self improvement

Organizing 101: What to Get Rid Of, What to Keep, and Where to Start

Do you want to get rid of stuff that is cluttering up your home, but you’re scared you might need it someday?

The top two questions I get as a professional organizer are:

“How do I figure out what items to get rid of?”

“How do I know I won’t need that item again?”

In this article I will reveal the secret: knowing what items to get rid of, what items to keep, and where to begin.

What to Get Rid Of: Anything that is not meaningful or useful to you should be going out of your home. How do you know you won’t need that item again? You don’t! The only thing you know for sure is that you don’t need it right now. What you need to believe is this: you will always have the resources to get it again, just like the first time you got it. Believe in the marketplace. It is just as eager as you are to exchange things. If you do need that item in the future, you can easily find another one on Craigslist, eBay, or one of the other online free markets across the US.

Let’s just say you sell an unused bookcase on Craigslist for $40 and that one year later you decide you need a bookcase. You will be able to find one within a week or two. Usually you can find one that even better suits your needs. In addition, you have had $40 in your pocket for the past year.

What to Keep: Keep items that are either useful or meaningful. If you tend to love memorabilia, but cannot let go of it, try this simple three-step process.

1. Prioritize the items you value and keep the top 10 things that mean the most to you.

2. Display your special memories. Frame a meaningful t-shirt, hang it on your wall, or design a shadow box of special items such as jewelry, news clippings, etc.

3. Get a single, large rubber bin (less than 15 gallon) for each household member. Pick out favorites and fill the bins. Bless someone else by donating or selling all of the remaining items.

Where to Get Started: Write down all areas that you want organized. Start with the area you use the most. In one area:

Start by removing stuff that is definitely recycling or garbage. You will, most likely, get distracted but only focus on garbage; don’t touch anything else. Here is a tip for focusing: play your favorite song and have all garbage removed by the time the song ends.

Next, have three large bins set out in the area you are working. Items to donate go in one bin, items to be sold in another bin, and items that belong in a different area go in the last bin. If necessary, more bins can be used. When you are done sorting, the bins should be removed from your working area.

Start organizing only after all items have been sorted. Just organize the items that are staying. Reassess the area. What purpose do you want it to serve? How you can maximize the space? How you could use walls to maximize space for displaying items by keeping them off the floor? Answer these questions and let the answers guide the organizational process.

If you need help making the most of your space, or if you get stuck on one of these steps, think about hiring a professional organizer. A qualified organizer can be found in your area by checking with the National Association of Professional Organizers (napo.net).

Heidi DeCoux is publisher of Life Made Simple e-Magazine, a professional organizer and creator of the Fast-Filing Method home office filing system. Heidi energizes her readers’ by simplifying their homes … schedules. For more info, free tips, and to receive her FREE Report: The Fast … Easy Way to Get Organized and Stay Organized Forever, visit ClearSimpleLiving.com