Get Christmas Organized!

My most helpful planning tip for Christmas is to create a "Christmas File" or "Christmas Planner". I finally did this last year and it has been such a help as we approach the Christmas season!

Photograph by Brigitte Tohm

Especially after our long distance move, I feel a bit disorientated this year. Our Christmas tree is not even up on 1 December as it usually is. But it was easy to retrieve my file and get going on all the things that need to be done in December.

So what can you include in a Christmas Planner? Here are 10 suggestions:

1. A plan of action for what you would like to do over December
2. A December Calendar filled in with key events and "to do's"
3. A list of people and addresses to send off cards and/or gifts and their due dates
4. Ideas for decorating
5. Gift Ideas list with associated budget
6. Templates for Christmas crafts (for example paper angels)
7. Recipes for Christmas baking (for example a favourite cookie/biscuit recipe: find mine here)
8. Christmas Menu and associated recipes
9. A shopping list for ingredients for baking and Christmas Menu
10. An Advent Scriptures readings list

This year I have decided to add a "Bucket List" of activities that will make the Christmas holidays fun and memorable. I have written my own list as well consulted with other family members so we can try and do some or all of these things. Our list includes the simple (eat mince pies) as well as the more elaborate (attend "The Nutcracker Suite Ballet").

 
What is on your bucket list this Christmas? Do you have any special traditions that make Christmas a meaningful time for you? Or do you sometimes feel frazzled and over-committed at Christmas time?  Perhaps this post "Christmas Goodness" will help? (find the post here)

Christmas Goodness

What makes Christmas special?

I have needed to ask myself this question again as the festive season begins to get underway this year. I love all the lights, excitement and anticipation of a wonderful celebration! However, I often find planning for everything, trying to find or make lovely gifts, cooking and cleaning up can sometimes be exhausting rather than fun.

I can try to be more organised, be more creative or plan better but I suspect that although they help things to run more smoothly, those are not actually the ultimate solutions.

What is more likely to be helpful is to remind myself what Christmas is really about. It is easy to caught up in traditions and feel pressured to do what is expected without really reflecting on what makes Christmas meaningful.

Photograph by Ben White

If you are a family who worships Christ, then Christmas is really all about remembering His birth and celebrating His gift to us. Part of that remembrance is celebrating!  But what does that celebration look like? I am hoping that some careful reflection will help us to make Christmas more worshipful this year and in the future.

What do you love about Christmas? How do you make Christmas a meaningful celebration?

Establishing a Workable Cleaning Routine

Photo credit: Christa Mangulsone

Ever felt overwhelmed by a mountain of housework that needs to be done? Me too! After our recent long distance move I have found adjusting to our new home a tricky transition. Our previous home was much easier to manage- probably because I had established a workable cleaning routine that flowed well with our needs and rhythm of life.

However in our present house there always seems to be more to do!  So how to move forward with a solution to the cleaning battle? Clearly I need a plan! 

 Here is my strategy to finding a workable cleaning routine when housework seems to be overwhelming:

Firstly I wrote a list of all the cleaning jobs that needed to be done.  After brain storming my list, I thought about what needed to be done daily, what needed to be done weekly and what monthly. I also did a quick Pinterest search for cleaning routine lists to jog my memory about what needed to be done.

Then the tricky bit! Working out how the tasks were going to fit in to a manageable daily routine.  I have found that it works best for me to get all the daily chores done first thing in the morning. This is when I have a bit more energy.  

I sometimes find myself zig-zagging from room to room doing lots of little tasks here and there as I see they need to be done! But I think it would be better to focus on one room at a time and so I can finish and move on with a small sense of achievement. If I leave a room with something to do “later” I have found it is still there at the end of the day! 

Putting on some upbeat music sometimes helps with motivation as does having a time limit. I also found myself avoiding certain unpleasant tasks – doing them first off certainly helped get rid of procrastinating and feeling that sense of dread.

