Clutter buster pt 1 can be applied to all of your treasured belongings. Apply the same rules, to junk drawers, closets, cabinets and any other hiding place you might have.
When each area has been sorted be sure to clean the area before you put all your organized belongs back in.
BUT…
Don’t stuff it all back in there. Think about the kind of habits that got you all that mess in the first place. What kind of things did you do without thought? The following are just random examples I haven’t been looking through your house. Lol!
Are you a tosser? Basically you throw things in a pile till the pile is so big it falls over and you continue to toss things on top vowing to one day go through it all.
Are you a stacker? You buy bins, boxes and containers, fill them up with treasures. Then buy more stuff, more bins and it is just a viscous cycle with no end. You find you have doubles and triples of things in different places in different bins, boxes and containers. Your running out of room, you are constantly looking for things, buying more till you’re so over whelmed you finally stop using the bins and just become a tosser.
Are you a treasure hunter? You go shopping, see something you love at the moment, but have no use for it or any place to put it or will never wear it, but you have to have it. Maybe you get it as a gift for someone for an upcoming birthday or holiday. You get it home, put it somewhere still in the bag and forget about it completely. When you find it again, you fall hopelessly in love with it again so you keep it again, maybe not in the bag or in the same place, but it’s still there, and you can’t part with it. It’s a treasure, one you will again forget about till you dig it up again.
Are you a pile sorter? Unlike a stacker nothing is in any kind of container it’s neatly stack in piles everywhere. Yes, you might know what is there but do you need it? Does it answer yes to any of the rules? Most likely NOT!
Are you a hoarder? Afraid to get rid of anything you or someone somewhere on a distant planet far away might need someday. This is a whole different problem and should never be treated lightly. A professional is the only one who can deal with severe hoarding issues.
There are many other types of disorganized habits that once you figure out what type you are there is a plan of attack for each of them.
If you’re a Tosser you need to pick storage options with no lids or drawers. Open shelves maybe with doors or a curtain over it is best once you have purged. Look at the hardware store for stackable bins that are clear and open in the front. Sort and label bins. Forget the dresser idea in any room it will only become a new home for clutter. Look for shelving units for your closet or along a wall when sort items in each cubby. When you need to put things away you can toss things in the proper place and you’re done.
If you’re a Stacker bins might be a great idea but you’re not getting the right kind of bins for you. Bins and containers should always be clear and labeled. Think about how you will get into things with the least amount of work. Would drawers be easier than a bin with a lid or even a stackable bin? Long term storage or things you only need maybe once a year would be best in bins with lids. Things you use often might be better in drawers. There are many wonderful products online to divide shelves and drawers but there too only buy what will be the easiest for you to access. This can be applied if you are a pile sorter too.
The treasure hunter might also have a shopping problem as well. I know how hard this one is to break. I used to be one. Ok, now you know my little secret. I love to buy things for others, never for me. It’s not that I need to buy that person something it just makes me feel good to give them something I know they won’t get for themselves. How do you break the treasure hunter? Good question. In my mind there are two kinds of shopping: errands and shopping. Errands you run in with a list get what you need and get out. Most men shop like this and never understand what a women means by the second one, shopping. Shopping is wondering the store with no idea why your there. It takes hours and you might still come home with nothing, but that’s highly unlikely because you are bound to find a treasure someone somewhere sometime will need. What you need to do is stop shopping till you have found a home for all the treasures you currently have. When you are sorting put each treasure in one place, call it your treasure chest. Keep it close to all the bags, boxes and gift wrap you bought too. When an event comes up go to your treasure chest, wrap up one of your treasures and you’re done. Once all your treasures are gone and the treasure chest is empty don’t restock, you’re done, get rid of the treasure chest. Do not allow yourself to go shopping without an idea of what you’re looking for again. Get only what you need and if they don’t have it don’t get anything else. If you can’t stop yourself from doing this please get help, I did and it took a long time but I’m doing a lot better.
So we have talked about the sorting process, things are getting done slowly. We have talked about what type of storage you should look for according to the type of habits you have.
If you would like further suggestions or ideas check out the websites I have listed on my blog.
Clutter buster will continue. FYI: I was a professional organizer for 1 yr and a member of NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers).
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