remember shelves and various size containers help keep like items together.
If you struggle or are overwhelmed with the thought of this project or any others, give us a call or send an email.
Happy Organizing!