By Shelby Deering
CLEAN OUT TOYS BEFORE BIRTHDAYS AND HOLIDAYS
“Before birthdays and holidays is the perfect time to work with children to purge toys they’ve outgrown,” says Melanie L. Juedes, certified professional organizer at Reset: Professional Organizing LLC. “Most children are very willing to give toys, books and games to other children who will love them.”
Juedes says that as you go through these toys, you can ask yourself these questions:
- Is the item still age appropriate? If not, donate or sell it.
- Is the item in good condition and ready to be played with? If not, toss it.
- When was the last time the item was played with? If it has been a while, donate or sell it.
- Would you buy this toy again? If not, let it go.
PRACTICE A NIGHTLY RESET
To keep on top of organizing, Tiffany Barron, owner and professional organizer at Sanctuary, recommends a “nightly home reset,” something that she says has been especially helpful since having her son.
“My husband and I take 15 minutes at the end of the night to put things away, wipe counters, start the dishwasher and shuffle toys back in the toy room,” she says. “It doesn’t happen every night, but when it does, it’s a game- changer and the next day is easier.”
EDIT BEFORE ORGANIZING
Katie Wagner, certified professional organizer® and owner of Renewal by Kate LLC, recommends editing your items before organizing.
“Start by removing what you don’t use, need or love,” Wagner says. “When you edit first, you create clarity and space for what is important, making it much easier to set up systems that actually work for the long term.”
INSPECT YOUR REFRIGERATOR
We all forget about those nooks and crannies in the fridge, but if you set a reminder, you can clean out that expired food that’s taking up space.
Juedes says that you can mark a day on the calendar and start by pulling everything out and tossing anything that is out of date and/or smelly. Next, you’ll wipe down the shelves and drawers, and Juedes suggests placing your most frequently used items near the front at eye level. Place tall items at the back, small items in the front. And group similar items together — dairy on one shelf, fruit in one drawer, etc.
START SMALL
When it comes to any organizing challenge, “start smaller than you think,” Wagner says. “Instead of tackling an entire room, focus on one drawer, shelf or cabinet at a time. Breaking projects into smaller pieces will make the project more manageable and build momentum.”
TRY THE “ONE IN, ONE OUT” HABIT
This is for you if you like to collect things or shop often. Essentially, Barron says that if you dedicate a space to an item you’ve brought in or even to an entire category, and you’ve outgrown it in some way, you should practice “one in, one out.”
“For example, you have a dedicated part of your closet for handbags. When it’s full, it’s full. If you purchase a new one, then you need to let go of one,” Barron says.
HAVE FIVE MINUTES?
These micro-organizing projects can be accomplished in five minutes or less.
Re-home items. “Re-home items that belong elsewhere,” Juedes says. “Take the hardware to the workbench in the garage, the glue sticks to the children’s desk, etc. If you find you have items that do not have a home, maybe the junk drawer is their designated home.”
Tidy the junk drawer. This drawer can be organized surprisingly quickly. “It’s easy to toss old receipts, business cards and coupons,” Barron says. “Or writing utensils that no longer work or old notepads that are full.”
Delete apps. Wagner recommends deleting five apps on your phone, something that can be done while waiting in line or getting gas. “Digital clutter is clutter, too,” she says.