As far as weekly tasks go, it is easy to forget them when I sometimes feel like I am muddling through the week! What I have found useful is using a template with the days of the week listed on it. It lives on our fridge where I can check it as I walk through the kitchen. I was using the weekly template to plan meals for the week but realised it could double as a reminder to do specific cleaning tasks on a specific day. So the weekly tasks have each been allocated to days when it is convenient to do them.

When it comes to the monthly tasks I have not yet found a good solution! I think I might need to put them down in my planner and then add them on a specific day to my weekly plan. 

After some months in our new house I am finding myself getting into a better rhythm. I still need to start a better evening clean up routine, but it is getting easier to stay on top of things now.  I think having a more defined plan of what to do and when to do it (as well as delegating some chores) has been helpful in establishing a workable cleaning routine. It has also helped to try and do a little bit more often rather than letting tasks mount up. 

What are your tips and tricks for making cleaning and household chores easier? How do you remember to do monthly and annual cleaning and organizing tasks?

Top Packing Tips for Moving House

I will soon be helping my mom to pack and move after she has lived in her apartment for about 20 years. The prospect of moving is both exciting and daunting, and I have been doing some research and gathering good advice for packing up a home.

Photo by Thomas Shellberg

These are the top ten tips I intend to use:

1. Establish a time line for what needs to be done before the move date and mark on a calendar deadlines of tasks that need to be completed.
2. Consider carefully what is worth moving and what can be recycled, sold or given away and do some decluttering in advance of packing up.
3. Gather a supply of boxes, bubble wrap, packing tape and markers well before the packing time. Rope in friends that are willing to help with packing and make the process fun by having a packing party.
4. As the move gets closer use up items such as food, cleaning products and anything else consumable that is not going to be moved.
5. Start to pack up some items such as decorations, sentimental keepsakes, books and other things that will be moved but are not needed on a daily basis.
6. Label boxes and keep an inventory of what is in each box. 
7. Clearly mark breakables on the side of boxes as well as on the top. Use a brightly coloured tape to make these boxes stand out as fragile. 
8. Use coloured tape or stickers to mark which boxes go in which room so it is easier to unpack. 
9. Use smaller boxes for heavy items and larger boxes for light weight things.
10. Keep aside things that need to be moved personally and that will not be moved with the bulk of the rest of the items. 

We are hoping the move will go smoothly and easily and that nothing will get lost or broken in the process!

What are your top packing and moving tips?  Please comment with your experiences and advice.

Tackling Your Paperwork in Six Steps

Do you have an ever increasing paper pile that is getting out of control? Are you avoiding tackling your papers because it feels too overwhelming?

We recently discovered a large file of old papers and I must confess it has been sitting in my "to file" draw for some months because I just couldn't face dealing with it. I knew that the papers needed to be sorted but as there were no urgent papers for our attention, I was delaying tackling the job! I much prefer dealing with small amounts often rather than having to tackle a huge filing job! Maybe you have a similar paper challenge?

This is my six step system for handling papers:

1. Collect all papers together in a single spot ready to be sorted.

Create an in box or basket where you can regularly drop incoming paperwork. If possible, try to decide immediately what needs to be done with each piece of paper as it comes in instead of allowing a pile to accumulate. Deal with your most recent incoming papers first if you have a large backlog. As I have a school aged child, I have a separate basket for all incoming school papers as there are a lot of them! You might also choose to go digital where possible to reduce incoming paper.

2. Create an "Action" file of everything that needs immediate attention.  

Create a folder of items that need action taken (or if you are a visual person it might be useful to pin reminders to a noticeboard). I keep a small concertina file of "current" paperwork. Remember to act on these papers and then file or shred them once they are dealt with. I also like to make a note in my planner of things to do and remember.

3. Sort papers into categories.

This is really the worst and most time consuming part if you have a lot of papers. Basically you need to decide what must happen with each piece of paper.In my mind there are basically three categories of paperwork: "Action", "File" and "Shred".

If you have a daunting paper pile like I did,  it might be helpful to tackle the sorting job in one extended session (taking regular tea breaks of course!). I like to play music I enjoy while I am sorting, and set a timer for breaks. Although it is a painful and boring job, I am so glad and relieved to have got it done! If it is not feasible to get the job done in one day, it might be helpful to set a timer for a set amount of time each day and just do what you can manage.While you are sorting, try to keep like documents together in the "file" pile to make the next step a bit easier.

4. File everything that you need to keep. 

If you don't already have one, you will need to create an effective filing system. I try to keep file categories as broad as possible so that it is easy to file and I don't have to look through a multitude of folders to find an appropriate piece of paper. This step might take some thought as you may need to have different methods for different types of paper.

For example, important documents to keep indefinitely might need to go into a fire proof box. You may keep a sentimental items box to keep a few pieces of children's art work per year. Manuals and guarantees might have their own box or other filing method. Other documents could go into labelled folders. It is worthwhile to give some thought to what will work best for the types of papers that you need to deal with. Basically you want to be able to find papers that you have filed relatively easily!

5. Shred what can be recycled.

I have created a "to shred" box so that I can spend a small amount of time on shredding each day while watching TV or listening to music. This is far less overwhelming that tackling the huge pile all at once!

6. Review your system. 

You may find that your system is not working well for some reason. It might be useful to reflect on what works best for your personality and habits and to tweak your method from time to time to make it more effective. It might also be useful to go through your filing system periodically to purge old papers that are no longer necessary.

I encourage you to make a start on that paperwork you might have been avoiding! You will feel so happy and relieved to get the load off your mind. Once you have dealt with all that paper make a resolution to keep on top of it in future so you never need to face that mountain again. You can read a previous post on dealing with paperwork by clicking here.

Sentimental Items: What to Keep?

What is the secret to downsizing keepsakes if you have accumulated a significant collection over the years? Or maybe you have young children and you are overwhelmed by artwork and other sentimental pieces that you are keeping for the future?

Photo by Alvaro Serrano

Christy King of The Simple White Rabbit writes a most helpful guide to minimising sentimental items in her article "Minimalist Keepsakes". She says:

"The key is to keep only mementos that are meaningful for us and for future generations." 

The more sentimental items we keep, the less significant each item can become as it gets lost in the mass of other things. Christy points out that it may take multiple reviews of sentimental items to gradually pick out what is most important to keep.One long session of looking through keepsakes may be overwhelming and a few shorter sessions more regularly may be a more effective approach. Also, over time we may become less attached to some items as our lives move on.

I have found that a very helpful way to keep on top of mementos is to have a box or a few boxes that act as physical limits on what can be kept. If, like me, you have even forgotten what is in the box, it may be time to reconsider what you are keeping!

A helpful way to organise children's keepsakes is to use a large plastic box that is filled with hanging files (or plastic enevelope-style folders), one for each year. Each year you and your child can pick a few meaningful artworks, a writing sample, any certificates that are important and an end of year school report. The folders will act as a limit on what can be kept each year. If you have a collection of 3D artworks then a photograph with the date on it may be a helpful way to keep memories of the various projects rather than needing to keep the physical objects.

Another helpful list of suggestions can be found on Andrea Dekker's blog in her post "Seven Ideas to Sort Through Sentimental Stuff". She describes ways to use and display your sentimental stuff so that it is not stuck in a box!

Some more suggestions for dealing with sentimental items can be found in my previous post by clicking here.

What are some of your ideas about keeping sentimental items? Please share your tips for keeping mementos and keepsakes under control.

Creating More Intentional Morning Routines

Do you struggle to get things done in the morning? What is the secret to being organised and productive with your morning time? Sometimes we need to think carefully about our morning routine and habits and make a deliberate effort to prioritise what is important so that the essentials get done each day. Rather than a frantic morning rush that leaves us feeling unsettled for the rest of the day, being intentional about our time can help create a calmer and more productive day.

Photo by Annie Spratt

In her book "Make Room for What You Love", Melissa Michaels writes:

“Habits are friends, not foes. Have you resisted habits because you want to feel free and spontaneous?  When we become more intentional with what we do during the day and how we use our time, we have more room for spontaneity and creativity. What do we really want to do in life? How could being more efficient with our daily tasks make more room for things that are truly important for us?” 

So what are your priorities for the morning? What do you need to do so that you can get on with the rest of the day feeling satisfied that you have accomplished the essentials? 

8 Things to do before 8 on the blog "Beauty in the Mess" is a helpful list of things you might like to prioritise each morning so that your day (and home!) runs more smoothly. One of her tips is to do a "brain dump" and then consider the top to do's that must get done that day. This is very useful advice particularly if you are feeling frazzled and overwhelmed by the amount of things you feel you need to get done.

Not a "morning person" and struggling to get going in the morning? On her list of 7 Habits to Add to Your Morning Routine   "Morning Motivated Mom" suggests doing something refreshing. This can be anything you find fun and inspiring - drinking a slow cup of coffee, writing in a journal or something from your self-care plan. Perhaps if the first thing you do each morning is something that refreshes you, you might find it easier to get up and get going each day.

If you are in a season of life when you are in difficult circumstances, then remember to give yourself a lot of grace especially if you are not getting much sleep. We all need to work out what works best for our own circumstances. My last tip is to prepare as much as possible the night before if this is when you have more energy!

Are you a "morning person"? What are some of your morning priorities? Please share your tips for creating a good morning routine.

Making your Bedside Table more Stylish

Is your bedside table beautiful and inspiring when you walk into your bedroom? Does it need a few tweaks to make it more organised? Of course the size of your bedside table and the style of decorating you prefer will decide what you consider an attractive and useful arrangement. Here are some essentials you might like to include to make your night stand more stylish and functional:

Photo be Sanah Suvarna

• A lamp that suits your style: This may be functional and industrial looking, rustic or ornate or even quirky. Make sure the light is at the right height so that when you are reading in bed it is easy to see.  
• Books and/or journals: If you like to read in bed then a small pile of reading material may be essential. These can be stacked on top of each other or stood up with small weighted objects to act as bookends if you have the space.
• Something green: A pot plant, fresh flowers or faux greenery can liven up a room and bring colour and life to a bedside arrangement.
• A photograph, inspiring quote or artwork: Try to include something that is lovely to look at and makes you smile each time you see it.
• A small and attractive container or tray: This is a useful extra to hold small bits and pieces that accumulate next to the bed.
• A Scented Candle: It is always lovely to burn a candle to create a calming atmosphere before bed.
• A Clock: A charming extra that may help you keep to your morning schedule by showing the time at a glance.

Once you have decided on what you consider the essentials, you can clear away anything that might be extra clutter and then arrange what is left in a way that you find pleasing. Pinterest can be a great source of style inspiration! If you need some help on how to style your nightstand you may like to read Rachael's blog post at This is our Bliss, "Back to Basics: How to style a nightstand".

What are your nightstand essentials? Do you have any tips for styling a bedside table?

Creating an Inspiration Board

Are you feeling unmotivated when it comes to decorating a room? Or overwhelmed by the choices out there? Then an inspiration board might be the answer for you! I am hoping to create an inspiration board for our art room, which is a work in progress and often feels a bit cluttered with materials.

So what is an inspiration board (also called a mood board)? An inspiration board is a collage of images to inspire your imagination.

Why can an inspiration board be helpful? It is useful way to help to visualise ideas, especially when beginning a new project.

How do you go about making one? When creating an inspiration board, you can either make an actual physical board (see this HOUZZ article "12 Ways to Make that Inspiration Board Truly Inspiring" ) or you can create a digital version by using Pinterest or other digital media. Carrie Anton's "Inspiration in 6 Steps: A Guide to Mastering Mood Boards" discusses how to do this as well as the pros and cons of a physical versus digital form.

The following step-by-step guide outlines the process of creating a physical mood board for decorating a room:

First of all consider what items you already have in the room. Then reflect on what you would like to stay and what you need to go. It may be helpful to make a list for both categories. While you are doing this consider the purpose and functions of the room and plan sufficient furniture and storage to fulfil these needs.

Next look for inspiration in magazines and on sites such as Pinterest. Try to establish a mood, colour scheme and style that appeals to your imagination. Gather your materials as you go. In your inspiration samples you could include:

• Paint chips or colour charts
• Fabric swatches
• Wallpaper scraps
• Magazine cut outs and/or printed out photos of entire rooms, furniture pieces, accessories and soft furnishings
• A few words to describe the mood and style of the room

Then lay out your images and samples. Try to create a focal point for the room that ties all the elements together - this may be an artwork, a feature wall or even a fabric. Ideal Home magazine suggests that the largest area of colour in your room (walls and floors) have a generous size sample. They also suggest that for an harmonious room, you use the 70-20-10 rule: Keep 70% of the elements in a room one colour, add 20% in a second colour and 10% in an accent colour.

Finally, when you are pleased with your arrangement you can attach your collection to a board or possibly glue the collage onto cardboard to include in a home file or journal.

Have you used an inspiration board to plan a project? Did you choose a digital or physical board? What are your tips for creating an effective and helpful inspiration board?

This Valentine’s Day: Love Yourself Too!

When did you last spend time caring for yourself? 

Photo by Felix Russell-Saw

Looking after your own well being may be misconstrued as being selfish or even unnecessary, but it is actually a really important component of physical and mental health. By spending time on your own care you are giving yourself the capacity to keep up with the demands of caring for others.

I found that the Self Care Needs Checklist by Jill Conyers very helpful as a tool for evaluating how regularly you are meeting your own self-care needs. Her post reminds us that self-care involves many aspects of our our beings.  She advocates having a sustainable plan for incorporating self-care into our weekly lives as a means to nurture the soul. Her questions also probe our attitudes to ourselves. For example: Do you forgive yourself when you make a mistake?  Do you accept yourself for who you are?

Another helpful resource is Melanie's advice on How to Develop a Multidimensional Self-Care Routine. She explains that self-care involves more than just the occasional spot of physical pampering, but instead it requires a multifaceted approach. She also reminds us that self-care should be a positive experience rather than a stressful extra job on the "to do" list!

As Valentine's Day approaches next week, I encourage you to spend some time developing your own self-care plan and putting it into action. You might also like to read my previous post on Developing a Self-Care Plan to give you some more ideas on how to go about doing it.

Declutter your Time

Do you find yourself running out of time to get through everything you want and need to do? The following tips and ideas (as well as links to previous time management posts) may be the inspiration you need to help you think through managing your time more effectively.

Photo by Fabrizio Verrechia

The most helpful time management tip I have ever read is from Julie Morgenstern's book "Time Management from the Inside Out". She explains that time is like a cupboard. Just like you can only fit so much into the physical space of a cupboard, your "time space" is limited too.So it might be helpful to think about organising time in the same way that you would go about organising a space:

• Think about what the priorities are for your time. As only a limited number of items can fit into a physical space your main priority tasks should be put into your schedule first. I would strongly recommend writing down your goals to help give you a focus for how you prioritise your time. Lower priority tasks can then be fitted around those of higher importance. You might like to read my previous posts "Setting Big Picture Goals" and "Setting Achievable Goals" as inspiration for goal setting.
• Estimate the size of tasks (how long they will take) so you know what will fit into your "time space". If you know how long each particular task will take it is easier to see what will realistically fit into your day so it doesn't get filled beyond capacity. 
• Try grouping like with like tasks. As you would put like items together on a shelf, it might be helpful to do similar types of tasks at the same time. For example if you are going out to do errands, then do all of the tasks that need to be done when you are out and about at the same time. If you are doing admin tasks on the computer then do all your electronic tasks that day while you are at the desk.
• Get rid of "clutter" - that is tasks that are not meaningful or important for you to do, or tasks that can be delegated to others. This may also mean saying "No" to activities and tasks that are not priorities in the current season of your life."The Opportunity Cost of Time" is a previous post about realising that choosing to do something actually means declining to do something else with that time.
• Just like you wouldn't stuff a space absolutely full, allow some space in your schedule to rest and re-charge. "Resting is Doing Something" is my reminder to prioritise rest. Related to this is our need to take time to care for ourselves. "Developing a Self-Care Plan" is some encouragement to do this too.

I hope these ideas have been some inspiration for thinking about how you use your time. Please comment with your top tips and advice for being an effective time manager.

Creating a Happy Home: The Art of Hygge

The word "Hygge" is Danish (roughly pronounced as Hue-gah) and Alex Beauchamp of Hygge House  explains,  "While there’s no one English word to describe hygge, several can be used interchangeably to describe the idea of hygge such as cosiness, charm, happiness, contentness, security, familiarity, comfort, reassurance, kinship, and simpleness."  

She says that  "Danes see both the domestic and personal life as an art form and not every drudgery to get away from...Hygge is about being present enough to recognize and acknowledge an act, moment or feeling when the ordinary feels extraordinary."

Photo by David Mao

So how can we create "hygge" in our lives and homes? Here are some thoughts that I have found in reading about this concept: 

• Hygge is a state of mind where we appreciate the small joys in life and savour the moment. It is about concentrating on contentment and gratitude. So don't rush, take your time over a cup of tea or coffee or having a slow soak in a bath. Also take time to reflect on all that is good in life and things that make you happy.
• Hygge includes hospitality and connection with others too. Social occasions are key; think about sharing a simple meal or some home baked goods with friends and family. In particular consider establishing a routine of eating at a dining table on a regular basis.
• Make your interiors welcoming by using textured blankets and rugs as well as soft pillows. Take some time to position a comfy chair near favourite books or magazines to create a reading nook. In summer time enjoy the natural light by sitting next to an open window.
• Create a cosy atmosphere by appealing to the senses, Snuggle near a fire, use candles or string up fairy lights.Play relaxing music that creates a mood that you enjoy and that makes you feel good. Surround yourself with your favourite photos and mementos to create a homely feel.
• Connect with nature and bring the outside in. Spend time outdoors, walking,picnicking or doing other activities as the weather allows. Also use natural materials, such as wood, inside your home and include plants and fresh flowers too.

What are your tips for creating a cosy and comfortable home? Do you have any home rituals that allow you to savour and enjoy your space? You might also like to read some posts from the archive:  "Five Ways to Make your Home More Comfortable and Cosy" and "Dreaming and Gratitude".

Wadrobe Planning and Organisation

The start of a new year or a new season may be just the time to re-look at our wardrobes. This is a great opportunity to do a clothing edit and decide what to keep, what must go and to make a wish list of what to purchase next.

Photo by Igor Ovsyannykov

I am definitely not a fashionista, but these are a few ideas I have gleaned when sorting out my own wardrobe:

1. Only choose to keep what fits well and what makes you feel good.
2. Store away out of season clothes if possible. This makes it more clear what is currently useful and makes it easier to organise what is left in your collection.
3. Consider your lifestyle - is it more often casual or smart? It is a good idea to fit your clothes to your current situation but remember to also have a few outfits for smart occasions if you are mainly casual and similarly a few casual outfits if your week is in the formal work world.
4. Have some core/basic items that are versatile pieces and work well with a lot of your other items. It helps if these basics are mostly in neutral colours. Then add personality to outfits with accessories such as jewellery, scarves, shoes and handbags as well as more colourful clothing extras. My all time favourite fashion blog is The Vivienne Files for advice on how to build and co-ordinate a capsule wardrobe.
5. Be intentional when shopping and buy quality items rather than quantity. If you have sorted through your wardrobe before you purchase anything you are likely to have a better idea of what you need for the season. It may be helpful to have a specific shopping list of items that are missing from your wardrobe. 

I think clothing is so personal that it is impossible for anyone to dictate a "must have" list. Everyone needs to find what works for her. I am drawn to darker neutral colours as staples with bright accents in pink! I also spend a lot of time in jeans. 

What are your top clothing items that are favourites in your wardrobe? Do you have any tips for minimising and organising a clothing collection?

10 Decluttering Tips

Sometimes it is difficult to find the time and energy to declutter when there is an overwhelming amount to do. So where to start and how to declutter effectively? If one of your new year resolutions is to get organised, here are ten tips that might help with the decluttering mountain:

Photo by Sarah Rudolph

1. Start with surfaces and clear those first before you start on bigger projects. The satisfaction of having some tidy spaces may help you feel the motivation to tackle bigger projects.
2. Consider starting on a space that is the most annoying/dysfunctional to you. Think through what is working and not working in that space and try to design a more effective way of using it by listing the functions the space needs to perform. Only keep what supports the functions that you listed.
3. When you are working on a project, clear out the entire space before sorting out the contents and then deciding what needs to go back. Although it can make a lot of mess, it is really helpful to see the space empty and make considered decisions about what to keep.
4. When working through the decluttering process, make a mental shift to decide what you will keep rather than deciding what you will get rid of. Remind yourself that others may be able to use and appreciate the things that are no longer helpful to you.
5. Use pictures of your ideal space to help you keep a vision in mind of what you would like to achieve. It sometimes help to start with the end in mind and to consider how the newly organized space will make you feel when it is functioning well and looking its best.
6. Deal with items that are easier to declutter first (for example, clothes or kitchen items) and then move on to more sentimental items later in the process.
7. Try to make the decluttering more fun by roping in a friend and playing upbeat music while you work.
8. Use a timer to make the process more manageable. Stop and take a break after the timer goes off and have a snack or do something else for a while.
9. Reward yourself for making progress with your decluttering projects.
10. Break up big projects into smaller steps and estimate how much time each step will take. Then schedule appointments with yourself to complete each step.

What is your best decluttering advice? How have you motivated yourself to tackle decluttering jobs?

Organizing a Big Project: Sorting Out the Garage

Do you also have that one embarrassing part of your home where old or unused and unwanted things go, I almost want to say "to die"? I really struggle with keeping our garage in a usable state and we have decided that during our summer holidays (which is in December in our part of the world) we are going to do a big clear out!

I have "tidied" the garage before but it is a magnet for things to go before we donate or recycle them.
Today is a lovely sunny day, so I took the opportunity to spend some time in the garage and plot the steps we will need to take to get the space sorted out.

Photo by Clem Onojeghuo

My strategy for today was to survey the garage and decide on a plan of action. I realised that I could group the tasks into different categories to make it easier to get the job done. These are my five steps to a more organized garage:

Step 1: Organize for recycling of items. This will involve a trip to the recycling center , a trip to the local dump, a drop off of printer toner cartridges at a technology shop and a trip to a donation center for unused items still in good condition. It will probably take at least a full day to do all of this, so I will try and get this done first. Maybe in future I need to schedule a monthly recycling trip so the things don't build up into such a pile.

Step 2: Check with family members who are storing things in our garage how long we still need to store those things or if those items can be sold or given to other family members. 

Step 3: Sell large items that are no longer useful to us. There are a few large pieces of furniture we no longer need that can be sold to our local second hand shop or advertised on our local online sales group. 

Step 4: Clean and Organize. Once all the unnecessary items are removed it will be time to clean up and organize what is still stored there. We may also need to re-evaluate what we are storing and why we are storing it.

Step 5: DIY. We need to put a board over the stairs to create a storage area and complete the workbench that is a work-in-progress. We also need to consider getting quotes to put in a ceiling and seal the floor. 

Hopefully by spending some time neatening up and re-organizing our garage we will find it easier to keep it tidy and functional. I am also hoping it can be a useful work space for DIY projects if there is more space available there.

Do you too have a difficult space that gets untidy? What are your organizing tips and solutions for difficult spaces?